DMSC Bielefeld have been hosting Grass Track events for 50 years and staging successful FIM and FIM Europe Championship events at the Leineweberring, a big 700 metre Grass Track Circuit, in Bielefeld, in the north of Germany. The first being in 1985, with the UEM Semi Final event.
Images courtesy of FIM Europe
This year was no exception with fast, close and very competitive racing throughout the day, with this event being the first of two Semi Final.
The starting line-up consisted of 18 riders from 7 nations (Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Great Britain, Netherlands, and Germany), with the top 9 riders qualifying through to the European Final, which will take place at Werlte, Germany, on 22nd July.
The meeting was held on a hot sunny day, but due to the recent wet weather in north Germany, there was a grippy patch on part of the 3rd and 4th bend, which lead to a few incidents early in the meeting. However, with a lot of work being undertaken by the track staff, improvements were made which then led to some very competitive racing and no further accidents.
The highlight of the day was the last race (the A Final), in which English rider Chris Harris, swopped places with “Flying Dutchman” Romano Hummel during the last two laps with Harris, just beating Hummel over the finish line by half a wheel.
The next event of the series will be held on 1st July in Tayac, in the South of France.
Individual Grass Track European Championship – Top three
1. Chris Harris, GBR
2. Romano Hummel, NED
3. Jannick de Jong, NED
