An international field of riders from seven countries and two continents will contest the 2025 FIM Women’s Speedway Gold Trophy (WSGT) this coming Saturday (12 July) at the immaculate Stadion Milenium in Donji Kraljevec, Croatia.
- Speedway’s leading ladies contest 2025 FIM Women’s Speedway Gold Trophy
- German star Celina Liebmann aims to double up in Donji Kraljevec
- Can Dutch dynamo Nynke Sijbesma upgrade to gold this time around?
Building upon solid foundations laid down by last year’s successful inaugural event at Teterow in Germany, the second edition is supported by HKC Koopmann, Kineo and Anlas and takes place the day after the conclusion of the 2025 FIM Women’s Speedway Academy attended by all WSGT competitors.
Promoting gender inclusivity and encouraging diversity, the WSGT is a product of the ongoing and successful collaboration between the FIM Track Racing Commission (CCP) and the FIM Women’s Commission (CFM).
The thirteen competitors will each contest four Heat races to decide the line-up for the Grand Final with seven riders from 2024’s first edition returning for a second attempt at the title and aiming to use last year’s hard-won experience at Teterow to full effect.
Among the pre-event favourites is defending champion Celina Liebmann from Germany who was in dominant form last year, remaining unbeaten throughout the competition. The twenty-four-year-old is one of women’s Speedway’s leading lights with a string of accolades to her name and was the first female competitor to race an FIM Speedway Under 21 World Championship (SGP2) event and the first woman to sign for clubs in Great Britain and Poland.
However, she will face fierce opposition with Dutch racer Nynke Sijbesma – who was second last year in Teterow and has experience of contesting the FIM Long Track Under 23 World Cup – expected to feature among the front runners, as is Germany’s Jenny Apfelbeck who also made the cut for last season’s Grand Final.
Another competitor from last year, Britain’s Rachel Hellowell claimed two Heat wins in the 2024 WSGT, but ended the meeting one point short of qualifying for the Grand Final, as did Germany’s Patricia Erhart who will also be in action in Donji Kraljevec.
With the German pairing of Mascha Schwend and Hannah Grunwald completing the list of returning racers, the remaining entry will be experiencing WSGT competition for the first time.
Teenaged talent Alina Sassenhagen, who has raced alongside Liebmann this season for the Friesian Lions team in her native Germany, will be joined behind the tapes by the Danish pairing of Katja Stoffer Jorgensen and Louise Funch Larsen. Polish hopes will rest on the shoulders of Martyna Mróz while Slovakia will be represented by Anna Hajková.
Furthest travelled of the competitors, Australian Tayla Street is a three-time national champion who at the very least will be aiming to emulate her compatriot Anika Loftus who finished third last season.
The action from Donji Kraljevec is scheduled to get under way at 15:30 local time. For more information click here.
Words by FIM Track Racing – Image by Jesper Veldhuizen
