Cheeting Death? - Speedway 2022

[Ray de Galles]

The most exciting sport in the world continues to flirt with demise, at least at club level in the UK. A whole raft of clubs dropping out of competition or being mothballed for a season or more.

Oxford's return after more than a decade bucks the trend and there is a wave of optimism for the national side who go in to next year as reigning World Champions.

All change for the solo and team international competitions as BSI, the promoters for the last twenty years, are replaced by Discovery Sports - the event organiser arm of the Eurosport group.

The very vague info for the British leagues are below, with the customary AGM seemingly now abolished :

https://twitter.com/speedwaygb/status/1458691267253186568?s=21

[Greenlander]

Team building almost there for the Gladiators:

Richard Lawson
Edward Kennett (one of the best riders around our track - scored a full max for Rye House a few years back)
Michael Palm Toft
Alfie Bowtell
Henry Atkins

If, as expected, Ben Barker takes one of the final spots we could be contenders.

[Ray de Galles]

https://twitter.com/oxfordspeedway/status/1461227837285883905?s=21

[Ray de Galles]

Good news!

https://twitter.com/brumspeedway/status/1468294582068776966?s=21

[Greenlander]

The Championship Pairs is back. It was traditionally held at Somerset on the eve of the British Grand Prix so be interesting to see where they head now. he says, fingers crossed, that they'll head 80 miles further west.

After all the excitment of Richard Lawson joining us, he's decided to up it and take his bikes elsewhere. That elsewhere strongly suspected to be Poole. However unlike last season when we were fighting for scraps having been admitted late into the league this time we're the first to announce our full one to seven. Almost like the points limit was known before the AGM. Anyway it's not too bad and should be pretty hard to beat at home.

Edward Kennett
Alfie Bowtell
Michael Palm Toft
Ben Barker
Hans Andersen
Dan Gilkes
Henry Atkins

[Ray de Galles]

More good news that there will be some speedway in the south-east of England next season, albeit in the third tier with Kent Royals :

https://twitter.com/kentkingslive/status/1476501499836612614?s=21

[HeavyDracula]

Eased myself back into work today by doing some infotrawling...

2022 British Speedway Team Line-Ups

Premiership

BELLE VUE (2 to announce)
Retained: Tom Brennan (GBR), Brady Kurtz (AUS), Charles Wright (GBR),
In: Max Fricke (AUS, last rode in the UK in 2019 for Belle Vue, GP rider in 2022), Nordick Blodorn (GER, first time in UK)
Out: Dan Bewley (GBR, sitting out UK in 2022), Richie Worrall (GBR, to King's Lynn), Steve Worrall (GBR, to Wolves)

IPSWICH
Retained: Cameron Heeps (AUS), Danny King (GBR), Anders Rowe (GBR), Paul Starke (GBR)
In: Troy Batchelor (GBR, from Sheffield), Jason Doyle (AUS, last rode in the UK in 2019 for Swindon, GP rider in 2022), Erik Riss (GER, from King's Lynn)
Out: Jake Allen (AUS), Craig Cook (GBR, to Sheffield), Jason Crump (AUS), Drew Kemp (GBR, to Wolves)

KING'S LYNN
Retained: Thomas Jorgensen (DEN), Lewis Kerr (GBR), Richard Lawson (GBR)
In: Peter Kildemand (DEN, last rode in the UK in 2018 for Poole), Josh Pickering (AUS, from Sheffield), Jack Thomas (GBR, first time in top division), Richie Worrall (GBR, from Belle Vue)
Out: Kasper Andersen (DEN), Ben Barker (GBR), Connor Mountain (GBR, to Sheffield), Erik Riss (GER, to Ipswich)

PETERBOROUGH
Retained: Hans Andersen (DEN), Chris Harris (GBR), Scott Nicholls (GBR), Ulrich Ostergaard (DEN), Jordan Palin (GBR), Michael Palm Toft (DEN)
In: Benjamin Basso (DEN, first time in top division)
Out: Bjarne Pedersen (DEN, retired)

SHEFFIELD
Retained: Adam Ellis (GBR), Jack Holder (AUS), Kyle Howarth (GBR), Stefan Nielsen (GBR)
In: Craig Cook (GBR, from Ipswich), Connor Mountain (GBR, from King's Lynn), Tobiasz Musielak (POL, last rode in the UK in 2019 for Swindon)
Out: Troy Batchelor (AUS, to Ipswich), Danyon Hume (GBR), Josh Pickering (AUS, to King's Lynn)

WOLVERHAMPTON
Retained: Ryan Douglas (AUS), Leon Flint (GBR), Sam Masters (AUS), Nick Morris (AUS), Luke Becker (USA)
In: Drew Kemp (GBR, from Ipswich), Steve Worrall (GBR, from Belle Vue)
Out: Broc Nicol (USA), Rory Schlein (AUS, retired)

- - - - - - - - -

Championship

BERWICK (1 to announce)
Retained: Kyle Bickley (GBR), Jye Etheridge (AUS), Leon Flint (GBR)
In: Chris Harris (GBR, from Birmingham), Theo Pijper (HOL, from Scunthorpe), Ricky Wells (USA, from Glasgow)
Out: Kasper Andersen (DEN, to Berwick)

BIRMINGHAM (3 to announce)
Retained: Ashley Morris (GBR), James Shanes (GBR)
In: Josh Auty (GBR, from Scunthorpe), Stefan Nielsen (GBR, from Poole)
Out: Paco Castagna (ITA, to Edinburgh), Chris Harris (GBR, to Berwick), Erik Riss (GER, to Redcar), Jack Thomas (GBR, to Oxford)

EDINBURGH
Retained: Sam Masters (AUS), Josh Pickering (AUS), Kye Thomson (AUS)
In: Paco Castagna (ITA, from Birmingham), Lasse Fredriksen (NOR, first time in the UK), Jacob Hook (AUS, first time in the UK), James Sarjeant (GBR, from Redcar)
Out: Nathan Greaves (GBR), Drew Kemp (GBR), Anders Rowe (GBR, to Leicester), Richie Worrall (GBR, to Leicester)

GLASGOW
Retained: Connor Bailey (GBR), Tom Brennan (GBR), Craig Cook (GBR), Broc Nicol (USA), Ulrich Ostergaard (DEN)
In: Ben Basso (DEN, from Poole), Danyon Hume (GBR, from Poole)
Out: Sam Jensen (DEN), Marcin Nowak (POL), Ricky Wells (USA, to Glasgow)

LEICESTER
Retained: Kyle Howarth (GBR), Nick Morris (AUS), Dan Thompson (GBR), Joe Thompson (GBR)
In: Connor Mountain (GBR, from Newcastle), Anders Rowe (GBR, from Edinburgh), Richie Worrall (GBR, from Edinburgh)
Out: Hans Andersen (DEN, to Plymouth), Ryan Douglas (AUS, to Scunthorpe), Zaine Kennedy (AUS, to Scunthorpe)

NEWCASTLE
Retained: Max Clegg (GBR), Matt Wethers (AUS), James Wright (GBR)
In: Lee Complin (GBR, last rode in 2012 for Berwick), George Congreve (NZL, first time in the UK), Paul Starke (GBR, from Kent), Bradley Wilson-Dean (NZL, last rode in the UK for Peterborough in 2019)
Out: Ben Barker (GBR, to Plymouth), Archie Freeman (GBR), Connor Mountain (GBR, to Leicester), Adam Roynon (GBR, to Redcar)

OXFORD
In: Troy Batchelor (AUS, from Kent), Cameron Heeps (AUS, from Kent), Kyle Newman (GBR, from Eastbourne), Scott Nicholls (GBR, from Kent), Jack Thomas (GBR, from Birmingham), Dillon Ruml (from Plymouth), Josh MacDonald (from Scunthorpe),

PLYMOUTH
Retained: Henry Atkins (GBR), Alfie Bowtell (GBR)
In: Hans Andersen (DEN, from Leicester), Ben Barker (GBR, from Newcastle), Dan Gilkes (GBR, from Kent), Edward Kennett (GBR, from Eastbourne), Michael Palm Toft (DEN, from Redcar)
Out: Zach Cook (AUS), Jason Crump (AUS), Richard Lawson (GBR), Bjarne Pedersen (DEN, retired), Dillon Ruml (USA, to Oxford)

POOLE
Retained: Steve Worrall (GBR0, Danny King (GBR), Ben Cook (AUS)
In: Nathan Ablitt (GBR, from Eastbourne), Zach Cook (AUS, from Plymouth), Drew Kemp (GBR, from Edinburgh), Richard Lawson (GBR, from Plymouth)
Out: Ben Basso (DEN, to Glasgow), Danyon Hume (GBR, to Glasgow), Stefan Nielsen (GBR, to Birmingham), Rory Schlein (AUS, retired)

REDCAR
Retained: Jordan Jenkins (GBR), Lewis Kerr (GBR), Charles Wright (GBR)
In: Kasper Andersen (DEN, from Berwick), Jason Edwards (GBR), Erik Riss (GER, from Birmingham), Adam Roynon (GBR, from Newcastle)
Out: Jake Allen (AUS, to Scunthorpe), Ryan Kinsley (GBR, to Scunthorpe), Michael Palm Toft (DEN, to Plymouth), James Sarjeant (GBR, to Edinburgh)

SCUNTHORPE
Retained: Tero Aarnio (FIN), Simon Lambert (GBR), Jordan Palin (GBR)
In: Jake Allen (AUS, from Redcar), Ryan Douglas (AUS, from Leicester), Zaine Kennedy (AUS, from Leicester), Ryan Kinsley (GBR, from Redcar)
Out: Josh Auty (GBR, to Birmingham), Adam Ellis (GBR), Thomas Jorgensen (DEN), Josh MacDonald (AUS, to Oxford), Theo Pijper (HOL, to Berwick)

- - - - - - - - - -

National Development League

ARMADALE (Edinburgh) (7 to announce)
Out: Archie Freeman (to Belle Vue)

BELLE VUE
Retained: Harry McGurk, Sam McGurk, Jack Parkinson-Blackburn, Jack Smith
In: Nathan Ablitt (from Eastbourne), Archie Freeman (from Armadale), Freddie Hodder (NL debut)

BERWICK
Retained: Kyle Bickley, Greg Blair, Kieran Douglas, Luke Crang, Ben Rathbone, Mason Watson
In: Ace Pijper
Out: Ryan MacDonald

KENT (Iwade)
In: Ben Morley (last rode in 2019 for Isle of Wight), Danno Verge (from Eastbourne), Alfie Bowtell (last rode in NDL for Eastbourne in 2019), Joe Alcock (from Newcastle), Chris Watts (new), Jamie Halder (from Leicester), Sam Woolley (from Belle Vue)
Out: Vinnie Foord (to Leicester), Dan Gilkes (to Plymouth), Ryan Kinsley (to Mildenhall), Alex Spooner (to Mildenhall), Josh Warren (to Mildenhall), Jacon Clouting (to Oxford), Jake Mulford

LEICESTER
Retained: Mickie Simpson, Tom Spencer, Joe Thompson, Dan Thompson
In: Connor Coles (from Belle Vue), Vinnie Foord (from Kent), Max Perry
Out: Ben Trigger (to Plymouth), Joe Lawlor, Kai Ward

MILDENHALL
Retained: Sam Bebee, Jason Edwards, Elliot Kelly, Luke Muff
In: Ryan Kinsley (from Kent), Alex Spooner (from Kent), Josh Warren (from Kent)
Out: Sam Hagon, Jordan Jenkins, Luke Ruddick

OXFORD (2 to announce)
In: Jordan Jenkins (from Mildenhall), Nathan Stoneman (last rode in 2019 for Plymouth), Sam Hagon (from Mildenhall), Ben Hopwood (last rode in 2018 for Plymouth), Jacob Clouting (from Kent)

PLYMOUTH
In: Richard Andrews (from Eastbourne), Henry Atkins (from Eastbourne), Adam Extance (last rode in 2019 for Plymouth), Dan Gilkes (from Kent), Connor King (from Eastbourne), Eli Meadows (NL debut), Ben Trigger (from Leicester)

[HeavyDracula]

And just three events on the GB calendar so far... see you at Alwalton?

Ben Fund Bonanza
Peterborough on March 27th

SGP
7th round at Cardiff on August 13th

SGP2 (Under-21)
2nd round at Cardiff on August 14th

[HeavyDracula]

Oxford have completed their team with Australian Josh MacDonald (from Scunthorpe) and American Dillon Ruml (from Plymouth).

Leicester have retained Dan Thompson in their NDL team, and Ace Pijper (son of Theo) has signed on for Berwick's third-tier side.

[Ray de Galles]

https://twitter.com/speedwaygb/status/1484088325799563266?s=21

[HeavyDracula]

Some signings to report (have updated the team lists above):

Belle Vue signed young German Nordick Blodorn and still have two places to fill. There were rumours that one of them might be Tai Woffinden but he's announced he's signed for Ebsjerg in the Danish Speedway Liga (where the Speedway of Nations is taking place), which doesn't preclude him signing for Belle Vue but makes it less likely.

Wolverhampton completed their team with Luke Becker and Nick Morris returning.

Poole have announced their complete 1-7, with Steve Worrall, Danny King, and Ben Cook all returning. They have four new signings - Cook's brother Zach and Richard Lawson from Plymouth, Drew Kemp from Edinburgh, and Nathan Ablitt, who rode for Eastbourne last year. Unusually, the champions have a mostly new team and even more unusually it's 5/7ths British...

Birmingham are still struggling for riders, with three to announce, while Berwick are still on the lookout for a 7-pointer.

In the NDL, Armadale have no riders signed yet but Berwick have completed their team, with Kieran Douglas, Luke Crang, Ben Rathbone, and Mason Watson all returning to join new signing Ace Pijper, a teenager making his competitive debut this season.

Kent have also filled out their roster, with Jamie Halder from Leicester and Sam Woolley from Belle Vue being joined by Joe Alcock (on Newcastle's books last year), Alfie Bowtell (who last rode in the NDL for Eastbourne in 2019), and newcomer Chris Watts, a debutant at 32yrs old.

Leicester completed their team with teenager Max Perry, making his NDL debut.

Oxford have five named - Jordan Jenkins and Sam Hagon from 2021 champions Mildenhall, Jacob Clouting from Kent, and two returnees. Nathan Stoneman and Ben Hopwood both last rode for Plymouth, in 2019 and 2018, respectively.

- - - - -

In other news, Jason Crump has been named manager of Oxford for their Championship tilt.

- - - - -

The fixtures were published, as Ray posted above, and some important dates are:

Monday, March 21, 2022: Peter Craven Memorial @ Belle Vue

Sunday, March 27, 2022: Ben Fund Bonanza @ Peterborough

Sunday, April 10, 2022: British Under-21 Semi-Final @ Mildenhall

Wednesday, April 13, 2022: Oxford Cheetahs v Scunthorpe Scorpions (first date for the new club)

Monday, May 23, 2022: Premiership Pairs @ Peterborough

Thursday, June 16, 2022: Premiership Pairs @ Ipswich

Saturday, July 2, 2022: Championship League Riders @ Poole

Thursday, July 7, 2022: Premiership Pairs @ King's Lynn

Monday, July 18, 2022: Premiership Pairs @ Wolverhampton

Monday, August 1, 2022: British Final @ Belle Vue

Friday, August 12, 2022: Championship Pairs @ Oxford

Saturday, August 13, 2022: British Grand Prix @ Cardiff

Sunday, August 14, 2022: British Grand Prix 2 @ Cardiff

Thursday, August 18, 2022: Premiership Pairs @ Sheffield

Saturday, August 20, 2022: Grand Prix Challenge @ Glasgow

Monday, September 12, 2022: Premiership Pairs @ Belle Vue

[HeavyDracula]

Birmingham’s opening night is against an ex-Bees side - guess I’m going to Perry Barr!

[Ray de Galles]

What's going on with Woffinden sending coded messages about his British club/national future via his social media account?

[HeavyDracula]

No idea, I'm afraid. Still no movement at Belle Vue, Berwick, or Birmingham...

[Greenlander]

This is probably the most excited I've been about speedway in Plymouth since I discovered the sport back in 2014. Two teams and a fixture list means racing every, and it is every, Tuesday weather allowing from the end of March until late August. And all for £300.

[Exiled off Main Street]

I am going to be in the UK this easter - the first time I have been in the UK during the speedway season since I left the UK in 1989. I am more than giddy at the prospect of going to see Belle Vue vs Wolverhampton on Bank Holiday monday afternoon. I don't have the time to get down to see Kings Lynn sadly - but this will more than suffice.

[HeavyDracula]

The season starts in 11 days and Belle Vue still need 2 riders, Birmingham 3.

[HeavyDracula]

Russian World champion Artem Laguna and fellow countryman Emil Sayfutdinov have been removed from the Speedway Grand Prix series, replaced by Jack Holder and Dan Bewley.

[Ray de Galles]

Missed that, weren't they looking in to switching to Polish nationality to avoid the sanctions - especially as they have pretty much broken off relations with the Russian speedway authorities and also oppose the war on Ukraine.

[HeavyDracula]

Missed that, weren't they looking in to switching to Polish nationality to avoid the sanctions - especially as they have pretty much broken off relations with the Russian speedway authorities and also oppose the war on Ukraine.

I don’t think the FIM allow license switches after January 1st but I could be wrong. I mean, this is the very definition of extenuating circumstances but, on the other hand, they could have switched years ago if they felt that strongly (and there are rumours about Laguta’s father…)

[Ray de Galles]

Just got my ticket for Oxford's first fixture back which went on sale today. Details below if anyone else is interested :

https://twitter.com/oxfordspeedway/status/1501633921251000330?s=21

[HeavyDracula]

Ditto. See you there! (I'm also planning on going to Birmingham's season opener against ex-Coventry)

[Ray de Galles]

As I've never been there before I was confused by the Inside Stadium/Outside Terrace choice of tickets but went for the latter because I presumed it actually meant in a stand. What did you go for?

[HeavyDracula]

Terrace. I assumed the Inside Stadium but meant actually inside the glass-fronted grandstand, like at Birmingham and Poole.

[Ray de Galles]

Ah, oh fuck. I don't want that. Will contact and see if I get access to the outside too or if I need to switch the ticket.