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Speedway: Can Ryan help the Aussies to World Cup success
THE Speedway World Cup is on its way back to Peterborough as the East of England Showground plays host to Event Two on Monday. Mark Plummer begins the build-up by recalling the best moments from 2002 showpiece:
THE Speedway World Cup is on its way back to Peterborough as the East of England Showground plays host to Event Two on Monday. Mark Plummer begins the build-up by recalling the best moments from 2002 showpiece:It is seven years since the city track played host to the race-off and final when five rider races were the order of the day and Australia emerged victorious.
Speedway World Cup Final
AUSTRALIA 64
DENMARK 58
SWEDEN 54
POLAND 48
CZECH REPUBLIC 36
'AUSSIES rule' screamed the Evening Telegraph headline the day after Panthers legend Ryan Sullivan and co. had charged to victory at a packed Showground.
Temporary terracing was erected at Alwalton to deal with the demand of an estimated 6,000 fans. They flocked to the rainsoaked venue to see 'Super Sullivan' shine on his own track.
The men from Down Under began as hot favourites to land a third World Cup crown in the space of four years – and they duly obliged with Sullivan showing his prowess around the Peterborough circuit he made his second home.
They had wrapped up the crown before Sullivan provided a fitting finish when roaring home in the finale.
He said: "It was a real team effort and everyone is absolutely stoked to have won the World Cup again.
"The track took a hell of a lot of rain and it was a really difficult night for everyone.
"The Danes and Swedes made us work really hard but I can't tell you how good it is to have won it in my own backyard. I love riding at this place."
Sullivan and Leigh Adams both racked up 17 points as the Australians retained the top crown in world speedway on a night of drama when the cocktail of bad weather and five riders in every race made for some dramatic action.
The Aussies had one hand on the trophy when Adams followed home future Showground star Hans Andersen in heat 23 and their triumph was soon secured by past Panthers man Jason Crump who safely took third place in the penultimate outing.
While it was a night of jubilation for Sullivan, the other Panther of the time was left in despondent mood.
Piotr Protasiewicz (left) scored only six points as Poland slumped to a fourth-placed finish – a massive 16 points behind the champions.
Hans Clausen would have been part of the Danish team but for being injured on Panthers duty a couple of weeks earlier.
Sullivan will again be part of the Australian line-up on Monday. What price another vintage performance from a man once dubbed 'Mr Peterborough'?
Scores
Australia: Ryan Sullivan 17, Jason Crump 14, Leigh Adams 17, Todd Wiltshire 13, Jason Lyons 3.
Sweden: Tony Rickardsson 15, Mikael Karlsson 11, Peter Karlsson 13, Niklas Klingberg 10, Stefan Andersson 5.
Poland: Tomasz Gollob 17, Piotr Protasiewicz 6, Krzysztof Cegielski 9, Grzegorz Walasek 2, Jarek Hampel 14.
Denmark: Nicki Pedersen 13; Bjarne Pedersen 21, Ronni Pedersen 7, Charlie Gjedde 5, Hans Andersen 12.
Czech Republic: Ales Dryml 13, Bo Brhel 5, Lukas Dryml 14, Toni Kasper 1, Tomas Topinka 3.
OTHER MAJOR SHOWGROUND DATES
July 5, 1992 - International Test match, England 49, Australia 59
April 28, 1999 - British Under 21 Final, won by Scott Nicholls.
May 22, 2001 - World Under 21 Championship third qualifying round, won by Lukas Dryml
August 26, 2001 - World Under Championship Final, won by David Kujawa
August 8, 2002 - Speedway World Cup Race-off, won by Czech Republic
August 10, 2002 - Speedway World Cup Final, won by Australia
May 27, 2005 - Elite League Pairs Championship, won by Swindon
* Also staged the National League/Premier League Fours from 1977 to 2001 and again in 2007)
Plummer's prediction
The Speedway World Cup will boil down to a three-horse race – and the nag I want to be on is Australia.
Backing against Poland emerging victorious in their own country is a dangerous game while holders Denmark cannot be written off, but the prize could well be heading back down under this year.
Jason Crump is in a class of his own in 2009, Ryan Sullivan is as good as ever on the continent and Leigh Adams is still a far better performance than his lacklustre World Championship showings suggest.
Throw rising star Chris Holder and improving Coventry man Rory Schlein into the mix and you have a side capable of going all the way.
But spare a thought for the not to bright young things of Great Britain. They may limp through at the Showground on Monday, but expect another race-off elimination with Sweden taking the fourth spot in the final.
Dates and teams
THE DATES
Saturday 11 - Event One, Vojens (Denmark)
Monday 13 - Event Two, Peterborough (England)
Thursday 16 - Race Off, Leszno (Poland)
Saturday 18 - Final, Leszno (Poland)
THE TEAMS
Event One
Russia - 1 Roman Povazhny, 2 Denis Gizatullin (c), 3 Renat Gafurov, 4 Emil Sayfutdinov, 5 Grigory Laguta. Team manager: Oleg Volochov.
Denmark - 1 Nicki Pedersen, 2 Bjarne Pedersen, 3 Hans Andersen (c), 4 Kenneth Bjerre, 5 Niels Kristian Iversen. Team manager: Jan Staechmann.
Sweden - 1 Antonio Lindback, 2 Fredrik Lindgren, 3 David Ruud, 4 Andreas Jonsson (c), 5 Jonas Davidsson. Team manager: Tobias Johansson.
Czech Republic - 1 Ales Dryml (c), 2 Adrian Rymel, 3 Lukas Dryml, 4 Josef Franc, 5 Matej Kus. Team manager: Milan Spinka.
Event Two
Australia - 1 Ryan Sullivan, 2 Rory Schlein, 3 Leigh Adams (c), 4 Chris Holder, 5 Jason Crump. Team manager: Craig Boyce.
Great Britain - 1 Edward Kennett, 2 Lewis Bridger, 3 Chris Harris (c), 4 Tai Woffinden, 5 Danny King. Team manager: Rob Lyon.
Poland - 1 Tomasz Gollob (c), 2 Krysztof Kasprzak, 3 Piotr Protasiewicz, 4 Adrian Miedzinski, 5 Jarek Hampel. Team manager: Marek Cieslak.
Slovenia - 1 Matej Zagar (c), 2 Denis Stojs, 3 Izek Santej, 4 Maks Gregoric, 5 Aleksander Conda. Team manager: Tomaz Pozrl.
World Cup odds
Evens - Poland
2-1 - Denmark
5-2 - Australia
20-1 - Sweden
100-1 - Great Britain
125-1 - Russia
200-1 - Czech Republic
250-1 - Slovenia
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Weather for Peterborough
Sunday 12 February 2012
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