The fourth FIM Women’s Speedway Academy (WSA) – staged last Thursday and Friday (10-11 July) in the Stadion Milenium in Donji Kraljevec, Croatia – brought together an international class of seventeen talented riders for expert instruction on all aspects of the sport.
First staged in Germany in 2022, the WSA is supported by HKC Koopmann, Kineo and Anlas and was originally conceived and created to promote gender inclusivity. This most recent edition – organised by the FIM Women’s Commission (CFM), the FIM Track Racing Commission (CCP) and the team behind FIM Speedway Grand Prix fixtures at the venue – continued to build upon strong foundations laid three years ago at Diedenbergen and reinforced with subsequent WSAs in Manchester, Great Britain, in 2023 and last year in Teterow, Germany.
Riders from seven nations were in attendance in Donji Kraljevec to receive expert coaching from the WSA team led by four-time FIM Speedway Grand Prix World Champion Greg Hancock along with FIM Long Track Race Director and former FIM Long Track team world champion Glen Phillips and CCP Director and multi-time Italian national champion Armando Castagna.
Open to riders aged thirteen years and over on 250cc machines and sixteen years and over on 500cc machines, the ambitious Speedway students faced a packed programme of activities – both on the track and in the classroom – designed to provide comprehensive instruction and give Academy members a much deeper understanding of the sport.
Areas covered included riding techniques and race craft with attention paid to the importance of proper machine preparation and set-up and students also received instruction in other areas including dealing with sponsors, correct nutrition and physical and mental preparation. An anti-doping briefing was also held.
Also in attendance were Laura Manciet, the Series Director for FIM Speedway World Championships at promoter Warner Bros. Discovery Sports, along with Paul Burbridge, the Press Officer at Warner Bros. Discovery Sports, who advised Academy members on dealing with the media.
Rising German star Hannah Grunwald, who would go on to win Saturday’s FIM Women’s Speedway Gold Trophy (WSGT) at the same venue, said that she feels she really benefitted from attending the WSA.
“I am so happy,” she said. “The two days of the Academy were great fun. I really, really learned a lot. They were two hard days, but it was a great Academy and I met a lot of great people.”
Her comments were echoed by her compatriot and ground-breaking female Speedway racer Celina Liebmann who has now attended all four editions of the WSA.
“I think everyone sees now that the girls are really fast,” said the twenty-three-year-old. “It’s not just one or two girls who are fast, there are a few girls who are really fast. They have learned and continued to learn and get better.”
American legend Hancock was delighted with the improvements his students made over an intense two days of training and having coached Grunwald at last year’s WSA he was elated at her progression after she put in a champion’s performance in the WSGT.
“Hannah has shown so much improvement and determination over the last year. You could see that she wanted this. Every race she did was like a rinse and repeat. She didn’t make a mistake and she rode the same lines. I noticed she shut the throttle off at the same time at the finish line. She had played this over and over in her head. Then she did what she came here to do.
“The [WSGT] event was really exciting to watch. You wouldn’t know if we were looking at women or men on the track in some cases. You can still see there is a gap in the level overall, but this gap is starting to get closer and closer and the racing was awesome. Every single one of them has made improvements. You noticed it when they went to the tapes. They have all raised their level.”
Janika Judeika, FIM Women’s Commission Director, said: “This latest edition of the FIM Women’s Speedway Academy has been a great success. The improvement in the Academy members is plain to see and I am delighted that we are equipping riders with skills that are essential to success in Speedway, but the purpose of the WSA goes beyond this and I feel confident that we are continuing to convey a very positive message regarding the importance of diversity and gender inclusivity.”
Armando Castagna, FIM Track Racing Director, added: “On a purely personal level, I find it very rewarding to be able to get away from my desk, roll my sleeves up and be actively involved in coaching so many talented, receptive young riders. They are here to learn and it is a pleasure to play a part in their progression.
“Looking at the bigger picture, the work of the FIM Women’s Speedway Academy is extremely impressive and it is vitally important to get our shared message of inclusivity across and so, on behalf of the FIM, I would like to thank everyone involved for their continued hard work and dedication and also to our partners whose support is invaluable.”