Following the MOTUL FIM Team Ice Speedway Gladiators Final held last weekend in Togliatti, attention turns once again to the individual championship. Riders, Officials, mechanics and equipment are gathering in Moscow for transportation almost as far east in the Russian Federation as it is possible to go.
Blagoveshchensk sits on the banks of the Amur River which marks the border between Russia and China and at this time of year it is possible to walk across the frozen ice to and from the Chinese town of Heihe. Blagoveshchensk can be translated as ‘the announcement of good news’ and this city of some 200,000 people is hosting a round of the Motul FIM Ice Speedway Gladiators World Championship for the first time. Racing will be held in the impressive Amur Stadium and hopes are high that this meeting will signal development of the sport in Asia with Chinese and Japanese officials expected to be amongst the interested spectators.
On the track the action will be fast and furious as the leaders from the first round look to consolidate their position. 2013 champion Daniil Ivanov, fresh from guiding the Russians to victory in the Team Final, will have to put behind him the teamwork and cooperation of Togliatti as his teammates are now his main rivals for the individual title. His slender two point lead over Dmitry Koltakov and Dmitri Khomitsevich could easily be lost if his concentration falters and others such as Igor Kononov and Sergey Makarov will aim to take advantage of any slip.
Wild Card for this meeting will be Pavel Chaika, world number five in 2013 and anxious to demonstrate that his omission from this year’s championship is undeserved.
There will be rivalry also outside the home-based riders although the list has been affected by injuries. Franky Zorn, who had been expected to mount a real challenge this year, is out of the competition and is recovering from surgery following his accident in Krasnogorsk. Also in the wars at the same event was Finland’s Antti Aakko, and although he bravely competed on the first day in Togliatti he has returned home for treatment and will not be present at this meeting. His place will be taken by compatriot Tomi Tani whilst Max Niedermaier of Germany covers the absence of Zorn.
Stefan Svensson and Harald Simon are enjoying some of their best form at the moment and their clash in the first race on Saturday should provide a pointer to their chances of a podium place. Grzegorz Knapp, Poland’s only representative, will be looking to put behind him disappointing meetings in Krasnogorsk and Togliatti and recover some of the form which has made him his country’s number one but which has deserted him so far this year. He too faces a tough first race when he meets Khomitsevich and Czech Jan Klatovsky in Heat.
FIM Jury President is Christian Bouin from France and Marek Wojaczek from Poland the Referee. The meeting promises some exciting racing and will be held over two days on Saturday & Sunday 16 & 17 February with racing commencing at 14.00 local time on both days.
Starting list HERE
Photo Good-Shoot