Speedway: Edinburgh Monarchs face double-header with Berwick Bandits in season opener

The Edinburgh Monarchs will face the Berwick Bandits twice in 24 hours as the Capital club's 2022 Championship fixtures were revealed.

Sam Masters will skipper the Edinburgh Monarchs again in 2022

The Monarchs will welcome their Borders opponents to Armadale on Friday, April 15 before the return fixture at Shielfield Park – home of Lowland League club Berwick Rangers – 24 hours later on Saturday, April 16.

A trip to the Newcastle Diamonds in the KO Cup first-round first leg the following day rounds off a busy opening weekend for the club.

Other key dates for the diary sees the first Scottish derby of the season take place at the West Lothian circuit on Friday, April 29 when the Glasgow Tigers are the visitors. The Monarchs head west to Ashfield 48 hours later on Sunday, May 1.

The Oxford Cheetahs make their long-awaited return to the sport after a 15-year absence and they will arrive at Armadale on Friday, June 24 with the return fixture on Wednesday, August 17. Reigning champions the Poole Pirates make the 900-mile round trip to Scotland on Friday, July 8.

This year will also see the Scottish Open back in its traditional summer slot, an individual event that has been absent from the speedway calendar for the last three years due to Covid-19. This meeting will take place at Armadale on Friday, August 19.

The Monarchs revealed their septet earlier this month with Australians Sam Masters, Josh Pickering and Kye Thomson all returning from last year. They are joined by Italian Paco Castagna, Lasse Fredriksen from Norway, Australian Jacob Hook and Yorkshireman James Sarjeant.