British Speedway Under 21 Championship

The British Speedway Under-21 Championship (also known as the British Junior Speedway Championship) is an annual speedway competition open to riders of British nationality aged at least fifteen on the date of the first meeting, and under twenty-one on 1 January in the year of the competition.[1] Sixteen riders plus three reserves take part in 20 heats with each rider facing each other once. The two riders which accumulate the highest amount of points over the heats go straight to the final. The next four highest point scorers take part in a race-off, with first and second place riders also progressing to the final. The winner of the final is declared British Under-21 Champion. Previous winners include former World Champions Mark Loram and Gary Havelock. The 2009 championship was won by Lewis Bridger who defeated defending champion Tai Woffinden in the final. Joe Haines was third and Ben Barker finished fourth.[2]

Contents

Qualification

Seven riders are seeded straight to the final round while nine other riders qualify through three qualifying rounds held on a regional basis which use the same format as the final round. The 1st, 2nd and 3rd place riders from each qualifier ride in the final round and 4th place riders take part as reserves. In the final round the reserves may take the rides of any incapacitated rider, replace any rider excluded for a starting infringement, or replace any rider excluded for exceeding the two minute time allowance except in the semi-final or final.

The top three riders go through to the British Speedway Championship final and the winner qualifies for the World Junior Championship semi-final round. The next five finishers qualify for the World Junior Championship qualifying rounds.

British Under-21 Champions

Year Winner Runner-up Third
1969 Graham Plant Geoff Ambrose Mick Bell
1970 Barry Thomas Dave Jessup Mick Bell
1971 Ian Turner Dave Jessup Peter Ingham
1972 Allen Emmett Gordon Kennett Tony Davey
1973 Peter Collins Barney Kennett David Gagen
1974 Chris Morton Steve Bastable Neil Middleditch
1975 Neil Middleditch Steve Weatherley Joe Owen
1976 Michael Lee Steve Weatherley Colin Richardson
1977 Les Collins Phil Collins Colin Richardson
1978 Phil Collins Ian Gledhill Bob Garrad
1979 Kenny Carter Nigel Flatman Mel Taylor
Year Winner Runner-up Third
1980 Mark Courtney Kevin Smith John Barker
1981 Rob Lightfoot Peter Carr Neil Evitts
1982 Peter Carr Martin Hagon Simon Cross
1983 Keith Millard Simon Cross Kenny McKinna
1984 Marvyn Cox Simon Cross Andy Smith
1985 Carl Blackbird David Mullett Andy Smith
1986 Gary Havelock Andrew Silver Darren Sumner
1987 Darren Sumner David Biles Mark Loram
1988 Mark Loram Andy Phillips Martin Dugard
1989 Martin Dugard Chris Louis Dean Barker
Year Winner Runner-up Third
1990 Joe Screen Mark Loram Chris Louis
Championship not held 1991
1992 Scott Smith Joe Screen Mark Loram
1993 Carl Stonehewer Joe Screen David Norris
1994 Paul Hurry Ben Howe James Grieves
1995 Ben Howe Paul Hurry Savalas Clouting
1996 Savalas Clouting Scott Nicholls Paul Hurry
1997 Leigh Lanham Lee Richardson Scott Nicholls
1998 Scott Nicholls Lee Richardson Paul Lee
1999 Scott Nicholls Lee Richardson David Howe
Year Winner Runner-up Third
2000 David Howe Lee Richardson Paul Lee
2001 Simon Stead David Howe Paul Lee
2002 Simon Stead Ross Brady Oliver Allen
2003 Simon Stead Oliver Allen Edward Kennett
2004 Ritchie Hawkins Steve Boxall Edward Kennett
2005 Edward Kennett Chris Schramm Richard Hall
2006 Ben Wilson Daniel King Lewis Bridger
2007[3] Edward Kennett William Lawson Tai Woffinden
2008 Tai Woffinden Adam Roynon Ben Barker
2009 Lewis Bridger Tai Woffinden Joe Haines
2010 Joe Haines Tai Woffinden Lewis Bridger
2011 Tai Woffinden Steven Worrall Joe Haines

See also

References

  1. ^ Oakes, P.(2006). 2005 British Speedway Who's Who. ISBN 0-948882-30-1
  2. ^ "U21 glory for Bridger". BSPA. 2009. http://www.british-speedway.co.uk/news.php?extend.3125. Retrieved 2009-04-25. 
  3. ^ Bamford, R.(2007). Speedway Yearbook 2007. ISBN 978-07524-4250-1