The new season kicked off to a good start on Sunday. The Scorpions won the lst leg of the local derby against the Boston Barracudas 55 - 41 with Richie scoring a respectable 11 + 2 from 5 rides.

He found himself at the back in his opening ride but managed to find enough to get past Rob Smith and the very experienced Jon Armstrong to tuck in behind team mate Byron Bekker for a 5–1. He won his next two rides in heats 4 and 6 with Joe Haines and Byron respectively taking second place for another two more 5–1’s.

On a track which was now becoming slick, a slip up came in heat 10 when he finished second to Lambert and in heat 13 he had to be content with third behind team mate Benji Compton and the Barracudas' Armstrong.