BARROW Raiders and Sheffield Eagles will face off again at next year’s Betfred Championship Summer Bash in Blackpool.

The Raiders and the Eagles kicked off the 2018 edition of the annual Championship gathering at Bloomfield Road, with the South Yorkshire side running out 38-22 winners thanks to a hat-trick from Cory Aston.

Next year’s expanded event will see the pair get proceedings underway on the Sunday over the weekend of May 18 and 19, with kick-off times still to be confirmed.

That day also features a Heavy Woollen Derby between Batley Bulldogs and Dewsbury Rams, and concludes with relegated Widnes Vikings taking on Leigh Centurions.

The weekend gets under way with Rochdale Hornets against Swinton Lions, followed by overseas sides Toronto Wolfpack and Toulouse Olympique going head-to-head, and promoted pair York City Knights and Bradford Bulls facing Featherstone Rovers and Halifax respectively.

“The fixture list for next year’s Summer Bash sums up why we’re so excited about the Betfred Championship in 2019,” said RFL chief executive Ralph Rimmer.

“We’ve got the international appeal of Toronto and Toulouse, with more big-name players and coaches than ever.

“Bradford Bulls, Widnes Vikings and the York City Knights are three new clubs to the Championship next year who will add so much.

“They’re all involved in cracking games against Halifax, Leigh and Featherstone respectively, and I’m confident their supporters will relish this chance to get involved in the Bash and get behind their team in Blackpool.”

The RFL have decided to keep the Summer Bash in Blackpool as well despite interest from Newcastle, Bradford and Doncaster to host the event.

And former Ulverston player and coach Rimmer is in no doubt that is what the supporters want.

“It’s down to the supporters that we are going back to Bloomfield Road for a fifth consecutive year,” said Rimmer.

“We had a number of other strong applications to stage the Summer Bash in 2019, showing how the concept has established itself as a real celebration of what the Championship has to offer, on and off the field.

“But all the analysis we did showed that our supporters wanted to go back to Blackpool. Everybody knows the special range of attractions available to fans of all ages which makes it perfect for a Rugby League weekend away.”

The rest of the Championship fixtures and further details of the new 1895 Cup are due to be released at 6pm this afternoon.

Betfred Championship Summer Bash 2019 fixtures (kick-off times to be confirmed)

Saturday, May 18: Rochdale Hornets v Swinton Lions, Toronto Wolfpack v Toulouse Olympique, York City Knights v Featherstone Rovers, Halifax v Bradford Bulls.

Sunday, May 19: Barrow Raiders v Sheffield Eagles, Batley Bulldogs v Dewsbury Rams, Leigh Centurions v Widnes Vikings.