GREAT Britain’s speedway team went agonisingly close to striking gold in the inaugural Monster Energy FIM Speedway of Nations Final in Poland.
They had to settle for silver in a dramatic last gasp final shootout with Russia – despite finishing the tournament as top scorers!
Scunthorpe-born double world individual champion Tai Woffinden inspired the side straight through to the one-off final with a stunning display, winning 12 of his 13 outings over the two nights in Wroclaw.
But he received handy support from King’s Lynn’s Robert Lambert, the British Under 21 Champion.
Woffinden won the deciding heat but youngster Lambert couldn’t find a way past former Coventry man Emil Sayfutdinov.
And in knockout racing, with the emphasis on teamwork, when a nation finished second and third it means they win the race 3+1 v 3.
Top man Woffinden, who notched a staggering 38 out of a possible 39 points in the two-day final, was pleased to be back in GB colours after ending his self imposed exile.
He said: “It’s disappointing to miss out at the end but that’s the way the competition works and we have to settle for silver.
“But this is the first stage of a five-year plan for GB and whilst Rob Painter (team supremo) is making all the right noises I’ll be alongside him.
“I want to say I’m proud of young Robert, he did a great job throughout the tournament and also a special mention to Craig Cook who travelled with us and was a big member for us as part of the team.
“It was good to be back racing for my country on a team basis.”
Cook and Lambert will compete in the British Final at Belle Vue on Monday with Woffinden sitting it out.
“Good luck to the boys in the British Final,” he said. “It’s been a good week and I’ll be looking for the result.”
Image: : Tai Woffinden (white helmet) and Robert Lambert (Yellow) team riding to success over Australia. Picture: Rafal Wlosek
More Speedway News & Fixtures :
(SPEEDWAY 1)
GREAT Britain had to settle for the silver medal in an agonising conclusion to the Speedway of Nations Final in Wroclaw on Saturday.
The new-look GB set-up exceeded all expectations over the weekend and consolidated their position from Friday’s first leg in a battle with Russia for the one automatic place in the Final.
Tai Woffinden’s dramatic Heat 19 win over Artem Laguta ensured first place for GB after 42 heats of racing, ten points clear of hosts Poland.
But Russia overcame Poland in a controversial race-off with Patryk Dudek disqualified, and went on to take the silverware in the Final with Emil Sayfutdinov just holding off the challenge of Robert Lambert for the vital third spot.
GB boss Alun Rossiter said: “We’ve won a silver medal in Poland and I should be really happy despite the disappointment of just being edged out at the end.
“When it all sinks in properly, we shouldn’t be too down on ourselves, because to finish second out here is a massive step forward.
“I’m super-proud of all three of the boys, and everyone who worked behind the scenes. It was a team event, and everybody played their part.”
(SPEEDWAY 2)
KYLE Howarth hopes to hit upon the right set-up in Monday’s British Final at Belle Vue.
The Wolverhampton and Sheffield star admits the National Speedway Stadium has not always been his best venue in the past – but he’s still keen to make his mark in the race for the national title.
Howarth said: “Getting the set-up bang on from the start and changing it to suit the track is so important at Belle Vue.
“It’s totally different to any other British track and you have to keep your eye on the way it’s working.
“You have to be on it set-up and speed-wise every single race and even if you’re slightly out you’ll end up so far behind everyone else.
“I’ve never had a really brilliant score there, but like I say it’s a real tough place to go to as an away rider. But I’ve been a few times now and I’d like to think I’m starting to get more used to it now.”
(SPEEDWAY 3)
BERWICK are top of the Championship after a 51-38 win in an extraordinary meeting against Redcar.
Nikolaj Busk Jakobsen (12+2), David Howe (11) and Dany Gappmaier (10+1) all scored double figures for the Bandits as they maintained their 100 per cent home record.
But the main taking point was a remarkable Heat 13 which required no fewer than eight attempts in order to force a result.
Aaron Summers, Ty Proctor and Nathan Greaves all suffered disqualifications amongst a succession of re-runs, before Busk Jakobsen finally defeated Thomas Jorgensen (10+1) as the only two riders left in the race.
Bandits boss Scott Courtney said: “Top of the league? I like the sound of that! We're about halfway through the season and we need to keep this momentum going to stay up there and prove the critics who predicted we'd be at the other end of the table wrong.
“It was an entertaining match, with a bit of everything that got the crowd going, especially that unbelievable Heat 13.
“But all the guys pulled their weight, and even if the points didn't come from some, their positive influence was still shining bright in the pits and as always it was a true team effort.”
(SPEEDWAY 4)
STOKE co-boss Adam Isherwood had no complaints after Mildenhall ran up a 53-36 National League win at Loomer Road on Saturday.
The Fen Tigers stretched clear in the closing stages of the meeting with three 5-1s in the last four races to ensure a maximum haul of points.
Ryan Kinsley continued his strong form with 16+1, backed up by Danny Ayres on 15+1, whilst Max Clegg top-scored for the Potters with 12.
Isherwood said: “I’m very disappointed, we were simply beaten by the better side. They were quick out of the starts and we just couldn’t back on terms with them and you can see why many people favour them for the league title this year.
“We lacked race winners with only four in the fifteen races and you are not going to win meetings if you are not winning the races.
“On the plus side for us it was good to see Rob (Shuttleworth) getting amongst the points and hopefully that will give the lad some confidence.
“But overall it was a very disappointing night for us, and we have to move on and prepare for our next meeting and not let our heads get down.”
(SPEEDWAY 5)
EASTBOURNE fought off dogged opposition from Plymouth to win their National Trophy clash 49-41 at Arlington.
Devils duo Adam Roynon and guest Danyon Hume both scored 14 to keep the visitors in contention, with the Eagles providing a more solid scorechart led by Mark Baseby with ten.
Eastbourne boss Connor Dugard said: “It was harder than I expected and that is probably our fault. The track went really, really slick after the kids went out for six races before the meeting.
“We are learning but it did make it easier for them to ride. Normally we have a lot of dirt.
“Plymouth are a good team. Adam Roynon is an out-and-out No 1, and Danyon Hume was a No 5 which they don’t normally have. It was speedway at the end of the day and we still got three points.”
(SPEEDWAY 6)
PETERBOROUGH face a rapid return fixture against Glasgow at the East of England Arena today (Sunday).
The Panthers were narrowly beaten when the sides met at Ashfield on Friday, but they still picked up a useful Championship point for their efforts.
Glasgow arrive with former Peterborough men Chris Harris, Paul Starke and Claus Vissing in their line-up, whilst Ellis Perks makes his debut for the home side.
Panthers boss Carl Johnson said: “Glasgow have some class riders who do ride our track well, so obviously we’re going to have to be on our game.
“Ulrich (Ostergaard) comes back into the side after missing Glasgow, we scored six from his rider-replacement rides there whereas I think he would have scored more than that, so it’s good to have him back.
“Ellis is in for his debut and he’s raring to go, and wanting to prove a point. He’s with us on 28-day cover but he’s here to put himself in the shop window, and if he can pick up five or six points that’s what we’re looking for from him.
“I expect another close meeting, one which could go either way just as the one on Friday could have done.”
(SPEEDWAY 7)
HOMELESS rivals Coventry and Cradley clash at Leicester in the National Trophy today (Sunday).
Both clubs are without a stadium of their own despite their proud histories, with a series of epic battles having taken place between them down the years.
They are also embroiled in a three-way scrap with Birmingham for Final qualification, although the Bees are hit by the absence of Luke Ruddick with a shoulder injury.
Coventry boss Martyn Macdonald said: “It’s a dogfight to qualify and we’re still in there despite the setbacks against Birmingham, so we’ve got to keep going and you never know what can happen.
“Certainly if we could win on Sunday it would set things up very nicely for the Birmingham/Cradley matches, and we’d watch them closely along with what we do ourselves.
“We had a very impressive performance last week against Kent, and hopefully it will be a similar result on Sunday!”
Cradley manager Will Pottinger said: “Having Drew (Kemp) available is a massive boost for us because he’s such a valuable rider to have, especially while he’s still at reserve.
“But the whole team have bounced back well since the home defeat to Coventry and we know the importance of Sunday’s meeting.
“We have to go there and get a result, preferably a win, and that would set us up nicely ahead of our final two matches against Birmingham.”
(FIXTURES)
SUNDAY JUNE 10:
CHAMPIONSHIP: Peterborough v Glasgow 5pm
NATIONAL TROPHY: Coventry v Cradley 3pm
MONDAY JUNE 11:
BRITISH FINAL: Belle Vue 7.30
NATIONAL TROPHY: Kent v Eastbourne 6.30
TUESDAY JUNE 12:
TRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE: Isle of Wight v Plymouth 7pm
WEDNESDAY JUNE 13:
PREMIERSHIP: Leicester v Swindon 7.30, Poole v King’s Lynn 7.30, Somerset v Wolverhampton 7.30
NATIONAL TROPHY: Birmingham v Buxton 7.30
Results Saturday June 9, 2018
FIM MONSTER ENERGY SPEEDWAY OF NATIONS - FINAL, 2nd leg, Wroclaw, Poland
1 Russia 22 (Artem Laguta 14, Emil Sayfutdinov 8)
2 Great Britain 21 (Tai Woffinden 17, Robert Lambert 4)
3 Poland 21 (Maciej Janowski 13, Patryk Dudek 8)
4 Australia 20 (Jason Doyle 16, Max Fricke 4)
5 Sweden 16 (Fredrik Lindgren 9, Antonio Lindback 7)
6 Denmark 15 (Michael Jepsen Jensen 15, Kenneth Bjerre 0, Fredrik Jakobsen 0)
7 Germany 11 (Kai Huckenbeck 9, Martin Smolinski 2, Michael Hartel 0)
FINAL STANDINGS
1 Russia 45 - Placed 1st after race-off.
2 Great Britain 46 - Placed 2nd after race-off.
3 Poland 36 - Placed 3rd after race-off.
4 Australia 35
5 Denmark 35
6 Sweden 32
7 Germany 23
(RUSSIA crowned 2018 FIM Speedway of Nations Champions)
CHAMPIONSHIP
Berwick 51 (Nikolaj Busk Jakobsen 12+2)
Redcar 38 (Thomas Jorgensen 10+1)
Championship points: Berwick 3 Redcar 0
TRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE
Stoke 36 (Max Clegg 12)
Mildenhall 53 (Ryan Kinsley 16+1)
National League points: Stoke 0 Mildenhall 4
NATIONAL TROPHY
Eastbourne 49 (Mark Baseby 10)
Plymouth 41 (Adam Roynon 14/Danyon Hume 14)
