Allsvenskan, Sweden's second division of Swedish speedway, finished it's regular season with no less than five matches in four days so they could start the playoffs as scheduled next Wednesday 1 September.
About Allsvenskan
The league is made up of six teams, three of which are individual clubs in their own right (Nyköping Griparna, Hagfors Valsarna and Norrköping Vargarna) and three which are development teams run by sides in the Elitserien - Kumla Indianerna B, Team Rapid (Smederna) and Smålänningarna (Dackarna and Lejonen). There was no Allsvenskan last year because of the Coronavirus and for the third year in a row there will be no promotion to the league above this season.
Apart from the entertainment value, the league primarily exists to give Swedish riders who are not racing outside Sweden a chance for greater track time. However, there are a number of foreign riders, mainly juniors, who are wanting to get more experience outside their country of origin.
The 2021 season
This year's 10 Rounds finished with the top three teams separated by just one point. It was Valsarna who took the title with a home win on Monday when they beat the current champions Griparna at home in Hagfors in front of 751 fans. This was the third time this season they have had over 700 at the ground, easily making them the best supported club in the league where average attendence is currently 284.
The team’s top riders are Victor Palovaara (2.381, 5th overall), Tomas H Jonasson (2.240, 9th) and Swedish U21 World Championship rider, Alexander Woentin (1.824, 15th).
Both Jonasson and Woentin rider with Motala Piraterna in the Elitserien and have also raced 9 matches in Poland this year. Woentin has been an injury replacement at Tarnow in League 1, whilst Jonasson has been in League 2 with Daugavpils.
However, 27 year old Palovaara has not raced outside Sweden since 2018 but is currently signed with Vetlanda, Bartosz Zmarzlik and Dominik Kubera's club in Sweden.
Valsarna’s recent signing, 18 year British rider, Leon Flint is an exciting addition to the club. In three matches he has made an excellent contribution to the side and sits just behind teammate, Woentin, in the individual standings with a 1.750 average.
However, the league's top rider is Griparna's Kim Nilsson (pictured racing this year for his Elitserien club, Hallstavik Rospiggarna). The 31 year old is almost unbeaten in 10 league matches with an incredible average of 2.849. It means he and has only dropped 8 points all season and that does not include bonus points, as is the practice in the Swedish leagues. He was reserve for the recent, SGP in Målilla and has also race a couple of matches at the beginning of the season for troubled Tarnow.
As well as Swedes, the top ten in the individual league includes three internationals who race in Poland - Grudziadz's 22 year old, Norbert Krakowiak (Indianerna) and two riders from League 2's Rzeszow - 26 year old, Hubert Legowik (Smålänningarna, see interview) and 22 year old Dane, Tim Sörensen (Vargarna).
Semifinals
The semifinals will now take place starting on 1st September with the return match the following week.
League winners Valsarna surprised Swedish speedway fans by choosing to take on Nilsson's Griparna who finished third, instead of Eskilstuna Team Rapid who finished in fourth place a total of four points behind the league leaders.
That leave the other match as Kumla Indianerna against the Eskilstuna squad who were runners up in the last final in 2019.
The teams have been very even so far. so it really is anyone's guess how the playoffs will finish by the end of September.
