The starting line-ups for the 2025 FIM Speedway of Nations Semi-Finals in Torun, Poland on Tuesday, September 30 and Wednesday, October 1 have been revealed.
The sport’s top 15 countries head to the iconic Marian Rose Motoarena for the ultimate test of team riding, as they battle it out across four nights of epic action to become 2025 FIM Speedway world team champions.
The top two teams after 21 heats in each Semi-Final qualify automatically for the FIM Speedway of Nations Final on Saturday, October 4, joining Poland, who are seeded through as hosts. The third and fourth-placed teams in each semi then face off in a Final Qualifier, with the winning teams also advancing to the Final showdown.
Semi-Final 1 on Tuesday, September 30 sees reigning champions Great Britain launch their title defence against 2022 and 2024 bronze medallists Sweden, last year’s fourth-placed side Germany, two-time finalists Latvia, plus Italy, Norway and Slovenia.
Semi-Final 2 on Wednesday, October 1 features 2022 SON world champions Australia taking on 2020 and 2021 bronze medallists Denmark, former finalists Czech Republic, France and Finland, plus Ukraine and Argentina, with the South American country making its debut appearance in an FIM Speedway World Championships event.
Every national team manager must select two starters at No.1 and No.2, with a substitute rider at No.3, who can be called into action at any time.
SEMI-FINAL 1
In Semi-Final 1, Great Britain select all three 2021 and 2024 SON gold medal-winning heroes, with Speedway GP stars Robert Lambert and Dan Bewley teaming up and shooting star Tom Brennan at No.3.
Sweden celebrates the return of national champion Fredrik Lindgren to their starting line-up after he initially opted out of the competition, before making a popular U-turn. He joins forces with 2024 SON partner Jacob Thorssell, with Timo Lahti named at No.3.
Speedway GP rider Kai Huckenbeck and Norick Blodorn lead Germany’s challenge once again in 2025 after racing to fourth place in Manchester last summer – the country’s best result in a world team championship since 1997. Valentin Grobauer joins them at No.3.
Latvian icon Andzejs Lebedevs led his country into the 2021 and 2024 SON Finals in Manchester – the nation’s first-ever FIM Speedway world team finals. They bid for another in Torun, with Jevgenijs Kostigovs and No.3 Daniils Kolodinskis joining him in the side.
The Italian team features skipper Paco Castagna – son of former SGP rider Armando Castagna – and Nicolas Covatti, with Nicolas Vicentin at No.3.
The Norwegian squad is led by 2024 SGP2 bronze medallist Mathias Pollestad, who won last year’s FIM SGP2 of Poland – Torun. He teams up with Glenn Moi and No.3 Lasse Frederiksen.
The Slovenian side completes Semi-Final 1, with Matic Ivacic and SGP2 rider Anze Grmek representing them, alongside No.3 Luka Omerzel.
SEMI-FINAL 2
After being forced to settle for silver in Manchester last summer, 2022 SON champions Australia keep faith with Speedway GP duo Brady Kurtz and Jack Holder as their starting pair, with Kurtz bidding to follow up Speedway GP silver and five straight SGP wins with SON gold. Boss Mark Lemon also has plenty in reserve with 2017 Speedway GP world champion Jason Doyle named as their No.3.
Danish team manager Nicki Pedersen tracks both of his 2026 Speedway GP qualifiers, Leon Madsen and Michael Jepsen Jensen, with skipper Mikkel Michelsen named at No.3 on his Polish home track.
The Czech challenge is led by Speedway GP star Jan Kvech and Vaclav Milik, with teenage sensation Adam Bubba Bednar named at No.3, having recently won the DeWalt FIM SGP2 of Latvia – Riga and finished fourth in the FIM Speedway Under-21 World Championship.
French stars David Bellego and Dimitri Berge return, bidding to replicate their charge to the SON Final in 2021. Mathias Tresarrieu is named at No.3.
Ukraine is led into action by new FIM Speedway Under-21 world champion Nazar Parnitskyi, who is joined by Marko Levishyn and No.3 Roman Kasputin.
Argentina’s first-ever SON side features former British league regular Fernando Garcia and Cristian Zubillaga, with Facundo Albin at No.3.
Finland completes the Semi-Final 2 line-up with skipper Jesse Mustonen, Antti Vuolas and No.3 Tero Aarnio.
Tickets for FIM Speedway of Nations week in Torun are still available online. Secure your seat for speedway’s biggest team event HERE now.
Aussie duo Brady Kurtz and Jack Holder represent the Roos in Semi-Final 2. PHOTO: Jarek Pabijan
FIM SON SEMI-FINAL STARTING LINE-UPS
SEMI-FINAL 1 – TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30
TEAM A – ITALY: 1. Paco Castagna (captain), 2. Nicolas Covatti, 3. Nicolas Vicentin. 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 Frederiksen. 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 Kasputin. 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.