Ross Brady and Blair Scott will line up against the cream of the young riders in Britain. Both have admitted that their prime aim is qualification ofr the next round of the World Under-21 Championship.
With seven places up for grabs, on the assumption that current World Under-21 Champion Lee Richardson is there or there abouts, a top eight finish will be enough. Obviously either will be delighted if they can get a rostrum place or even a win.
The winner of the meeting, or the runner-up should Lee Richardson triumph, will be seeded directly to the semi-final at Pocking in Germany. The next six will qualify for one of the three quarter-finals. This will mean either a trip to Mseno in the Czech Republic on May 1st or to Santorem in Portugal on May 14th or to Bydgoszcz in Poland on June 6th.
The final will be in Poland at the end of August. In last year's final there were four English riders: David Howe, Simon Stead, Scott Nicholls, and Lee Richardson. Scottish riders have made little impression in the event. This year there is a good chance for three Scottish riders to progress to the next round with Blair and Ross being joined by Barry Campbell in the final. If Barry can rediscover the Armadale form he displayed the year before last when he recorded a 21-point paid maximum, he should have a realistic chance of progression.
All three know it will be tough. Failure to qualify could hinge on a fall, an exclusion, an engine failure or a puncture.