ELEVEN world champions from the world of grass track racing descend upon Swingfield, near Folkestone, this weekend where the Astra Grasstrack Club stage the finals of the 2007 European Grasstrack Championships.

The club has staged two semi-finals of the competition in previous years, but this is the first time a meeting of this magnitude has come to Britain for nearly 30 years.

Eighteen of the very best will contest this year's event with riders coming from all over Europe in what is expected to be one of the closest fought contests for many years.

England have four representatives, including newly crowned British Masters Champion Glen Phillips and pre-meeting favourite Andrew Appleton.

Defending champion is Germany's Stephan Katt, a previous winner at Swingfield, plus former title-holders Theo Pijper of Holland, Bernd Diener of Germany and the Czech Republic's Zdenek Schneiderwind.

World champion Gerd Riss of Germany, making his first UK appearance for five years, heads the challengers, which also includes former world title-holder and England speedway ace Joe Screen and Kent's grasstrack and speedway star Paul Hurry.

There are a total of 35 races throughout the afternoon with all the action getting underway at 1pm on Saturday. Admission is free.