RYAN Douglas says the hard work is starting to pay off after the Leicester man reached his first semi-final of the Australian Championship in Mildura on Thursday.
The 26-year-old flew out of the blocks showing a clean pair of heels to his opponents in both his first two outings - getting the better of former Leicester man Sam Masters in the process.
However, it wasn’t all plain sailing for the 2019 double-winner as he picked up just the single point from his following two rides, leaving him needing two points from his final race.
Douglas duly obliged, finishing second behind Aussie Under-21 Champion Jaimon Lidsey in the final qualifying heat.
A spectacular ride from current leader Max Fricke in the semi-final saw Douglas knocked out on the brink of the final.
Douglas said: “That’s a better performance and I feel as though the hard work on the bikes is starting to pay off.
“Tonight was my first semi–final of the series and although I couldn’t make a decent start I’m happy with how my night went overall.”
Reigning champion Fricke holds an 11-point lead at the top of the standings after three rounds with Douglas sitting ninth on 22.
The series finale takes place in Gillman on Saturday (January 11) where Douglas will go in search of a similar performance to end his series on a high.
Report: Joe Appleton.
