PIRATES' cult heroes Magnus Zetterstrom and Adam Skornicki left a host of Grand Prix and World Cup riders eating their dust on Saturday night, after romping to their national titles.

Donut king Skornicki stunned the likes of Tomasz Gollob and Krzysztof Kasprzak to notch a 15-point maximum and win the Polish crown at his former home track Leszno.

This came after Zetterstrom was crowned Swedish champion, following a rain-affected contest at Masarna-Avesta.

The meeting was stopped after heat 18 with the Pirate and Lakeside racer Jonas Davidsson tied on 12 points.

But the result was taken after heat 16, when each rider had taken four outings, which meant Zorro reigned supreme with 10 points.

The duo's incredible night means Poole line up at Coventry tonight for the Knock-Out Cup semi-final, first leg with an unprecedented three national champions, as Chris Holder also is Australian number one.

And for 36-year-old Zetterstrom, his incredible triumph was "a dream come true."

Speaking exclusively en-route to a Polish League meeting in Latvia yesterday, he said: "It's a dream, which I have been fighting towards for so many years - I have done 13 or 14 Swedish finals now.

"I think that's one of the dreams anyone in any sport has, to become champion of their country.

"It's great to know that I will be in all the history books now.

"The highest point of my career up to now was when I was European champion in 2002 and I've been fourth twice in the Swedish final before.

"I've always had this dream and I took the fact I had a good week with Poole to the final with me. I knew I was in good form but you need five great rides to win a championship - we only did four but I managed to have four good ones."

Zetterstrom's admits his win did lose some of its gloss, after heavy rain curtailed the contest.

Despite taking three victories and a third place from his four rides, the Swede was hoping to win the title over the traditional five races.

He added: "It would have been great to finish the meeting and win it properly and that's the only thing which takes some of the shine off it. It was a strange end to the meeting - we went in the press room had some small interviews, picked up the trophies and off we went.

"But I can't control the weather and it was not my fault that we had some heavy rain.

"So I deserve to win the final - that's what I think I need to sit down and tell myself because if I hadn't done it, someone else would have."

Pirates head to Brandon this evening with an unchanged side, as they bid to build up a hefty lead for Wednesday's return leg at Wimborne Road.

Coventry hand a long-awaited debut to former Pirate Hans Andersen and Czech youngster Filip Sitera, with the duo replacing Rory Schlein and Stanislaw Burza in the team.