LAST Friday saw the Somerset Rebels bring their 2015 season to a close with the end of season presentation night held at the Oaktree Arena, where the club proudly displayed the Premier League KO Cup, the fourth year in succession that the Rebels have won a major Championship trophy.

The three main rider awards as voted for by the fans to determine the Rider of the Year, Most Entertaining Rider and Most Improved Rider went respectively to Brady Kurtz, Charles Wright and Paul Starke.

The latter was also presented with no less than three other awards on the night - the Santa-on-a-Bike award for most bonus points, the Somerset Riders’ Equipment Fund Rider of the Year and the Merv Marsh Memorial Shield awarded to the track staff’s Rider of the Year, with club captain Josh Grajczonek being awarded the Fred Fountain Memorial trophy. Kurtz also won the trophy for the fastest time by a Somerset rider at the Oaktree Arena in 2015.

Starke said: “It has been a great year for both the club and myself personally and to receive these four awards has been a superb way to round the season off.

“I would like to thank everyone who voted for me, the fans have been great all season, this is a fantastic club to ride for, one which has true ambition to win things and I really want to be back here next season, and hopefully we’ll have the League Championship trophy on display at next year’s presentation night.”

Starke’s words were echoed by team mate Charles Wright – he said: “Joining Somerset back at the tail-end of the 2013 season was the best move I have ever made, and it has done me the world of good as a rider.

“It is a fantastic track and it is just great to be a part of such a well-run club, and I couldn’t ask to be anywhere better than this.”