In the MOTUL FIM Ice Speedway Gladiators World Championship Final 4, this week-end in Assen, Dmitry Koltakov put one hand on the championship trophy after a superior performance at the penultimate round in Assen.
Unbeaten until the last race of the second day he amassed a total of 41 points and in doing so opened a lead of 21 points over his nearest rivals. Only reigning champion Daniil Ivanov was able to lower his colours when he beat him in the Final on Day 2 and, barring misfortune, Koltakov should comfortably secure the title in Inzell in two weeks’ time. Competition for the other medal places is however still as hot as ever with only 2 points separating the next three riders Igor Kononov, Dmitry Khomitsevich and Ivanov.
Leading positions after 8 of the 10 rounds:
1.Dimitry Koltakov RUSSIA 141 points
2.Igor Kononov RUSSIA 120
3.Dimitry Khomitsevich RUSSIA 119
4.Daniil Ivanov RUSSIA 118
5.Vitaly Khomitsevich RUSSIA 102
6.Franz Zorn AUSTRIA 83
7.Stefan Svensson SWEDEN 55
8.Harald Simon AUSTRIA 54
9.Jan Klatovsky CZECH REP 48
10.Antonin Klatovsky CZECH REP 47
11.Gunter Bauer GERMANY 46
12.Nikolay Krasnikov RUSSIA 41
13.Hans Weber GERMANY 34
For Franz Zorn it was a weekend of mixed fortune. He reached the semi-final stage on both days but on Sunday after amassing 9 points from his first four rides he fell into the straw bales in his last heat after clashing with Koltakov. This resulted in a visit to the Medical Room and he was not fit enough to take his place in the semi-final. He still managed to add 20 points to his total and remains best of the western challengers.
Another injury victim was local star Rene Stellingwerf. Last year at this track in only his second race he crashed with Gunter Bauer and suffered a broken leg; this year as a Wild Card he made even less progress, falling heavily in practice and having to withdraw from the meeting with arm injuries and concussion to the huge disappointment of the local fans.
Gunter Bauer had his best meeting of the season so far, reaching the semi-finals on both days although without winning a race, but the Germans were generally disappointing again; this season, neither Weber nor Pletschacher have produced the form they are capable of.
In the spring sunshine around 5000 spectators at the De Bonte Wever Stadium saw some fine racing on Sunday afternoon on a well prepared track with perhaps the best race being Heat 10 where the two Klatovsky brothers Antonin and Jan met. Family honour may have been at stake but no quarter was given on the track and after four pulsating laps it was Jan who took the chequered flag ahead of his elder brother.
For Sweden, Stefan Svensson battled on despite two bruising falls on Sunday still finished in eight place. Per-Anders Lindstrom and Daniel Henderson are still struggling in their first full World Championship season but they have time on their side and represent the next generation to come from the ‘Land of the Lakes’ where there is evidence of some emerging talent to give promise for the future of Swedish ice speedway.
So the scene is set for the ‘Grande Finale’ of the season at Inzell in the Bavarian Alps in two weeks’ time. There the championship will be decided and the Ice Speedway Gladiators will race for medals, honour and perhaps some glory – we will review the prospects later.