Kai Niemi

Kai Niemi
Personal information
Nationality	Finland
Date of birth	(1955-09-15) September 15, 1955
Place of birth	Pori, Finland
Current club information
Career status	Retired
Career history
White City Rebels Eastbourne Eagles Birmingham Brummies Wimbledon Dons Ipswich Witches Swindon Robins	1976-1978 1979-1980 1981 1982-1983 1984-1985 1986
Individual honours
Finland National Champion London Riders' Champion	1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981 1982, 1984, 1988, 1990 1982
Team honours
British League Champion British League KO Cup winner	1977 1984

Kai Juhani Niemi (born 15 September 1955 in Pori, Finland)^[1] is former international motorcycle speedway rider who represented Finland.

Career

He reached four World Championship finals, finishing a career best fourth in 1985 at the Odsal Stadium in Bradford, England.

Neimi won the Finnish National Championship a record nine times during his career (1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1988 and 1990)

Neimi rode for the White City Rebels in the British League from 1976-1978, winning the league championship with the team in 1977. He continued riding in Britain until 1986 for other teams including: Eastbourne Eagles (1979-80), Birmingham Brummies (1981), Wimbledon Dons (1982-83), Ipswich Witches (1984-85) and the Swindon Robins (1986)

In 1982 he won the London Riders' Championship with Wimbledon. He also won the British League Knockout Cup in 1984 with Ipswich.

Kai Neimi also rode for Finland in the World Pairs Final on five occasions with a best finish of 5th in Australia in 1982 with his brother-in-law Ari Koponen, and again in 1989 in Poland with Olli Tyrvainen. He also represented Finland in the World Team Cup, though the Fins never progressed past the Semi-final stage during his career.

World Final Appearances

Individual World Championship

• 1980 - Göteborg, Ullevi - 8th - 8pts
• 1982 - Los Angeles, Memorial Coliseum - 12th - 5pts
• 1984 - Göteborg, Ullevi - 13th - 4pts
• 1985 - Bradford, Odsal Stadium - 4th - 10pts

World Pairs Championship

• 1977 - Manchester, Hyde Road (with Ila Teromaa) - 6th - 14pts (7)
• 1979 - Vojens, Vojens Speedway Center (with Ila Teromaa) - 7th - 7pts (7)
• 1980 - Krsko, Matija Gubec Stadium (with Ila Teromaa) - 6th - 14pts (6)
• 1982 - Sydney, Liverpool City Raceway (with Ari Koponen) - 5th - 16pts (12)
• 1989 - Leszno, Alfred Smoczyk Stadium (with Olli Tyrvainen) - 5th - 31pts (18)

References