Berwick Bandits have swooped to sign Craig Cook.
He joins the Borders’ club after recovering from a shoulder injury which prematurely ended his 2024 campaign in Workington and Leicester colours.
The 37-year-old Cumbrian has scored over 4,700 points in the second tier since making his debut with the Comets in 2009 and a further 2,000 in the top flight, predominantly with Belle Vue.
He has regularly been a thorn in the Bandits’ side around their Shielfield Park home, Cook’s previous dozen league and cup visits seeing him average over 12 points a meeting, including three full maximum scores.
He holds the record for the fastest four laps at the famously pacy circuit. The time of 62.8 seconds was set in 2015 and is a tenth of a second faster than current GP star and fellow Cumbrian Dan Bewley’s official track, set in 2020 following work to widen and shorten the raceway.
Cook joins Rory Schlein, Drew Kemp and Danyon Hume as confirmed starters for the 2025 campaign for the side which found itself at the foot of the Championship following an injury-ravaged 2024 campaign.
Cook had been expected to return to Northside but, as he explained in a statement released on social media last night, the Comets chose not to follow up an initial verbal agreement.
Team manager Stewart Dickson explained that Berwick had moved quickly to make a deal with Cook after learning of his availability following last week’s British Speedway AGM in Tenerife.
He said: “It was a no-brainer really. “When riders of Craig’s calibre become available you don’t have to think too hard about what he offers to any team.
“I worked with him at Leicester in the Premiership in both 2023 and 2024 so I know what he brings to the table first-hand.
“It is a very significant step towards our mission to build a team capable to compete for silverware on all fronts in 2025.”
Words by George Dodds – Berwick Speedway
Feature Image by Keith Hamblin
