Craig Watson became the first rider of the modern era to win the Welsh Open on two occasions.

The Newport Wasps skipper lifted the trophy before a big crowd bathed in sunshine, to mark the end of a perfect weekend of speedway in South Wales.

Watson rode to a 15-point maximum on Friday as Wasps gained a last-heat full house to give his side their first Premier League success of the season and end a run of a dozen successive defeats.

Long queues were forming well before the start and progammes were sold out. It was simply a perfect afternoon for speedway, and the action had quality stamped all over it.

And it wasn't unlucky 13 for Watson, who won the event in 1999 and third last season. Watson, who wore the number 13 bib and was top qualifier along with fellow Australian Adam Shields, both on 13 points, with Cornishman Chris Harris scoring 11.

Dane Jesper B Jensen, who rode in the British Grand Prix at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium on Saturday night, and Danny Bird finished on 10 points, and a run-off was agreed for a place in the final.

Bird fell on the pits bend of the last lap after a tremendous tussle, allowing Jensen to ease into the final, where he failed to make an impression, finishing last.

American Billy Hamill, former world champion and Grand Prix rider, now competing in Europe, was unlucky not to qualify for the final. He was on nine points after four rides, but in his final trip to the tapes suffered ignition failure. He was riding the track competitively for the first time. He said: "I've practised here many years ago. I was a little bit unlucky in my last heat.

"I felt that I was just getting to grips with the track, which wasn't difficult to ride, and if I'd done well I would have qualified for the final. It was a very good meeting."

Wales' lone representative, Phil Morris, from Cwmfelinfach, the Reading Racers' rider, scored four points from his last four rides after failing to score in his opening two heats.

Last year's champion, David Howe, had an inconsistent meeting, twice failing to score, and he ended with eight points, although gaining two heat wins.

Newport's Mads Kornel-iussen could only manage four points, while former Wasp Niels Kristian Iversen, now riding Elite League with Oxford, although scoring seven points in his first three rides, finished with eight. Final : 1 Craig Watson, 61.69sec., 2 Chris Harris, 3 Adam Shields, 4 Jesper B Jensen.

Individual points: David Howe (Wolverhampton and England) 8 points, Andy Smith (Swindon and England ) 7, Mads Korneliussen (Newport) 4, Leigh Lanham (Arena Essex) 4, Chris Harris (Coventry) 11, Michael Coles (Exeter), Adam Shields (Eastbourne and Australia) 13, Niels Kristian Iversen (Oxford and Denmark) 8, Carl Stonehewer (Workington and England) 9, Jesper B Jensen (Ipswich and Denmark) 10, Danny Bird (Reading and England), Phil Morris (Reading and Wales) 4, Craig Watson (Newport and Australia) 13, Adam Skornicki (Wolverhampton and Poland) 8, Steve Johnston (Swindon and Australia) 2. Billy Hamill (USA) 9.

All points from five rides.