THE Kingdom’s cycle speedway stars have been handed a cash boost that they hope can click their title bid into gear.

The Fife Revolutions, who are based at Queen Anne High School, have received a grant of £914 from the Carnegie Dunfermline Trust that will help fund temporary floodlights, bike racks, a first aid kit and transport costs to league matches.

They are preparing for their second season in British Cycling North and Scotland Division Two, which begins in March, after enjoying an impressive third-place finish in their maiden campaign.

Founded and formed by Queen Anne guidance teacher Craig Masson – who was named Teacher of the Year at this year’s Press Community Champions awards – the Revolutions were in title contention with four weeks to go and placed third after winning 10, drawing one and losing five matches.

He now hopes that the team can claim championship glory in 2018, and said: “The Carnegie Dunfermline Trust money is fantastic and will hopefully let us take the next step in 2018.

“The bid was for bike racks, a first aid kit, floodlights and transport costs and it eases that burden. Last year we did over 2,000 miles, a big ask for everyone taking part, but it shows how keen they are.

“Without it (the grant) we would have to rely on the boys coming up with funds themselves, but this lets the team stay together for another year. Having floodlights will let us train through the winter months and enhance our track craft, which we didn’t have last year.

“We finished third and that was without a pre-season, so we’re already ahead in terms of our training schedule.

“To be in with a shout (of the title) until the last few weeks is really encouraging and we finished on a high with three wins in a row. I like to think we have a chance of winning it, or at least be challenging.”

Meanwhile the first leg of the Fife Schools Championships – featuring first-timers Braeview Academy, from Dundee – took place last Thursday.

Madras College got the better of a much-changed Queen Anne, showing just one survivor from their Scottish Championship win in June, and Braeview in the ‘A’ event and ‘B’ competition, designed for newcomers to the sport.

Craig added: “Braeview were keen to join and are a team of six girls. They were brilliant and didn’t look out of place against experienced riders from Queen Anne and Madras.

“It will help us increase participation but we’ve pretty much lost the team who won the Scottish Championships. We’ve got four S1s coming through and all the kids are still enthusiastic, but we want the amount of kids participating to increase.”

Craig added that, ahead of the new Revolutions season, he is organising a Scottish Open event for Division One and Division Two riders from Fife, Glasgow and Edinburgh in March, for which he is seeking sponsorship.

The Revolutions, who will be affiliated to Dunfermline and West Fife Sports Council, begin their campaign that month while the second leg of the schools championships will be held at Glenrothes High School on February 23.