POOLE Pirates star Chris Holder faces a tricky first heat in his attempt to reclaim the Elite League Riders' Championship he won three years ago. 

Having been drawn at number nine for the 2015 event, the Wimborne Road talisman begins his quest with a race against reigning champion Troy Batchelor, fellow Grand Prix star Chris 'Bomber' Harris and Sweden's Freddie Lindgren.

Poole's second rider, whose identity has yet to be confirmed, will occupy slot 13. 

The showdown, which will be held at Leicester's Beaumont Road Stadium on Saturday, March 21 (7.30pm), will feature the top two riders from all eight Elite League clubs with each riding in five of the 20 qualifying heats. 

The top two point scorers will head straight to the final with the riders placed third to sixth racing off for the other two spots. 

Elite League Riders’ Championship full draw: 1 Mikkel Bech (Lakeside), 2 Niels-Kristian Iversen (King’s Lynn), 3 Bjarne Pedersen (Leicester), 4 Kenneth Bjerre (King’s Lynn), 5 Matej Zagar (Belle Vue), 6 Scott Nicholls (Belle Vue), 7 Andreas Jonsson (Lakeside), 8 Jason Doyle (Leicester), 9 Chris Holder (Poole), 10 Freddie Lindgren (Wolverhampton), 11 Troy Batchelor (Swindon), 12 Chris Harris (Coventry), 13 TBC (Poole), 14 Nick Morris (Swindon), 15 Hans Andersen (Coventry), 16 Jacob Thorssell (Wolverhampton).

  • Admission is priced at £25 for adults, £20 for concessions, £5 for children aged 12-15 with under-11s granted free entry.