Speedway in Poland

Speedway is one of the most popular sports in Poland. The Polish Extraleague has the highest average attendances for any sport in Poland. The first meetings in Poland were held in the 1930s. [ [http://www.speedway-faq.org/polish.html speedway-faq.org] "What is the history of Polish speedway?"]

Speedway in Poland is governed by the Main Commission for Speedway Sport ("Główna Komisja Sportu Żużlowego, GKSŻ") which is a part of the Polish Motor Union ("Polski Związek Motorowy, PZM"). PZM is a member of the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) and the Union Européenne de Motocyclisme (UEM).

Championships

There are three championships in Poland:
* individual ("Indywidualne Mistrzostwa Polski; IMP")
* pairs ("Mistrzostwa Polski Par Klubowych; MPPK")
*team (three leagues; "Drużynowe Mistrzostwa Polski; "DMP).The Junior U-21 championships also has three championships:
* individual ("Młodzieżowe Indywidualne Mistrzostwa Polski; MIMP")
* pairs ("Młodzieżowe Mistrzostwa Polski Par Klubowych; MMPPK")
* and team ("Młodzieżowe Drużynowe Mistrzostwa Polski; MDMP").

Individual

Pairs

Teams (league competition)

There are three leagues:
* "Speedway Extraleague (Ekstraliga żużlowa)"
* "First League (Pierwsza Liga)"
* "Second League (Druga Liga)"

Since 2004 the Second League has included clubs from other countries -

* Latvia: Lokomotiv Daugavpils (since 2005, formerly as Speedway Daugavpils)
* Hungary: Speedway Miszkolc (since 2006)
* Czech Republic: Olymp Prague (2007, or Marketa Prague)
* Ukraine: SKA Speedway Lviv (2004), SC Trofimow Rivne (2005), Ukraina Rivne (2006), Speedway Rivne (2008)

In the 2008 season, the Extraleague and First League have eight teams competing. The second League has six teams.

Unibax Toruń (since 1976) have never been relegated to a lower division.

Other competitions

Cups

*Individual Speedway Polish Cup ("Indywidualny Puchar Polski, IPP")
*Team Speedway Polish Cup ("Drużynowy Puchar Polski, DPP")

Helmets

GKSŻ organizes the Golden Helmet, Silver Helmet and Bronze Helmet competitions. [(pl) [http://www.pzm.pl/userfiles/file/regulaminy/zuzel/15regkaski.pdf pzm.pl] "Golden, Silver and Bronze Helmets Regulations"]

*"The Golden Helmet (Złoty Kask, ZK)" is a single meeting held in PC Team 3rd from last season (before usually in Wrocław), with the top twelve riders in the Extraleague and the top four riders in the First League. The Winner get a new motorcycle Java.
*"The Silver Helmet (Srebrny Kask, SK)" is an individual competition for riders under 21 years of age for the top sixteen riders in the Extraleague, the top ten riders in the First League, and the six two riders in the Second League competing. A Final event held in PC Team U-21 3rd from last season.
*"The Bronze Helmet (Brązowy Kask, BK)" is an individual competition similar to the Silver Helmet except the riders must be under 19 years of age. Riders are nominated for this competition by their teams.

Friendly

Other competitions include (individual meetings), e.g.:

*Mieczysław Połukard Criterium of Polish Speedway Leagues Aces ("Kryterium Asów Polskich Lig Żużlowych im. Mieczysława Połukarda)" held in the Polonia Stadium in Bydgoszcz. It is seen by riders and fans as the official opening of the new season. First staged in 1982, although a similar meeting was held in the 1950s.

*"Crest Chain of Ostrów Town (Łańcuch Herbowy Miasta Ostrowa)" held in Ostrów Wielkopolski. It is the official end of season meeting. First staged in 1978.

*"Alfred Smoczyk Memorial (Memoriał im. Alfreda Smoczyka)" Alfred Smoczyk was the first Polish speedway superstar. He successfully competed on Dutch tracks in the late 1940s, but died in a road accident in October 1950. This meeting has been held every year since 1951 in Leszno, where he lived, in the Alfred Smoczyk Stadium.

*"Edward Jancarz Memorial (Memoriał im. Edwarda Jancarza) in Gorzów Wielkopolski.

National team

The Polish National team are the current World Champions (seven titles). Poland has produced one Individual World Champion - Jerzy Szczakiel who won in 1973. Polish junior riders are among the best in the world. The Polish National U-21 team won the Under 21 World Championship since 2005 in every years (lately in 2007). Besides, since 2000 Polish juniors won medals of Individual U-21 World Championship. Polish riders have been World Champions seven times at Under 21 level (lately Karol Ząbik in 2006).

peedway Grand Prix in Poland

Poland hosts the Speedway Grand Prix of Poland in the Polonia Stadium in Bydgoszcz and the Speedway Grand Prix of Europe in the Alfred Smoczyk Stadium in Leszno.

Famous riders

*Tomasz Gollob (born 1971): Individual Polish Champion seven times (lately in 2006), the first threefold and fourfold WC Individual medallist (1997-1999, 2001)
*Andrzej Huszcza (born 1957): Has been riding since 1975 till 2007
*Edward Jancarz (1946-1992), the first rider in world, which was build monument (in 2005)
*Rune Holta (born 1973): the first and so far (in 2003 in 2007), only PC Individual winner who was born as foreigner (as Norwegian).
*Zenon Plech (b. 1953): Individual Polish Champion five times, double WC Individual medallist (1973 and 1979)
*Mieczysław Połukard (1930-1985): the first Polish rider to ride in the Individual World Championship Final in 1959
*Alfred Smoczyk (1928-1950): the first PC Individual champion after World War II (in 1949)
*Jerzy Szczakiel (b. 1949): the first and so far, only Polish World Champion in 1973
*Paweł Waloszek (b. 1938): the first silver WC Individual medallist in 1970
*Antoni Woryna (b. 1941): the first WC Individual medallist (bronze in 1966) and the first double WC Individual medallist (bronze in 1970 too)

Note: riders in "bold type are current riders.

Notes

ee also

*motorcycle speedway
*speedway in the United Kingdom
*sport in Poland

External links

*(pl) [http://www.pzm.pl/Zuzel Speedway on Polish Motor Union website]
*(pl) [http://rlach.republika.pl/index.htm Polish Speedway Almanac]
*(en) [http://www.speedwayworld.tv/en/polishlatest/show_polish polish news on speedwayworld.tv]