CYCLE SPEEDWAY: GREAT Blakenham Cycle Speedway Club will this weekend be staging the biggest event in the club's history when they host the European Club Championships.
GREAT Blakenham Cycle Speedway Club will this weekend be staging the biggest event in the club's history when they host the European Club Championships.
The competition sees the best cycle speedway clubs from all over Europe coming to Suffolk, with Poland, Sweden and Holland joining the home nations of Scotland, Wales and England.
The racing consists of qualifying rounds tomorrow, with the finals being held on Sunday.
Prior to the Grand Final, there will also be an Inter-nations challenge with England Juniors taking on the Best of the Rest (of Europe) juniors.
The event promises some thrilling heats from the first qualifying race right through to the chequered flag in the Grand Final, with each team entering just their top four riders with one reserve.
Ipswich Speedway superstar Scott Nicholls will be presenting the winners' trophies and Ipswich Witches directors John and Magda Louis are special guests of honour.
Entry is free with refreshments and hot and cold food available throughout the day.
Great Blakenham Cycle Speedway Club is based just outside Ipswich and with good access roads from both the south and north and close proximity to the channel ports a large crowd is expected.
The track itself is designed for fast and furious racing and is known as the "place of pace" so be it competitor or spectator, Mill Lane Great Blakenham is the place to be this weekend!
Racing starts at 10 am on both days and with eight matches tomorrow the racing is likely to go on well into the evening. On Sunday the Grand Final is scheduled for a 4.30pm start
With so many top quality riders from all around it is difficult to pick clubs that are likely to be on the winners' rostrum.
The host club must fancy their chances with home track advantage, while other English clubs like Wednesfield, Southampton, Horspath and Leicester will also be in with a strong chance.
Poland have two clubs quite capable of taking the winners' trophy back across the English Channel, Bydtgosh being the pre-match Polish favourites, with Gneizno also confident. Elmere from Holland will also be a big European threat.
Closer to home, Kesgrave are looking to do well and with so much local support all the Suffolk riders will definitely be given an extra boost.
Meanwhile, in the Inter-nations England v Rest of Europe Junior Challenge local riders Adam Peck of Great Blakenham and Richard Williamson of Somersham will be hoping to show the England team manager Roger Ellis what they're capable of. Many thanks to Hunting Hire for sponsoring this event.
Hadleigh Glass, owned by ex-cycle speedway rider James Wright, are sponsoring Great Blakenham for the second year. Wright jumped at the chance to help promote the club's biggest ever event and is tipping his ex-team-mates to 'keep the silverware in Suffolk'.
Other local companies who support the club include Anglian Self Drive, Chassis Cab, Holden Timber and Sackers.
For more details of this weekend's events log on to the Great Blakenham club web-site at www.cycle-speedway.co.uk or phone 07866 413478.
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