Berwick Bandits latest Viking invader has been given the inside track on his new club by one of the Bandits’ favourite Great Danes.
Bastian Borke’s switch from Edinburgh was confirmed last, the 21-year-old from Aarhus lining up at reserve in the much-changed septet for 2024.
He has also switched clubs in Denmark where the move from Slangerup to Grinstead means that his team manager is Nicolaj Busk Jacobsen who made a big impression during a four-year spell with the Bandits which began in 2017 and spanned the aborted Covid season.
In an interview for the club’s YouTube programme Total Access, Borke said: “I’ve known Busk since I was riding 85cc’s back home, around the time that he first joined Berwick, and he always had good things to say about everything to do with Bandits, the track, the management and supporters,” Bastian explained.
“I was able to see for myself that everything he told me was true when I rode there with Edinburgh last season.
“I understand I might not be joining the biggest club in British speedway, but that family atmosphere is one that I’m looking forward to. The fact that there is never any problems with payment at Berwick helps too!”
Bastian faces a busy season as he returns to Valsarna in Sweden and Rsezow in Poland in addition to Danish and Cab Direct Championship commitments.
“One of the other attractions of joining a Saturday club is that I will be racing in Poland on Tuesday, Denmark Wednesday and Sweden on Thursday,” Bastian explained.
“Last year I had to dash over to Edinburgh on a Friday, this season I have the opportunity to catch my breath an extra day to prepare for Berwick.
“I’ve only been to Shielfield Park once (a match-winning 9+2 for Edinburgh in July which is his highest British return), but it was a good night and I know it is a track that I am going to enjoy racing on. It’s fast, has some good racing lines and really suits my style.
“In the UK each track is so specific and so different, but I felt that by the end of last season I had the hang of tracks of all size and shape and that definitely helped my racing on the continent too.”
Words by Berwick Speedway – Images by Taz McDougall
