New Berwick Bandit Freddy Holder battles for individual glory

Former Bandits Mason Watson and Connor Coles are expected to line up together at Edinburgh. Picture: Taz McDougall.

The 17-year-old, who joined Berwick Bandits after bursting on to the speedway scene with Belle Vue, will compete for one of the 10 places available for the British under-21 final.

Hodder faces the long trek to Plymouth in the semi-final of the competition on Tuesday, April 30, while former Bandits’ captain and 2022 champion Leon Flint is one of six riders seeded directly to the final of the competition.

The Rugby-born racer will also compete in the British under-19 championships and for Belle Vue Colts in the National Development League while making the step up to the Cab Direct Championship with the Bandits.

“I actually made my professional debut at Plymouth in 2021 and I’ve been back since,” Hodder said.

“The track there is about two-thirds the size of Berwick and Belle Vue so it’s definitely a challenge.

“But at this stage of my career, I’m always looking to learn and get bike time on different circuits.”

Also swapping the wide open spaces of British speedway’s longest race track for tight turns is Highfields-born Mason Watson, who has been named in the Edinburgh Academy team for the new season.

Watson has been making steady progress since switching from moto-x just before the Covid pandemic.

He spent the past two seasons in the National League, but Berwick’s decision at the end of last season to scrap their Bullets team meant he was left looking for a new team.

2023 Bullets team-mates Danny Phillips, Jamie Halder and Archie Freeman will form the backbone of the new Middlesbrough Bears septet, while Watson is expected to link-up with last year’s double rider of the year Connor Coles, who has also made the winter switch to Armadale.

Behind the scenes, work is continuing apace in preparation for the new speedway season, which begins with the Border Trophy match-up with Workington at Shielfield Park on Saturday, March 30.

The traditional meet the riders night at the Black and Gold, and press and practice night will take place the previous weekend.