Following an agreement with FIM Speedway global promoter Mayfield Sports Events, senior world-championship action returns to Västerviks Arena for the first time since the city hosted 2017 FIM Speedway World Cup Semi-Final 2, won by Sweden.

Next year’s FIM SON Final – Västervik will feature the world’s top seven teams, including hosts Sweden, as they battle to become 2027 FIM Speedway world team champions.

The sport’s top eight junior sides, including Sweden, will also be in action in 2027 FIM Speedway of Nations – SON2 – Västervik – an epic 28-heat showdown for the FIM Team Speedway Under-21 World Championship.

The following two years will then see the sport’s flagship series head to Västerviks Arena for the first time for the 2028 and 2029 FIM Speedway GP of Sweden – Västervik.

Dates for the 2027 FIM SON events will be confirmed when the full calendar is released at the end of the current FIM Speedway season.

Richard Coleman, founder of Mayfield Sports Events, can’t wait to bring SON and Speedway GP action to Västervik. He said: “It’s very exciting to be taking the FIM Speedway World Championships to a new venue over the next few years.

“While Västervik has hosted FIM SWC Semi-Finals, these are comfortably the biggest speedway events to have taken place in the city. I would like to thank the club and the Västervik Municipality for the passion they are putting into making these events a reality.

“Sweden has a rich history of winning FIM Speedway World Championships in both team and individual events, and this really is an exciting time for Västervik and the Swedish riders and fans as we bring three huge events to the city.”

The Västervik club enjoyed a golden season in 2025, ending its 20-year wait for a Bauhaus Elitserien championship.

The Swedish national side, currently managed by Linus Sundstrom, will be hopeful of winning the FIM SON for the first time in Västervik.

Niclas Wallander, chairman of Västervik Speedway / Westerviks Motorsportklubb commented: “Västervik Speedway and Westerviks Motorsportklubb are extremely proud and delighted to have the opportunity to host international FIM events in Västervik over the next three years, including SON2, the FIM Speedway of Nations and the FIM Speedway Grand Prix.

“We would like to extend our sincere thanks to Mayfield Sports Events and the FIM for the constructive and professional discussions that have led to this collaboration, and for the confidence they have placed in our club and our city. Welcoming the best riders in the world to Västervik means a great deal both for the sport and for the entire region.

“Together with Mayfield Sports Events, the FIM, our partners, volunteers and the municipality, we look forward to delivering world-class events and unforgettable experiences for fans over the coming years.”

Harald Hjalmarsson, chair of the Municipal Executive Board of Västervik, commented:“Västervik is looking forward to hosting this famous international event. We have a fantastic speedway crowd with great passion and an amazing atmosphere, and we are excited to welcome both visitors and participants to a real celebration of speedway in beautiful Västervik.”

Micke Teurnberg, sports manager and marketing director of Västervik Speedway, commented: “I am very proud and happy that Västervik Speedway will now host Speedway GP events in the future.

“To be a part of such a major international project is a great honour. After being involved in the GP events in Hallstavik in 2018 and 2019, and later in Målilla in 2021 and 2022, it feels fantastic to now work together with all the passionate people in Västervik Speedway club and Västervik Municipality. We are really looking forward to the future. It will be fantastic to bring Speedway GP to Västervik.”

Words by FIM Speedway – Feature Image courtesy of Taylor Lanning

The post Västervik to host 2027 Speedway of Nations Final and future Swedish GPs appeared first on Speedway Hub UK.

Eight of the sport’s top nations compete over an epic 28 heats at the storied Marketa Stadium, with the highest-scoring country carrying off this year’s FIM Team Speedway Under-21 World Championship.

Last year’s SON2 champions Germany raced to the country’s first world team title of any kind when they topped the podium in dramatic style at Torun’s Marian Rose Motoarena on October 3.

They defend that title against hosts Czech Republic, Denmark, Australia, Poland, Sweden, Great Britain and a history-making Ukrainian side, skippered by Speedway GP newcomer and 2025 SGP2 world champion Nazar Parnitskyi.

Ukraine steps into the line-up in place of Latvia for what will be the country’s first FIM Team Speedway Under-21 World Championship Final since they won the bronze medal in Balakovo, Russia in 2011.

Every national coach has named a squad of up to five riders for the competition and, six days before racing, they will narrow this down to a team of three – two starters at No.1 and No.2 and one substitute at No.3.

Czech Republic’s squad is captained by 2025 SGP2 star Adam Bubba Bednar. He is joined by 17-year-old Adam Nejezchleba, who was recently part of the senior team’s FIM Speedway World Cup squad. Bruno Belan, Jaroslav Vanicek and Jan Jenicek complete the squad.

Germany’s title defence is led by Bavarian racer Mario Hausl, who partnered Norick Blodorn to victory in Torun last season. Blodorn is now too old for under-21 competition, but their teammate Hannah Grunwald – the 2025 FIM Women’s Speedway Gold Trophy winner – returns, with Patrick Hyjek, Ben Iken and Janek Konzack also named in the squad.

Last season saw Poland fail to make the podium for only the second time since the FIM Team Speedway Under-21 World Championship was launched in 2005. They bid to bounce back with 2024 SGP2 world champion Wiktor Przyjemski and 2024 SGP3 world champion Maksymilian Pawelczak leading their squad. The Bydgoszcz teammates are joined by former SGP2 riders Bartosz Banbor and Kevin Malkiewicz, as well as 2021 FIM Speedway Youth world champion Oskar Paluch.

Last year’s SON2 runners-up Denmark name five riders with SGP2 experience in their squad, with Villads Nagel as captain. He is joined by Bastian Pedersen, Mikkel Andersen, William Drejer and Nicolai Heiselberg.

Australian boss Mark Lemon led his side to bronze in 2025 and keeps faith with Mitchell McDiarmid and Tate Zischke. They are joined by captain James Pearson, Alex Adamson and former SGP3 silver and bronze medallist Beau Bailey.

The Swedish side features 2023 SGP3 world champion Rasmus Karlsson. He is joined by skipper Erik Persson, Sammy van Dyck, Leon Klasson and Harry Lundahl in boss Linus Sundstrom’s squad.

Great Britain’s squad features former SGP3 bronze medallist Will Cairns and his fellow 16-year-old sensation Cooper Rushen, who finished fifth at the 2025 FIM SGP3 Final – Prague. They are joined by captain Luke Harrison, plus Luke Killeen and Jody Scott.

Ukraine completes field in Prague, with Parnitskyi bidding to add SON2 gold to his SGP2 triumph in 2025. He teams up with Roman Kapustin, who was also part of their starting line-up for 2026 WWK Schwaiger & Partner FIM SWC Semi-Final 1 – Landshut last Friday. A four-rider squad is completed by Danko Hlakovskyi and Volodymyr Zlaman.

Tickets are available online HERE for SON2 on Friday, May 22, with tickets for the FIM Speedway GP of Czech Republic – Prague on Saturday, May 23 on sale HERE now.

2026 FIM SPEEDWAY OF NATIONS – SON2 – PRAGUE SQUADS (in draw order):

TEAM A – GREAT BRITAIN
1. Luke Harrison ©
2. Luke Killeen
3. Will Cairns
4. Jody Scott
5. Cooper Rushen
Team manager: Neil Vatcher

TEAM B – CZECH REPUBLIC
1. Adam Bubba Bednar ©
2. Adam Nejezchleba
3. Bruno Belan
4. Jan Jenicek
5. Jaroslav Vanicek
Team manager: Zdenek Schneiderwind

TEAM C – GERMANY
1. Patrick Hyjek
2. Hannah Grunwald
3. Mario Häusl ©
4. Ben Iken
5. Janek Konzack
Team managers: Mathias Bartz & Sascha Dörner

TEAM D – DENMARK
1. Villads Nagel ©
2. Bastian Pedersen
3. Mikkel Andersen
4. William Drejer
5. Nicolai Heiselberg
Team manager: Nicki Pedersen

TEAM E – UKRAINE
1. Nazar Parnitskyi ©
2. Roman Kapustin
3. Danko Hladkovskyi
4. Volodymyr Zlaman
Team manager: Sergii Golovnia

TEAM F – POLAND
1. Wiktor Przyjemski ©
2. Bartosz Bańbor
3. Maksymilian Pawełczak
4. Kevin Małkiewicz
5. Oskar Paluch
Team manager: Stanisław Chomski

TEAM G – SWEDEN
1. Rasmus Karlsson
2. Sammy Van Dyck
3. Erik Persson ©
4. Leo Klasson
5. Harry Lundahl
Team manager: Linus Sundström

TEAM H – AUSTRALIA
1. Alex Adamson
2. Beau Bailey
3. Mitchell McDiarmid
4. James Pearson ©
5. Tate Zischke
Team manager: Mark Lemon

Words by FIM Speedway – Marcin Karczewski

The post 2026 Speedway of Nations 2 – Squad Lists revealed appeared first on Speedway Hub UK.

The Roos lifted their second FIM SON world title in three years – following up their victory at Danish track Vojens in 2022 – after Holder made a sublime start, with world No.2 Kurtz riding one of the opening laps of the season to round Speedway GP world champion Bartosz Zmarzlik and join his partner for a 7-2 victory over Poland in the Grand Final. Denmark picked up the bronze medals.

After falling a point short of Zmarzlik in the race for Speedway GP World Championship gold this year, Kurtz was elated to win his first FIM Speedway World Championships gold medal in the FIM SON. But he thought he had blown it at the start of the Grand Final.

He said: “I actually thought it was all over when the tapes went up. I didn’t make the best start at all. But I squeezed in there somehow and got to the outside. I knew I had to get to the fence.

“Jack was so solid all night. He made every start, looked for me and gave me the run through. Sure enough, when the straight came in the Grand Final, Jack was in front, looking over his shoulder and waiting for me to come past.

“Once we hit the front, I was checking the big screen every lap and we were solid all race. We were so good together. Once we hit the front, I was pretty confident that we could get it done, and I am really happy with this one.

“I am relieved. I was a little bit nervous. It’s a big deal to represent your country. I tried not to let the boys down and I am glad we didn’t. It’s a real honour to put this suit on.”

Holder and Kurtz, both 29, have spent two decades racing as teammates and rivals Down Under and in Europe. Having won SON silver in Manchester last season, Kurtz was elated that they could go one better at Torun’s iconic Marian Rose Motoarena.

He said: “It’s definitely a full-circle moment, I guess you could say. Jack and I have done more races together than anyone in the history of speedway probably. We have done team events together since we were nine, 10 or 11. Finally, we got it done on the big stage.”

Team manager Mark Lemon hailed his stars for delivering on the track and admits he also had a tough job on his hands.

He said: “By comparison, my part in it has been easy. These guys have been amazing. The hardest job in Team Australia at the moment is selecting the riders because we have so many of them performing very well. We have four riders in the GP, and I had some tough decisions to make. We worked together as a team, and I am super proud of them all. Jack has done it before, and Brady has been in such good form in the GPs. He is probably the best rider in the world currently.

“To win gold here in Poland … we could have only dreamed of that some years ago. We got a taste for success in Vojens and that has rolled on into 2025.

“We were a little unlucky not to manage this last year. Team GB was just too good on the night in the Grand Final. I just love working with these guys and I am so happy and proud of them.

“We work really well as a team and all of our mechanics behind the scenes and engine builders helped us to get us to this point. It’s a feather in the cap for Motorcycling Australia, our federation, and all the sponsors who backed us.

“For me, it is great that a lot of Aussies get up in the middle of the night to support these guys in the GPs, SON and SWC. I’m sure there will be some sore heads Down Under, but they got to see a nice victory.”

Australia’s FIM SON title win comes with the added gloss of a guaranteed place in the 2026 FIM Speedway World Cup Final, which will be staged at Warsaw’s PGE Narodowy. Lemon is delighted to see his side confirm their place alongside hosts Poland in the biggest FIM Speedway world team final for generations.

He said: “We discussed that on the podium. It’s fantastic that we get a chance to go straight through to the Final. Australia never gets seeded through to a Final – this is the first time for the seniors. We have really good riders to choose from and it will be another tough decision to pick five. We are in a very fortunate position – we have plenty of riders at the moment. Next year is another time, but for now, we are going to celebrate this one.”

Skipper Holder was pleased to come out on top in a hard-fought first turn against in-form Polish stars Zmarzlik and Patryk Dudek. He said: “It was all happening! I knew I needed to watch my back, and that first corner was pretty tight. I just held on, pushed and shoved, showed some Aussie grit, looked for BK and there he was – rocket man! I just kept looking up at the big screen to see where the Poles were and rode it home.”

Australian No.3 reserve Jason Doyle may not have taken a ride, but the 2017 Speedway GP world champion was only too happy to support Holder and Kurtz from trackside.

He said: “I’m not disappointed at all, to be honest, that I didn’t get a ride. In Vojens, I was. I felt like I should have got into the Final with the boys and had a couple of rides.

“But tonight showed how strong our No.1 and No.2 boys are for Australia. I cannot say just how amazingly they rode together. That’s what team racing is about, and they proved a point that they are two of the best riders in the world.”

Polish team manager Rafal Dobrucki was magnanimous in defeat following the Grand Final as his side collected their fourth SON silver medal. He said: “First of all, congratulations to the Aussie guys. They did a really good job. In history, there was never a better silver medal. We wanted gold but that was tough because the Aussie guys were too fast – in the end especially.

“We did what we could and that was enough for the silver. We are a little bit disappointed, but we still have a silver medal, so it’s not so bad.”

The Danes missed out on the Grand Final after 2026 Speedway GP qualifier Leon Madsen was disqualified from the race after a collision with Dudek.

Team manager Nicki Pedersen knew his side was in for quite a battle. He said: “We knew we had to fight against Australia and Poland. They are two very good teams and congratulations to them. It’s always tough. This system works very well for the teams that go directly to the Final, which I think is good and fair. We knew anything could happen in the Grand Final Qualifier.

“Of course we are disappointed to miss out. We wanted to get into the Grand Final and we wanted to have a shot at the Australians. They were fast. But once you come to the Final, anything can happen.

“We had an exclusion in the Grand Final Qualifier, and we had third place. We were in the picture, though, and I am glad to see Michael and Leon do well. I am quite happy compared to last year.”

FIM SPEEDWAY OF NATIONS FINAL SCORES:

1. AUSTRALIA 37: 1. Brady Kurtz 20, 2. Jack Holder 17, 3. Jason Doyle DNR.

2. POLAND 35: 1. Patryk Dudek 17, 2. Bartosz Zmarzlik 18, 3. Piotr Pawlicki DNR.

3. DENMARK 34: 1. Leon Madsen 18, 2. Michael Jepsen Jensen 16, 3. Mikkel Michelsen DNR.

4. SWEDEN 27: 1. Jacob Thorssell 6, 2. Fredrik Lindgren 21, 3. Timo Lahti DNR.

5. GREAT BRITAIN 24: 1. Robert Lambert 16, 2. Dan Bewley 6, 3. Tom Brennan 2.

6. LATVIA 18: 1. Andzejs Lebedevs 14, 2. Jevgenijs Kostigovs 0, 3. Daniils Kolodinskis 4.

7. CZECH REPUBLIC 14: 1. Vaclav Milik 2, 2. Jan Jenicek 12, 3. Jaroslav Vanicek 0.

Words by FIM Speedway – Feature Image courtesy of Taylor Lanning

The post Team Australia capture 2025 Speedway of Nations crown in Torun! appeared first on Speedway Hub UK.

Blodorn joined forces with SON2 debutant Mario Hausl to top the podium in the FIM Team Speedway Under-21 World Championship event at Torun’s iconic Marian Rose Motoarena in Poland on Friday.

Germany claimed an epic victory on 39 points, defying the sport’s traditional superpowers, beating Denmark (38) to gold by one point, with Australia claiming the bronze medals on 37.

It was a result which saw Poland’s 11-year grip on the FIM Team Speedway Under-21 World Championship end as they finished fourth, missing out on a medal for only the second time in the competition’s 20-year history.

An elated German side tore up the history books, winning their first world team titles at senior or junior level, while the team’s No.3 Hannah Grunwald – the 2025 FIM Women’s Speedway Gold Trophy winner – officially became the sport’s first-ever female world champion.

Despite powering to 24 points from a possible 28, Blodorn admits his side’s famous win came as a shock as the German Under-21s made up for the senior side’s SON exit in Semi-Final 1 on Tuesday evening.

He said: “I am pretty surprised by this, to be honest. Most of the teams were laughing about our line-up, but we did something special.

“For me, it was a goal to get a medal at the end of the season in the under-21 category. It didn’t quite work out in SGP2, but I didn’t expect that it would happen here. I will definitely take it, and I am pretty stoked.

“Everyone was saying how bad we were in the SON Semi-Final, but we have turned it around. It’s pretty unreal because nobody expected us to win. I was even sceptical about us getting close to a medal, so pulling out this performance is pretty insane.”

Blodorn also hailed the heroics of 18-year-old Hausl, who scored 15 points in Torun just two weeks after winning the prestigious Golden Ribbon under-21 event at Czech track Pardubice on September 20 – sending him into SON2 with considerable momentum.

The skipper added: “Over the second half of the season, Mario had some of the meetings of the year. He won the Golden Ribbon in Pardubice. He must have been pretty stoked with that and just continued with that performance.

“It’s his debut at this level. We worked well together, and we’ll definitely take this medal. It’s pretty insane for Germany to get up here. We can definitely be proud of that.”

Delighted German team manager Sascha Dorner hopes the victory inspires a generation of young riders in his homeland. He said: “It’s a big surprise! It was a thriller for us. We are happy we are here, and we hope this offers a lot of motivation to the young riders in Germany.

“Gold looks very good on them. Norick was great, and Mario did a really good job. He fought for every point. His points were very important for our win. We will keep working together as a team and we hope it is not the last medal for us.”

Hausl was pleased to fight his way to gold on his SON2 debut. He said: “I don’t know what to say. I am happy. I am speechless. It’s nice.

“There was no pressure for me; well, a little bit maybe. It was a hard day, but as Sascha always says, ‘Fight for every point”. That’s how we do it.”

Grunwald hailed her German teammates after watching them power the side to victory. She said: “I am very happy that we have won the SON2 World Championship. Norick and Mario rode very fast. I was very happy to be here.”

Danish Under-21 team manager Hans Andersen was proud of his side as Mikkel Andersen raced to 21 points, with Villads Nagel scoring 13 and Bastian Pedersen picking up four as they fell just short of gold.

He said: “It was a very great battle. My boys did us proud. We came fifth last season at SON2 in Manchester and these are still young boys.

“This is only my second year working with them and the progress they have made has just been really good. I would have taken a medal at the start of the evening, and I have to be a little bit disappointed to come so close to winning. But fair play to the Germans; they deserved it, and they rode better than us. You don’t get gold without being the best. A silver medal is still a proud achievement for these young boys and something we can build on.”

Australian team manager Mark Lemon admits some tips from the nation’s Speedway GP and SON stars Brady Kurtz and Jason Doyle helped his side as Mitchell McDiarmid raced to 19 points, while Tate Zischke scored 18.

He said: “It was a great performance by the boys. We came here probably not expecting too much. You always have the focus of trying to medal, which is the ambition for every country.

“We had a little bit of luck along the way. But I think Mitch and Tate rode really well. As a collective behind the scenes, it was all hands on deck – from the mechanics, and also our senior riders were with us to make sure the boys had the best chance to perform on the track.

“That’s all you can do – give them the tools to deliver. Coming so close to gold and silver is a little disappointing, but we were super impressed by the Germans, and it was really special to see Norick leading them from the front. It’s great to see Germany get a gold medal.

“With Poland racing in Poland, we always knew it was going to be tough. What they have done in years gone by, winning so many titles in a row, is an incredible feat. Sometimes it makes you feel a little defeated before you get here. But I think this night proves what a great sport speedway is.”

The FIM Speedway of Nations action concludes with the FIM SON Final on Saturday night, which sees hosts Poland take on Australia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Great Britain, Latvia and Sweden for the 2025 FIM Speedway world team championship.

Tickets for the FIM SON Final are still available online. Secure your seat for the ultimate test of team riding HERE now.

Results

Words by FIM Speedway – Feature Image courtesy of Jarek Pabijan

The post German Under 21’s storm to historic Speedway of Nations 2 victory in Germany appeared first on Speedway Hub UK.

The starting line-ups for the sport’s ultimate test of team riding have been revealed as hosts Poland take on reigning FIM SON world champions Great Britain, plus Semi-Final 1 winners Sweden, Semi-Final 2 victors Australia, Czech Republic, Denmark and Latvia.

The six teams that progressed through Semi-Finals 1 and 2 on Tuesday and Wednesday all name unchanged starting line-ups, with Poland seeded straight through to the Final as hosts, and spearheaded by skipper Zmarzlik, who won a record-equalling sixth Speedway GP world title this season. He is partnered by new European champion Patryk Dudek and No.3 Piotr Pawlicki, a former FIM Speedway World Cup winner, who makes his FIM SON debut.

Saturday’s final FIM Speedway action of 2025 features 13 riders who either raced in Speedway GP this season and/or have qualified to compete in the 2026 series, and the Poles are determined to come out on top in the FIM SON for the first time.

Zmarzlik has won four Speedway GPs at Torun’s Marian Rose Motoarena and collected all but one of his SGP gold medals at the iconic venue. He would love to add an FIM SON victory to the collection.

He said: “This is a special place for me. I have had a lot of good moments here. I collected my first five Speedway GP gold medals here, so I am happy to come back to Torun for a good meeting like the SON. I welcome the fans to the stadium and the Polish team will do the best they can for our country.”

Zmarzlik has a chance to become the first rider to complete the modern-day grand slam of Speedway GP, FIM Speedway World Cup and FIM Speedway of Nations world titles this Saturday. The three-time SWC winner would be proud to win his 10th world title in all competitions representing his country. He said: “I always want the same – I just want to do the best I can. It’s always good racing with our national kevlars and representing our country. Everyone will do the best they can for us.”

The 2025 FIM SON world champions will earn more than just this year’s gold medals – they will also seal a guaranteed spot in the 2026 FIM Speedway World Cup Final at Warsaw’s PGE Narodowy. If the Poles win on Saturday, the FIM SON runners-up will head for the Polish capital next year as Poland is seeded into the event as host nation.

Every team must track two starters at No.1 and No.2 for Saturday’s FIM SON Final and one reserve at No.3, who can be called into action by their team manager at any time.

All six successful semi-finalists have opted for unchanged starting orders after securing their spots in the FIM SON Final.

Great Britain defends the FIM SON world title they won on home shale at Manchester’s National Speedway Stadium last summer, with Torun and GB team captain Robert Lambert, world No.3 Dan Bewley and reserve Tom Brennan going for their third world title as a trio – and the Lions’ first on foreign soil since England won the 1984 FIM Speedway World Pairs Championship in Lonigo, Italy.

Australia tracks world No.2 Brady Kurtz, skipper Jack Holder and 2017 Speedway GP world champion Jason Doyle at No.3 as they bid to regain the FIM SON trophy that they won in Vojens, Denmark in 2022.

Sweden’s challenge is led by world No.4 Fredrik Lindgren, with double national champion Jacob Thorssell and Timo Lahti also selected after the trio combined to win Tuesday’s Semi-Final 1 in fine style.

Danish boss Nicki Pedersen keeps faith with 2026 Speedway GP qualifiers Leon Madsen and Michael Jepsen Jensen, with Torun rider Mikkel Michelsen selected at No.3 on his Polish home track.

Another Torun rider, Czech charger Jan Kvech, led his side to their first Final since 2022 as they took third place in Semi-Final 2 on Wednesday. He teams up with Vaclav Milik and talented teenager Adam Bubba Bednar, who remains at No.3, and could play a key role in the biggest meeting of his career so far.

Latvia’s world No.6 Andzejs Lebedevs ends the best season of his career by leading his country into their third FIM SON Final in four years, having only led his fast-rising speedway nation into its first FIM Speedway world team final in 2021. He joins forces with Jevgenijs Kostigovs and Daniils Kolodinskis once again.

Having won three silver medals and a bronze since the FIM SON was launched in 2018, Poland would love to complete the set with gold in Torun.

Polish team manager Rafal Dobrucki said: “Of course, we always focus on good results, and this weekend will be the same. It’s another very important meeting for us. Everybody wants to win, and we do as well. We have some really good riders. We have a pretty good chance to win, and we will focus on that.

“Everything was okay in practice. Two riders practised on Wednesday – Bartosz and Piotr. This is Patryk’s home track, so he didn’t need a lot of practice. The other thing is he had a little crash last Sunday, so we wanted to save him, let him relax and be strong for Saturday.”

Dobrucki is expecting an exciting night of action on Torun’s famous Marian Motoarena circuit and hopes a passionate home crowd can roar his side to victory on Saturday.

He said: “I think we will have good Polish fans here, and especially after the big success Torun had a few days ago in becoming Polish league champions. We are expecting a big crowd, which will give us extra power.

“This is the perfect track to find good lines on and have good races on. Like anywhere, you need the speed and that is the most important thing. This is one of the best tracks in the world, so we will try to find good lines and go for the gold medals.”

Ahead of Saturday’s Final, the FIM Speedway of Nations continues on Friday with SON2 – the FIM Team Speedway Under-21 World Championship.

Hosts Poland chase an 18th gold medal against Australia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Latvia and Sweden.

Tickets for Friday and Saturday’s title deciders are still available online. Secure your spot in Torun HERE now.

2025 FIM SPEEDWAY OF NATIONS FINAL STARTING LINE-UPS:

TEAM A – CZECH REPUBLIC: 1. Vaclav Milik, 2. Jan Kvech (captain), 3. Adam Bubba Bednar. Team Manager: Zdenek Schneiderwind.

TEAM B – SWEDEN: 1. Jacob Thorssell, 2. Fredrik Lindgren (captain), 3. Timo Lahti. Team Manager: Linus Sundstrom.

TEAM C – POLAND: 1. Patryk Dudek, 2. Bartosz Zmarzlik (captain), 3. Piotr Pawlicki. Team Manager: Rafal Dobrucki.

TEAM D – AUSTRALIA: 1. Brady Kurtz, 2. Jack Holder (captain), 3. Jason Doyle. Team Manager: Mark Lemon.

TEAM E – DENMARK: 1. Leon Madsen, 2. Michael Jepsen Jensen, 3. Mikkel Michelsen (captain). Team Manager: Nicki Pedersen.

TEAM F – GREAT BRITAIN: 1. Robert Lambert (captain), 2. Dan Bewley, 3. Tom Brennan. Team Managers: Simon Stead and Oliver Allen.

TEAM G – LATVIA: 1. Andzejs Lebedevs (captain), 2. Jevgenijs Kostigovs, 3. Daniils Kolodinskis. Team Manager: Vladimirs Vagels.

Words by FIM Speedway – Feature Image courtesy of Taylor Lanning

The post Poland on the attack as Zmarzlik seeks 2025 Speedway of Nations Gold – Preview & Line-ups appeared first on Speedway Hub UK.

Last year’s SGP3 FIM Speedway Youth world champion Pawelczak only celebrated his 16th birthday on September 21, meaning he has been eligible for professional, 500cc competition for less than two weeks.

But Dobrucki has called the Bydgoszcz shooting star up to help reigning champions Poland chase a record-extending 18th FIM Team Speedway Under-21 World Championship – and a 12th on the bounce – as they take on Australia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Latvia and Sweden in an epic 28-heat battle for gold.

Pawelczak teams up with 2023 SGP2 FIM Speedway Under-21 World Championship silver medallist Damian Ratajczak and No.3 Antoni Kawczynski – a 2022 SGP3 bronze medallist, who helped host club Torun win their first PGE Ekstraliga title since 2008 in Lublin last Sunday.

Dobrucki called up Pawelczak as a replacement for another Bydgoszcz-born star, 2024 SGP2 world champion Wiktor Przyjemski, who withdrew due to an ongoing ankle injury. While losing the Polish Under-21 champion comes a blow, Pawelczak has started his professional career in red-hot form.

He scored 10 paid 11 points on his Bydgoszcz debut in the Metalkas 2. Ekstraliga club’s promotion-relegation play-off against PGE Ekstraliga side Gorzow, beating 2025 Speedway GP duo Andzejs Lebedevs and Martin Vaculik in an incredible performance. With Pawelczak’s season still at full throttle, Dobrucki had no hesitation in throwing him into SON2 action.

He said: “We want to save Wiktor. He has still been participating in meetings – hard meetings like the Polish league finals and also SGP2 in Vojens. We don’t want to take the risk of giving him a place in the team. His health is most important.

“We changed for a young guy in Maksymilian, who needs experience for sure. But he is performing well, and he is still racing this season, so this is a good point. A lot of the other guys had meetings – but a few weeks ago. Maksymilian is young, but it will be a good experience for him.”

Competing for Poland in an SON2 event comes with pressure – especially after the country’s two decades of dominance in a competition that they have won every year since 2014. They have only failed to top the podium three times in 20 years.

But Dobrucki is backing his riders to carry this weight of expectation. He said: “Pressure is everywhere in sport – it’s normal. It’s just another Final. We have good young riders. We have some injuries this year as well, but at the moment, everything is okay.”

The Poles defend the SON2 world title they clinched in Manchester last summer, taking on 2024 silver medallists Sweden, who track SGP2 star Casper Henriksson alongside 2023 SGP3 world champion Rasmus Karlsson and No.3 Erik Persson.

Last year’s bronze medallists Australia are led into action by SGP2 rider Mitchell McDiarmid and Tate Zischke, with 2024 team member James Pearson captaining the side at No.3.

Great Britain’s challenge is led by SGP2 racer Dan Thompson, who joins forces with Scunthorpe star Luke Harrison and Oxford talent Luke Killeen at No.3.

The Danes bring a stellar side to Torun, featuring 2025 SGP2 bronze medallist Mikkel Andersen and in-form skipper Bastian Pedersen – nephew of triple Speedway GP world champion Nicki Pedersen. This year’s SGP2 first substitute Villads Nagel lines up at No.3 for team manager Hans Andersen.

The Germans name SGP2 star Norick Blodorn and 2025 Pardubice Golden Ribbon winner Mario Hausl in a promising pairing, which joins forces with history-making No.3 Hannah Grunwald. If called into action, the 2025 FIM Women’s Speedway Gold Trophy winner becomes the first female rider to compete in the FIM SON at senior or junior level.

The Czech side is spearheaded by Adam Bubba Bednar – a teenage sensation who won a crucial Final Qualifier against Ukraine as the senior side reached its first FIM Speedway of Nations Final since 2022 with third place at Semi-Final 2 on Wednesday. Bednar teams up with Jan Jenicek and No.3 Jaroslav Vanicek.

Latvia completes the line-up as 2024 starting pair Nikita Kaulins and Artjoms Juhno return. They link up with their Lokomotiv Daugavpils teammate Damirs Filimonovs, who starts at No.3.

Tickets for Friday’s SON2 event and Saturday’s FIM Speedway of Nations Final showdown, featuring hosts Poland, Australia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Great Britain, Latvia and Sweden, are still available online. Secure your spot at Torun’s Marian Rose Motoarena HERE now.

2025 FIM SPEEDWAY OF NATIONS – SON2 STARTING LINE-UPS:

TEAM A – POLAND: 1. Maksymilian Pawelczak, 2. Damian Ratajczak (captain), 3. Antoni Kawczynski. Team Manager: Rafal Dobrucki.

TEAM B – GREAT BRITAIN: 1. Dan Thompson (captain), 2. Luke Harrison, 3. Luke Killeen. Team Manager: Neil Vatcher.

TEAM C – AUSTRALIA: 1. Mitchell McDiarmid, 2. Tate Zischke, 3. James Pearson (captain). Team Manager: Mark Lemon.

TEAM D – GERMANY: 1. Norick Blodorn (captain), 2. Mario Hausl, 3. Hannah Grunwald. Team Managers: Sascha Dorner / Mathias Bartz.

TEAM E – DENMARK: 1. Bastian Pedersen (captain), 2. Mikkel Andersen, 3. Villads Nagel. Team Manager: Hans Andersen.

TEAM F – CZECH REPUBLIC: 1. Adam Bubba Bednar (captain), 2. Jan Jenicek, 3. Jaroslav Vanicek. Team Manager: Zdenek Schneiderwind.

TEAM G – SWEDEN: 1. Casper Henriksson (captain), 2. Rasmus Karlsson, 3. Erik Persson. Team Manager: Linus Sundstrom.

TEAM H – LATVIA: 1. Nikita Kaulins (captain), 2. Artjoms Juhno, 3. Damirs Filimonovs. Team Manager: Vladimirs Vagels.

Words by FIM Speedway – Feature Image by Jarek Pabijan

The post Poland all set to defend Speedway of Nations 2 in Torun – Preview appeared first on Speedway Hub UK.

The men from Down Under topped the score chart on 41 points, with Denmark also qualifying for the Final, finishing second on 37.

Czech Republic punched the seventh and last ticket for the Final by seeing off Ukraine 6-3 in an epic Final Qualifier to reach their first FIM SON Final since they finished fifth at the 2022 tournament in Vojens, Denmark.

They join host nation Poland and Semi-Final 1 top trio Sweden, Great Britain and Latvia in what’s set to be an epic battle to become 2025 FIM Speedway world team champions.

Victory in Semi-Final 2 belonged to a power-packed Aussie side, with skipper Jack Holder starring on 18 points, while world No.2 Brady Kurtz collected 14 and 2017 Speedway GP world champion Jason Doyle notched nine.

Holder was delighted to see all three riders play their part in the team’s victory and insists there’s more to come in the Final.

He said: “The plan was to use everyone and get everyone dialled in for the big one on Saturday. I’m happy to get through and get the win on the night. That was even better, but we’ll save the best for Saturday. If we all turn up on Saturday and do what we did on Wednesday, I can’t see why we won’t be standing on the top.”

Team manager Mark Lemon admits his side’s high-scoring heroics have given him the nicest of problems as he decides which riders will take to the track on Saturday night.

He said: “I have probably a bigger headache than I had before the start of the meeting, to be honest. Brady, Jack and Jason all rode tremendously. I think they oozed class, which was great to see. It’s a Semi-Final and we came here to qualify. The aim was to get to the Final, which we have done. We haven’t won a Semi-Final for a number of years now, so that’s kind of nice.

“The boys rode really well. They rode great as a collective. I think they learned lots as the track changed. They adapted really well, and this was a very good outcome for us.”

Danish champion Michael Jepsen Jensen topped his side’s scoring on 16 points, with fellow 2026 Speedway GP qualifier Leon Madsen registering 15 and skipper Mikkel Michelsen adding six points.

The Aussies took victory on the night after winning their head-to-head race with the Danes 7-2. But Madsen says his side learned lessons from the Semi-Final as they seek to top the podium on Saturday.

He said: “It was a good night. We tested a lot of things. We had a good night together. We were working very well together as a team.

“Australia beat us in our race with them, so now we know what to do differently on Saturday. I don’t mind them beating us now if we beat them on Saturday.

“There are a lot of good teams in the Final on Saturday. It’s going to be a very close race. I think it will be a good race. The margin between winning and coming last will be very small. To win, we will need all riders in the team to perform at their best. That’s what we are going to try to do. It’s going to be a close and great battle on Saturday.”

Danish boss Nicki Pedersen saw his side win 2024 FIM SON Semi-Final 2, only to finish sixth in the Final. He is determined to learn from that disappointment as the team bids for its first FIM SON world title and the country’s first world team crown since 2014.

He said: “I think we learned a lot, even last year in Manchester. We were really strong in the Semi-Final. We were so happy we beat the Australians then, but we forgot there was also a Final that we needed to do well in. We plan to do it a little bit differently this year.

“We mixed it a little bit more with the riders this year. We said we would gamble a little bit with different setups and try a few riders here and there. We knew Australia would be strong and the battle was always going to be between Denmark and Australia.

“It will be a completely different format on Saturday with different riders. We just wanted to get through here. Saturday is the next step, and everyone has to put 10 percent more into it. We have a few days off now and we look forward to Saturday.”

Czech skipper Jan Kvech led his side’s scoring on 16 points, with teenage sensation Adam Bubba Bednar adding eight, as well as collecting a cool and composed victory ahead of Ukraine’s Nazar Parnitskyi in the Final Qualifier, while Kvech claimed the all-important third place ahead of Marko Levishyn for a 6-3 win.

Kvech insists there is no pressure on his side ahead of Saturday’s Final on his Polish home track in Torun.

He said: “We qualified for the Final and that was important for us. I’m very happy with the team performance. Bubba Bednar is a young Czech talent, and he did a very good job.

“We made mistakes in some heats, so we had to choose start positions second for the Final Qualifier, which was a little bit worse for the Czech team. But now we can focus on the Final. We don’t have any pressure, which is sometimes good. We just want to enjoy the Final. We can enjoy the meeting and make a good result hopefully.”

Delighted team manager Zdenek Schneiderwind added: “I’m very, very happy. We have a young team and for us, reaching the Final is a big success. The Final will be a new day, and we will see what happens.”

Following the completion of the FIM SON Semi-Finals, the participating nations are now confirmed for the 2026 FIM Speedway World Cup. Host nation Poland is guaranteed a place in the Final, along with the winner of this year’s FIM Speedway of Nations – or the runners-up if Poland tops the podium.

The Semi-Finals will take place in Germany and Latvia, with these countries seeded into the rounds as host nation. Final qualification guarantees that Australia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Great Britain and Sweden will at least earn a place in the 2026 FIM Speedway World Cup Semi-Finals. They are joined by Ukraine and Norway – two countries taking part in the SWC for the very first time.

After Thursday’s rest day in Torun, the 2025 FIM Speedway of Nations continues on Friday with SON2 – the FIM Team Speedway Under-21 World Championship, as hosts Poland chase an 18th gold medal against Australia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Latvia and Sweden.

The FIM SON then climaxes with Saturday’s senior Final at the Marian Rose Motoarena as Poland bids for a first SON gold medal against Australia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Great Britain, Latvia and Sweden.

Tickets for Friday and Saturday’s title deciders are still available online. Secure your spot in Torun HERE now.

2025 FIM SPEEDWAY OF NATIONS SEMI-FINAL 2 SCORES:

1. AUSTRALIA 41: 1. Brady Kurtz 14, 2. Jack Holder 18, 3. Jason Doyle 9.

2. DENMARK 37: 1. Leon Madsen 15, 2. Michael Jepsen Jensen 16, 3. Mikkel Michelsen 6.

*3. CZECH REPUBLIC 27: 1. Vaclav Milik 3, 2. Jan Kvech 16, 3. Adam Bubba Bednar 8.

*4. UKRAINE 32: 1. Nazar Parnitskyi 21, 2. Marko Levishyn 11, 3. Roman Kapustin DNR.

5. FRANCE 22: 1. Dimitri Berge 16, 2. David Bellego 6, 3. Mathias Tresarrieu 0.

6. FINLAND 18: 1. Jesse Mustonen 3, 2. Antti Vuolas 15, 3. Tero Aarnio 0.

7. ARGENTINA 12: 1. Fernando Garcia 2, 2. Cristian Zubillaga 8, 3. Facundo Albin 2.

* After Final Qualifier

Words by FIM Speedway – Feature Image by Taylor Lanning

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The Swedes powered to a huge 7-2 over likely podium rivals Great Britain in their opening race, before going on to win the Semi-Final on 40 points, with the Brits also progressing to the Final in second spot on 37.

The third qualification place was claimed by Latvia after they won the Final Qualifier 7-2 against Germany to reach their third FIM SON Final in just four years – an incredible run for an emerging speedway nation that only appeared in their first FIM Speedway world team final just four years ago in 2021.

Sweden stormed into Saturday’s FIM SON Final, where they will also face hosts Poland and the top three countries from Semi-Final 2 on Wednesday, with Speedway GP ace Lindgren starring on 18 points, while Jacob Thorssell collected 14 and team debutant Timo Lahti added eight points.

The team’s hopes of success were massively lifted when world No.4 Lindgren reversed his pre-season decision to sit out this year’s FIM SON.

Asked why he made himself available for selection, he said: “I still felt I had energy – even at the end of the season.

“I felt like I still had some unfinished business, and I wanted to keep going really. I feel motivated, my health is good, and I am ready to go.”

Reflecting on a fine win, he added: “We are really pleased. The goal was to take a top-two spot to avoid the Final Qualifier heat and we came out with a really strong start. That first heat settled the nerves a little bit for the whole team. We executed really well.”

Swedish team manager Linus Sundstrom was delighted to see his side hit the ground racing in his first FIM SON event as national boss.

He said: “We were aiming for the top two spots. We talked before the meeting about how it was important to get off to a good start. We came out with maximum points from our first race.

“I am really pleased with the performance on the track from the boys. I am really, really proud of the work they did on the track and the same in the pits. We had a fantastic team spirit.

“We can go up another step on Saturday. The Final is always a tough one and it’s a different kind of racing compared to the Semi-Final. But we all know what it takes. We need to go up a few levels there, and of course we are aiming to fight for the medals.”

World No.3 Dan Bewley led Great Britain’s score chart on 22 points, with skipper Robert Lambert adding 15.

After conceding a 7-2 to Sweden, Bewley knew the Lions had to deliver a faultless final five rides, and they racked up five 7-2 maximums to make the Final in second place.

The three-time FIM British Speedway GP winner said: “It was a good night really. The first race wasn’t ideal. Sweden is a good team, and when you throw some points away like that, we knew we were definitely fighting for second.

“That was probably the toughest race, and after that, we knew we couldn’t make any more mistakes. We had to be pretty solid from that point onward.

“It was a tough meeting, and the points were so close. It was only the Semi-Final, but we got some experience and learned a few things.”

Joint GB team manager Oliver Allen was pleased with how his side recovered from an early setback. He said: “Both boys knew immediately that they were slightly off on their setup. After that, they made changes, were a lot quicker and gated a bit better.

“It wasn’t ideal to start that way, but what’s really impressive and important is that they remained calm, kept their composure and did what they had to do. They went unbeaten after that. I couldn’t have asked any more from them really.

“We know it’s going to be tough in the Final. It’s another level higher. That’s probably better for us. The boys rode really well as a team. That’s important. I feel good about Saturday.”

Latvian skipper Andzejs Lebedevs raced to 20 of Latvia’s 28 points in the heats, with Daniils Kolodinskis adding eight and Jevgenijs Kostigovs collecting two.

Lebedevs and Kolodinskis then teamed up to beat German duo Norick Blodorn and Kai Huckenbeck 7-2 in the Final Qualifier to continue Latvia’s dream run of three Final appearances in four FIM SONs.

“For a small federation and country, it is huge,” Lebedevs said. “We are happy; we are in the top seven already. For us, it means a lot. Hopefully the federation will also see this and support speedway in our country more.

“The goal before the meeting was to fight with Germany for third place. We did the job, and we are very happy.

“Saturday will be harder and with the bigger teams. We will go there to enjoy it, show some good races and hopefully we can produce some surprises. We are underdogs but you never know in speedway. Hopefully we can find some good setups and also be fast there.”

Latvian team manager Vladimirs Vagels added: “I feel good. We were aiming for the top three, so this is a good result. We did a good job, found the setup and got third place. This is great for our small speedway country.”

There is more good news for Sweden and Great Britain as Final qualification means they are guaranteed at least a Semi-Final spot for the 2026 FIM Speedway World Cup. Latvia and Germany were already guaranteed places as the two nations will host the Semi-Finals.

The top four teams in Wednesday’s FIM SON Semi-Final 2, featuring Argentina, Australia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France and Ukraine also earn at least FIM SWC Semi-Final spots for 2026, with the FIM SON world champions advancing straight to the FIM SWC Final at Warsaw’s PGE Narodowy, where they will be joined by hosts Poland. If the Poles win the FIM SON, Saturday’s runners-up will qualify for the FIM SWC Final.

Tickets for Wednesday’s FIM SON Semi-Final, plus SON2 on Friday and the FIM SON Final this Saturday are still available online. Secure your spot at Torun’s Marian Rose Motoarena HERE now.

FIM SPEEDWAY OF NATIONS SEMI-FINAL 1 SCORES:

1. SWEDEN 40: 1. Jacob Thorssell 14, 2. Fredrik Lindgren 18, 3. Timo Lahti 8.

2. GREAT BRITAIN 37: 1. Robert Lambert 15, 2. Dan Bewley 22, 3. Tom Brennan DNR.

3. LATVIA 30: 1. Andzejs Lebedevs 20, 2. Jevgenijs Kostigovs 2, 3. Daniils Kolodinskis 8.

4. GERMANY 26: 1. Norick Blodorn 9, 2. Kai Huckenbeck 17, 3. Valentin Grobauer DNR.

5. NORWAY 26: 1. Mathias Pollestad 19, 2. Glenn Moi DNR, 3. Lasse Fredriksen 7.

6. SLOVENIA 16: 1. Matic Ivacic 5, 2. Anze Grmek 11, 3. Luka Omerzel DNR.

7. ITALY 14: 1. Nicolas Covatti 12, 2. Nicolas Vicentin 2, 3. Nicolo Percotti 0.

Words by FIM Speedway – Feature Image by Taylor Lanning

The post Team GB second as Sweden rule at 2025 Speedway of Nations Semi Final in Torun! appeared first on Speedway Hub UK.

Fifteen countries compete at the 2025 FIM Speedway of Nations in Polish city Torun, which gets underway with Semi-Final 1 on Tuesday, as GB takes on Germany, Italy, Latvia, Norway, Slovenia and Sweden.

The ultimate test of team riding continues with Semi-Final 2 on Wednesday, as 2022 SON world champions Australia faces tournament debutants Argentina, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France and Ukraine.

The top three countries from each Semi-Final progress to the Final on Saturday night, where they join host nation Poland, and Lambert is determined to deliver a golden finish to 2025 on a Torun track that he has called home since 2021.

GB has not won an FIM Speedway world team title outside of the UK since Chris Morton and Peter Collins won the 1984 FIM Speedway World Pairs Championship at Italian track Lonigo, while representing England.

Lambert joined forces with Dan Bewley and Tom Brennan to win FIM SON gold in Manchester in 2021 – the country’s first world team title since 1989 – before regaining the crown at the National Speedway Stadium in 2024. Now they are determined to end GB’s quest for overseas gold, and Lambert would love to do it in Torun – the stunning city where he lives with wife Julia.

He said: “It’s going to be nice, being in Torun – a place where I have been racing for the last five seasons. Poland is going to be strong on home territory, but me and Dan know the Torun track pretty well and mostly go well there.

“We made history by getting the first gold in 32 years back in 2021 for GB. We have been rewriting the history books since then, so why not try and go one better and win one outside of the UK as well?

“It’s going to be a tough one, but we are up for the challenge. We have the Semi-Final on Tuesday, so we need to be focused on that, get the bikes dialled in as best as possible and make sure we get through. We need to get that first hurdle out of the way and then move on to the Final. It’s a strong line-up for the Semi-Final. Anyone can pop out, win races and do well. We just need to be on our A game – the same as we always are when we get the GB suits on.”

Sweden’s hopes of success have been massively lifted by the late return of their Speedway GP star Fredrik Lindgren to the team, joining 2024 partner Jacob Thorssell and No.3 Timo Lahti, who makes his Swedish SON debut, having previously represented Finland.

Team manager Linus Sundstrom, a coach making his debut SON appearance as Swedish boss this week, is delighted to have his 2015 FIM Speedway World Cup-winning teammate Lindgren back on board.

He said: “I’m very pleased that he’s back and it makes a huge difference for the team – both on and off the track. I would say it also makes a huge difference as well for the Swedish fans at the stadium in Torun or watching at home.

“Freddie has been a few levels above the other Swedish riders. He has been in the top three or four in the world for many years now. He’s one of the best riders in the world and the best Sweden has.

“We all know what Freddie is like. Freddie and Jacob have also done many heats together in Vastervik. They won the Swedish league together; they have been teammates there all year, and they spend a lot of time together. Both Jacob and Timo are also really good gaters, and it makes life easier if you are quick from the tapes.

“I definitely have high hopes for this week. But anything can happen in speedway. There are still many strong nations in the Semi-Finals, so we have to be on our toes to even get to the Final.”

Australian team manager Mark Lemon brings a stellar side to Torun for Semi-Final 2, featuring new world No.2 Brady Kurtz, who raced to the best debut season in Speedway GP history this year, coming within a point of the world title and winning a record five straight SGP rounds. He is partnered by world No.5 Jack Holder, with 2017 Speedway GP world champion Jason Doyle named as reserve at No.3.

Holder and Kurtz, both 29, have competed as teammates and rivals since their youth days Down Under and took Australia to FIM SON silver in Manchester last summer.

Having already won 2022 FIM SON gold with another childhood competitor in Speedway GP star Max Fricke, Holder says it’s special to see all three of them starring on the world stage two decades after they first started racing together.

He said: “It is pretty crazy. Back in our junior days, Max or Brady went over to Europe first. I had to stay and finish my carpentry apprenticeship, which kind of sucked at the time. I thought I was maybe a little bit behind, but when I got my chance, I soon caught up and it’s cool to see we’re all racing at the highest level. We started together at nine or 10 years old.

“All three of us were good riders. Back in the junior days, we were quite dominant. It was always us three in the finals. We all had our goals to get over here and do what we are doing. It is crazy when you think back and look at how many finals we have been in together.”

The Aussies have shown a real talent for team riding, and Holder admits their ability to put egos to the side makes all the difference in a format where avoiding last places is crucial.

“We’re just not too worried about the scoresheet,” he said. “Whatever is best for the team is what matters – whether we are first or second, it doesn’t matter who wins the race. We’re just as happy as each other. We are racing for our country and don’t really look into who beats who – as long as we are first and second. That’s the main goal.”

Danish champion Michael Jepsen Jensen makes his first FIM SON appearance since he partnered Kenneth Bjerre in 2018 – the competition’s inaugural year. The Danes have not won a world team title since they topped the FIM Speedway World Cup podium at Bydgoszcz in 2014 – over 11 years ago.

But MJJ, who teams up with fellow 2026 Speedway GP qualifier Leon Madsen and triple European champion Mikkel Michelsen, believes the Danes have what it takes to land their first FIM SON world title.

“One hundred percent we can do it,” he said. “We have strong riders. I think it’s like all the other teams; we need to do the work together and that’s the only way we can win it.

“A few of the other squads will also be very strong. We need to put in the work, and anything can happen. There’s a fine line between failure and this week being very good. What we do together will be very important to the outcome. Hopefully we will all be on the same page. I believe we will, and we can achieve something great.”

Tickets for FIM Speedway of Nations week in Torun are still available online. Secure your seat for speedway’s biggest team event of 2025 at the iconic Marian Rose Motoarena HERE now.

FIM SON SEMI-FINAL STARTING LINE-UPS

SEMI-FINAL 1 – TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30

TEAM A – ITALY: 1. Nicolas Covatti (captain), 2. Nicolas Vicentin, 3. Nicolo Percotti. Team Manager: Alessandro Dalla Valle.

TEAM B – GERMANY: 1. Norick Blodorn, 2. Kai Huckenbeck (captain), 3. Valentin Grobauer. Team Manager: Mathias Bartz / Sascha Dorner

TEAM C – NORWAY: 1. Mathias Pollestad (captain), 2. Glenn Moi, 3. Lasse Fredriksen. Team Manager: Kenneth Klipper Smith.

TEAM D – LATVIA: 1. Andzejs Lebedevs (captain), 2. Jevgenijs Kostigovs, 3. Daniils Kolodinskis. Team Manager: Vladimirs Vagels.

TEAM E – SWEDEN: 1. Jacob Thorssell, 2. Fredrik Lindgren (captain), 3. Timo Lahti. Team Manager: Linus Sundstrom.

TEAM F – GREAT BRITAIN: 1. Robert Lambert (captain), 2. Dan Bewley, 3. Tom Brennan. Team Manager: Simon Stead / Oliver Allen.

TEAM G – SLOVENIA: 1. Matic Ivacic (captain), 2. Anze Grmek, 3. Luka Omerzel. Team Manager: Gregor Arnsek.

SEMI-FINAL 2 – WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1

TEAM A – CZECH REPUBLIC: 1. Vaclav Milik, 2. Jan Kvech (captain), 3. Adam Bubba Bednar. Team Manager: Zdenek Schneiderwind.

TEAM B – DENMARK: 1. Leon Madsen, 2. Michael Jepsen Jensen, 3. Mikkel Michelsen (captain). Team Manager: Nicki Pedersen.

TEAM C – ARGENTINA: 1. Fernando Garcia (captain), 2. Cristian Zubillaga, 3. Facundo Albin. Team Manager: Claudio Schmit.

TEAM D – AUSTRALIA: 1. Brady Kurtz, 2. Jack Holder (captain), 3. Jason Doyle. Team Manager: Mark Lemon.

TEAM E – UKRAINE: 1. Nazar Parnitskyi, 2. Marko Levishyn (captain), 3. Roman Kapustin. Team Manager: Sergii Golovnia.

TEAM F – FRANCE: 1. Dimitri Berge, 2. David Bellego (captain), 3. Mathias Tresarrieu. Team Manager: Laurent Sambarrey.

TEAM G – FINLAND: 1. Jesse Mustonen (captain), 2. Antti Vuolas, 3. Tero Aarnio. Team Manager: Aki-Pekka Mustonen.

Words by FIM Speedway  – Feature Image courtesy of Jarek Pabijan

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Fifteen countries will battle it out in the FIM SON – the ultimate test of team riding, which gets underway with Semi-Finals 1 and 2 on Tuesday and Wednesday. The top three countries from each Semi-Final join hosts Poland in the Final on Saturday, October 4, where a coveted place in the FIM SWC Final will be up for grabs for the winner.

If Poland tops the podium at Torun’s Marian Rose Motoarena, winning their first-ever FIM SON gold medal, the second-placed country will gain qualification for next year’s FIM SWC Final.

In a change of format, the 2026 FIM SWC will take place at three different venues, with the Semi-Finals set to be staged in Germany and Latvia, and both nations guaranteed at least a spot in their respective home Semi-Final – or qualification for the FIM SWC Final if they win FIM SON gold. There will be no Race Off during the 2026 FIM SWC.

The sport’s original team world championship will then climax with a hotly anticipated Final at PGE Narodowy, with Poland defending the Ove Fundin Trophy that they won in one of the all-time great world team finals at Wroclaw’s Olympic Stadium in 2023.

The 2025 FIM SON world champions or runners-up are set to join them, along with the winner of each Semi-Final in Germany and Latvia.

The 2026 FIM SWC semi-finalists will be confirmed next week, with the highest-ranked six teams outside of Poland, Germany, Latvia and the FIM SON world champions or runners-up taking these places.

This means all seven 2025 FIM SON finalists are guaranteed at least a spot in one of the FIM SWC Semi-Finals, along with the highest-scoring fourth-placed team across the two FIM SON Semi-Finals.

If one of Germany or Latvia finishes in the top four in FIM SON Semi-Final 1, both fourth-placed teams qualify for next year’s FIM SWC Semi-Finals. If both Germany and Latvia reach the top four in their FIM SON Semi-Final, the highest-scoring fifth-placed team completes the FIM SWC Semi-Final line-up.

FIM Track Racing Commission (CCP) director Armando Castagna expects the race for FIM SON success and FIM SWC qualification to be hotly contested.

He said: “The chance for countries to secure their place in the 2026 FIM Speedway World Cup only makes next week’s FIM SON even more interesting.

“We cannot wait to go to Warsaw for next year’s Final, and we know there is huge excitement among the teams, riders and fans about this fantastic event taking place under the famous roof at PGE Narodowy.

“With only the winners of each FIM SWC Semi-Final qualifying for Warsaw, I’m sure every country will be determined to take their place as 2025 FIM SON world champions.

“That’s not going to prove an easy way to get there, though, and I am looking forward to a dramatic and competitive week of FIM SON action in Torun to bring the curtain down on the 2025 FIM Speedway season.”

Words by SpeedwayGP – Feature Image courtesy of Taylor Lanning

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