Vetlanda v Rospiggarna
It was perfect weather conditions on Thursday night when the Swedish season finally got underway for both teams when Hallstavik Rospiggarna travelled to Vetlanda. Whilst Vetlanda were showing off their new red-yellow team strip, the visiting team had new Polish signing, Patryk Dudek, pictured, in the squad for the first time.
The match was tight with fast racing and a track that allowed for overtaking around the outside. One of the first to take advantage of it home rider, Peter Ljung.
But everyone was waiting with baited breath for Heat 8 when Vetlanda’s double world champion, Bartosz Zmarzlik would face Dudek. The Zielona Góra rider was able to get his bike in front of the Gorzow star at the first turn. Zmarzlik, of course, was never going to give up and showed that he knows every inch of his “home” venue in Sweden. But Dudek was not to be outdone, blocking his rival at every turn. So it was Rospiggarna’s Dudek who won the battle of Poland over the reigning world champion.
Naturally, the two also met in the match’s final and deciding Heat with the score poised in the home team’s favour, 44:40.
Vetlanda’s Polish and Gorzow duo of Zmarzlik and Szymon Wozniak set off at high pace as soon as tapes were up in Heat 15. Dudek was furtherest out and tried to use the shale on outside to pass his Polish rivals. However, he only managed to pass teammate, Timo Lahti who rides on a Swedish licence in Elitserien.
The Gorzow pair looked like they would finish off the match in style with a 5:1. But just before he came into the final turn 3, Wozniak’s back tyre blew and Rospiggarna’s Dudek and Lathi sailed passed him with ease. But there was no stopping the best rider in the Ekstraliga taking the tapes first to make it a 3:3.
The Polish world champion lead his team to a 47:43 victory on the opening night of the season.
Top scorers
Bartosz Zmarzlik VET 14
Peter Ljung VET 9
Syzmon Wozniak VET 8
Patryk Dudek ROS 16
Timo Lathi ROS 10+1
You can watch official highlights of the match here.
