SPEEDWAY: Stowmarket-based Mark Loram walked away from an horrific looking crash in the first round of speedway's World Cup, held in horrendous conditions in Sheffield last night.

SPEEDWAY

STOWMARKET-based Mark Loram walked away from an horrific looking crash in the first round of speedway's World Cup, held in horrendous conditions in Sheffield last night.

The Eastbourne rider was at full speed when he caught the rear wheel of Robert Bath, as he tried to overtake the German in heat 19 and he was thrown head-first into the safety fence.

Australia took the lead from Great Britain in the re-run and one race later the meeting was called off because of the conditions with the result standing.

Britain will now have to take their chances in the race-off meeting at Peterborough on Thursday, when they will have to finish in the top two to book their place in the final next Saturday.

Scott Nicholls missed the meeting after suffering an infection to his damaged ankle.

Thunderstorms hit the stadium throughout the day and although it was not raining at the beginning of the

meeting they returned again from heat 10.

Britain were in control of the meeting from heats two until 19, with a joker played by Australia in heat 17 bringing the Aussies back into contention.

Witches asset Toni Svab crashed during practice, during the afternoon and broke both the fibia and tibia bones in one of his legs.