France takes the Gold

The French team was the winner of the Team Long Track World Championship for the first time in front of their ecstatic fans in Morizes on Saturday by a comfortable eight-point margin over Great Britain with Germany in third place. Their victory was forged with a 10-5 win over the Brits when they met in Heat 2 and they never looked to be at risk of losing this lead. 

Great Britain’s second place was well earned with both James Shanes and captain Chris Harris scoring heavily and a depleted German team were very happy with their bronze medal place after the selection problems that had surrounded Team Manager Josef Hukelmann in recent weeks.

The Dutch squad relied too heavily on veteran Theo Pijper whose 20 points were not enough to lift third spot and they finished four points adrift of the Germans. Similarly, the Czechs missing the injured Hynek Štichauer were not able to supply enough support to Josef Franc’s 20-point score and the Swedes, missing Sebastian Alden, were contenders for the last place from the start.

This win confirms the French emergence as a major Long Track nation and is a reward for the support which the French federation (FFM) has given to the development of track racing in that country. With two of their riders leading the individual championship there could be further successes ahead. 

Jaroslav Vanicek was the worthy winner of the FIM Youth Gold Trophy and with two riders on the podium it was a memorable night for the Czech Republic riders. Vanicek and Germany’s Marlon Hegener had been unbeaten going into the Final and chose the favoured gates 4 and 3 but Hegener crucially missed the start and was unable to make up the lost ground leaving Vanicek to complete a maximum win. A fighting second was Great Britain’s Sam McGurk who, after a slow start to the meeting, scraped into the Final ahead of Daniel Kilma on count back and secured the silver medal by passing Bruno Belan on the second lap.