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][2] The winner of the final is declared British Under-21 Champion. Previous winners include former World Champions Mark Loram and Gary Havelock.

British Speedway Under 21 Championship
SportSpeedway
Founded1969
CountryGreat Britain
Most recent
champion(s)
Sam Hagon

Format

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Sixteen riders plus three reserves take part in 20 heats with each rider facing each other once. The two riders which accumulate the highest number 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.

Qualification

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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 first, second and third placed riders from each qualifier ride in the final round and fourth 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

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Year Winner Runner-up Third Ref
1969 Graham Plant Geoff Ambrose Mick Bell [3]
1970 Barry Thomas Dave Jessup Mick Bell [4]
1971 Ian Turner Dave Jessup Peter Ingram [5]
1972 Allan Emmett Gordon Kennett Tony Davey [6]
1973 Peter Collins Barney Kennett David Gagen [7]
1974 Chris Morton Steve Bastable Neil Middleditch [8]
1975 Neil Middleditch Steve Weatherley Joe Owen [9]
1976 Michael Lee Steve Weatherley Colin Richardson [10]
1977 Les Collins Phil Collins Colin Richardson [11]
1978 Phil Collins Ian Gledhill Bob Garrad [12]
1979 Kenny Carter Nigel Flatman Melvyn Taylor [13]
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 Dave 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
1990 Joe Screen Mark Loram Chris Louis
Championship not held 1991
1992 Scott Smith Joe Screen Mark Loram
1993 Joe Screen Carl Stonehewer David Norris [14][15]
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
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 Edward Kennett William Lawson Tai Woffinden [16]
2008 Tai Woffinden Adam Roynon Ben Barker
2009 Lewis Bridger Tai Woffinden Joe Haines [17]
2010 Joe Haines Tai Woffinden Lewis Bridger
2011 Tai Woffinden Steven Worrall Joe Haines
2012 Joe Haines Tom Perry Kyle Howarth
2013 Robert Branford Kyle Howarth Jason Garrity [18]
2014 Josh Bates Adam Ellis Jason Garrity
2015[19] Kyle Howarth Robert Lambert Stefan Nielsen
2016 Josh Bates Robert Lambert Adam Ellis
2017 Robert Lambert Adam Ellis Josh Bates [20]
2018[21] Robert Lambert Connor Mountain Nathan Greaves
2019 Robert Lambert Zach Wajtknecht Jack Thomas [22]
2020 Dan Bewley Leon Flint Anders Rowe [23]
2021 Tom Brennan Drew Kemp Dan Gilkes
2022 Leon Flint Dan Thompson Connor Bailey ( ) [24]
2023 Connor Bailey ( ) Anders Rowe Dan Thompson
2024 Sam Hagon Leon Flint Ashton Boughen [25]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Oakes, P.(2006). 2005 British Speedway Who's Who. ISBN 0-948882-30-1
  2. ^ Bott, Richard (1980). The Peter Collins Speedway Book No.4. Stanley Paul & Co Ltd. p. 101. ISBN 0-09-141751-1.
  3. ^ "1969 season results" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 9 June 2024.
  4. ^ "Shakespeare disappoints". Derby Daily Telegraph. 3 September 1970. Retrieved 9 June 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  5. ^ "Tiny Ian is the Champ". Daily Mirror. 15 July 1971. Retrieved 9 June 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. ^ "Speedway Row". Sunday Mirror. 25 June 1972. Retrieved 9 June 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. ^ "Collins is the King". Sunday Mirror. 17 June 1973. Retrieved 9 June 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. ^ "Sheffield pose threat". Leicester Daily Mercury. 1 July 1974. Retrieved 9 June 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. ^ "Owen loses title on final bend". Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald. 4 July 1975. Retrieved 9 June 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  10. ^ "Mike Lee is new speedway champion". Sheerness Times Guardian. 1 October 1976. Retrieved 9 June 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  11. ^ "Collin's has that world class look". Kent Evening Post. 27 June 1977. Retrieved 9 June 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  12. ^ "Phil's turn this time". Sunday Mirror. 25 June 1978. Retrieved 9 June 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  13. ^ Bott, Richard (1980). The Peter Collins Speedway Book No.4. Stanley Paul & Co Ltd. p. 87. ISBN 0-09-141751-1.
  14. ^ "British Under-21 Speedway Championship". Historia Sportu Zuzlowego. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  15. ^ "Long eaton results 1993" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  16. ^ Bamford, R.(2007). Speedway Yearbook 2007. ISBN 978-0-7524-4250-1
  17. ^ "U21 glory for Bridger". BSPA. 2009. Retrieved 25 April 2009.
  18. ^ "RESULTS: TUESDAY APRIL 23". British Speedway History Archive. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  19. ^ "RESULTS: TUESDAY APRIL 14", speedwaygb.co, 15 April 2015. Retrieved 15 April 2015
  20. ^ "Lambert Crowned U21 Champion", speedwaygb.co, 26 April 2017. Retrieved 27 April 2017
  21. ^ "Lambert Retains U21 Title", speedwaygb.co, 01 May 2018. Retrieved 01 May 2018
  22. ^ http://www.speedwaygb.co.uk/news.php?extend.36340%7Ctitle=Fast Lambo Hits Brits Hat-trick|date= 28 April 2019 |publisher= Speedway GB
  23. ^ https://bellevue-speedway.com/news/bewleyisu21champion[permanent dead link] |publisher= bellevue-speedway.com
  24. ^ "Leon the Lion". Speedway Star. 10 September 2022. p. 9.
  25. ^ "Sam Hagon wins 2024 British Speedway Under-21 Championship". Bournemouth Echo. Retrieved 9 June 2024.