DRAW FOR NEW ERA OF FIM SPEEDWAY OF NATIONS IN ESBJERG REVEALED

The draw for the FIM Speedway of Nations in Danish seaside city Esbjerg from July 27-30 has been revealed as the sport’s world team championship enters an exciting new era.

For the first time in the competition’s history, all four rounds of the FIM SON will be staged over four nights at a single venue as Semi-Finals 1 and 2, SON2 and the FIM SON Final all take place at Esbjerg’s Granly Speedway Arena.

With hosts Denmark seeded through to the FIM SON Final on July 30 automatically, 14 countries will battle it out for the remaining six spots over two nights of epic Semi-Final action on Wednesday, July 27 and Thursday, July 28.

The top three countries in each Semi-Final also book their places in the Final, which will be contested as a one-day event for the first time in the competition’s history on Saturday, July 30.

In a change for 2022, each country will be represented by their top three senior stars. Team managers are no longer required to select an under-21 rider – instead the sport’s top young guns will race in SON2 on Friday, July 29 in the revamped FIM Team Speedway Under-21 World Championship.

Eight-time FIM Speedway World Cup winners Poland launch their bid for a first-ever FIM SON gold medal in Semi-Final 1 on Wednesday, July 27. They come up against two-time FIM SWC winners Australia and two-time FIM SON finalists Germany.

Latvia reached their first FIM SON Final in 2021 and will bid to make it two in a row when they race in Semi-Final 1. Ukraine, USA and Finland complete the line-up for the FIM SON’s opening night.

Reigning FIM SON world champions Great Britain launch their title defence in Semi-Final 2 on Thursday, July 28 on the Esbjerg track that triple world champion Tai Woffinden calls home in Denmark’s Speedwayligaen.

The Lions take on three-time FIM SWC world champions Sweden as well as France, who reached their first-ever world team final in the 2021 FIM SON.

Czech Republic, Slovenia and Italy also compete in Semi-Final 2, with Slovakia completing the line-up as the nation spearheaded by Prague FIM Speedway GP of Czech Republic winner Martin Vaculik makes its FIM SON debut.

For the first time ever, the FIM SON will feature SON2 – the revamped FIM Team Speedway Under-21 World Championship.

As part of new FIM Speedway global promoter Discovery Sports Events’ 10-year vision to elevate the sport, speedway’s top under-21 teams will take centre stage on Friday, July 29.

Hosts Denmark come up against reigning, 14-time FIM Team Speedway Under-21 world champions Poland, as well as Great Britain, Australia, Sweden, Czech Republic and Latvia.

The five-rider squads and starting line-ups for each nation will be revealed in the weeks leading up to the Esbjerg event.

Tickets for FIM Speedway of Nations are available online here now: https://www.billetlugen.dk/artist/speedwayofnations/

 

FIM SPEEDWAY OF NATIONS DRAW

SEMI-FINAL 1 (WEDNESDAY, JULY 27)

A: Germany

B: Poland

C: USA

D: Latvia

E: Finland

F: Australia

G: Ukraine

 

SEMI-FINAL 2 (THURSDAY, JULY 28)

A: Czech Republic

B: Great Britain

C: France

D: Sweden

E: Italy

F: Slovakia

G: Slovenia

 

SON2 (FRIDAY, JULY 29)

A: Australia

B: Latvia

C: Poland

D: Great Britain

E: Denmark

F: Czech Republic

G: Sweden