HANS Andersen looked on the bright side of his podium place at the Premiership Riders’ Championship before vowing to gun for top spot again next year.
The Watling JCB Lions ace finished third at the individual event held at former club Poole, battling back from a shaky start to rack up 10 points from his next four outings.
That booked a place in the semi-final which saw the Dane comfortably take second ahead of Wolverhampton’s Jacob Thorssell and Rye House’s Chris Harris. Home rider Brady Kurtz took full advantage of the inside gate to take the chequered flag.
However, gate positions had proved crucial all night with world champion and ex-Lion Jason Doyle taking the honours ahead of Troy Batchelor in the final, leaving Andersen to fight out and ultimately win the battle for third.
“It was not too bad, I got myself in the picture and on the rostrum,” said Andersen.
“I expected a tough meeting and an open field which was what we got. Anyone could have won it and that was proved by Brady going into as the favourite ahead of the world champion.
“Second or third is not a win but I am pretty happy. I did not have the best of luck with going off gate four three times, that was a bit of a graveyard.
“I bounced back pretty well after a last place in my opening heat. All in all, I was pretty consistent from there.
“This is not a meeting I have won, though, so it means I will have to give it another shot next season.”
Andersen's colleague Kyle Newman endured a tough night among the big guns, ending with three points.
The Dorset-based racer’s highlight arrived in the 20th and final qualifying heat when he passed Thorssell to take third, ensuring the Swede would have to sweat on a countback of race wins to claim his top-six berth.
PREMIERSHIP RIDERS CHAMPIONSHIP, Poole
QUALIFYING SCORES: Troy Batchelor 13, Jason Doyle 13, Brady Kurtz 11, Hans Andersen 10, Chris Harris 9, Jacob Thorssell 9, Max Fricke 9, Ty Proctor 7, Nick Morris 7, Charles Wright 7, Sam Masters 6, Niels-Kristian Iversen 6, Adam Ellis 5, Josh Grajczonek 4, Kyle Newman 3, Scott Nicholls 1.
SEMI-FINAL: Kurtz, Andersen, Thorssell, Harris.
GRAND FINAL: Doyle, Batchelor, Andersen, Kurtz.
Picture: LES AUBREY
