2013 Speedway World Cup Event One

Poland win event one in the 2013 Speedway World cup to join Czech Republic in the final. Czech Republic, who qualify for the final courtesy of being the hosts, as well as most of the others wouldn’t have been surprised to see Poland dominate from heat one to win the event. Australia and the surprise quantity of Latvia will do battle once again in the race-off on Thursday while a disappointing and severely under strength Russia side become the first nation to exit the competition.

Poland, hosts of this first event, were spearheaded by the GP riders Jaroslaw Hampel and Krzysztof Kasprzak. Fellow GP rider, Tomasz Gollob, was due to take part but had to pull out with injury and was replaced by the leader of the U-21 World Championships, Patryk Dudek. Maciej Janowski completed the Polish line-up.  

With Chris Holder out with that devastating broken hip, it was down to the exciting Darcy Ward to guide World Cup regulars Davey Watt and Troy Batchelor to success. The unknown Jason Doyle took Holder’s place. Russia went with youth and went from being potential favourites to virtual unknowns. GP leader Emil Sayfutdinov would have led the side but he had to pull out with a foot injury. Russia also decided not to go with the Laguta brothers who were also World Cup regulars. Instead, Russia went with the fresh faces of Viktor Kulakov, Vladimir Borodulin, Ilya Chalov and Andriy Kudryashov, who would have been the fourth member alongside the regulars if they had been picked. As for the Latvia, they were the real unknown quantity. Apart from Andzejs Lebedevs who rides for King’s Lynn, not a lot was known about Kasts Puodzuks, Maksim Bogdanovs and Vjaceslavs Giruckis.

Hampel and Dudek got Poland off to the perfect start before Ward continued his GP form with the win in heat three after an initial false start. There was a surprise in heat four as Bogdanovs began an impressive night with the win in heat four as Batchelor finished second with a puncture. After the first four heats, Poland led with nine. Australia were second on seven as Doyle also gained a second place in heat two. Latvia were third on six points with Lebedevs began the night with a second place. After both Kudryashov and Chalov gained a point in the first two heats, Russia remained on two points after the fourth heat.

Both Janowski and Kasprzak would gain victories in heats five and six to extend Poland’s advantage. Dudek was going to make that three consecutive wins until he packed up on the final corner, allowing Batchelor to pick up the win before being followed up by Ward for his second victory of the night. Hampel grabbed second by beating Bogdanovs to the line after the final corner which Poland had 17-points after eight heats, Australia remained second with 14. Three points in two rides for Bogdanovs mixed with a point from Lebedevs put Latvia on to ten points with Russia on seven.

Ward made it back to back victories in heat nine before Hampel, Janowski and Kasprzak won the following three heats to go even further in front. The three wins and Dudek’s second place meant that Poland were now up to 28 after 12-heats. The first joker of the night was played in heat-11 by Russia, Kudryashov managed to finish second which meant he scored four points. Borodulin followed that with a second place to move Russia up to 13-points. They had managed to close the gap on Latvia to just a point. Australia were still second on 19-points after failing to make any inroads with their joker. They played it in heat-12 but Ward was blocked off on the inside by Kasprzak at the start and that succumbed the Aussie to fourth.

Janowski, Kasprzak and Hampel then made it six wins in a row to all but seal the victory with 38-points from 16-heats. Three second places allowed Australia to move on to 26-points. A victory for Puodzuks in heat-16 helped Latvia on to 22-points. Russia finished fourth in all four heats to remain on just 13-points and now all but out of the meeting.

Third place for Kasprzak was enough declare Poland the winners in heat-17. Doyle managed to win that and Ward finished the meeting off with a victory to make sure Australia came second. Janowski gained his fourth victory in heat-18 after an initial false start and Hampel followed suite, winning Poland’s 12^th heat, in the 19^th. Latvia finished third with 27-points after Bogdanovs completed a great Latvian night with a second place in heat-19. Kulakov would get Russia’s only point in the final eight heats to leave Russia reeling with no victories and only 14-points to end the night and their tournament.

Considering who may be joining Australia and Latvia in the race-off. It’s unlikely that either one will make in to the final. However, if Davey Watt, the only Aussie not to pick up a win, improves in the race off, they will definitely compete. As for Latvia, they have already outdone themselves and now anything else will be a bonus.