In the 1980s, Katie Mason (now Kate McAuley) was the first women to ever sign a professional contract in British speedway when she raced for Hackney Hawks in London. Later she was a coach and whilst she’s never put the bike away, now she is more of a fan who watches from the stadium rather than racer on the track.
“I really love Torun, it’s a fantastic stadium and probably one of the best race tracks in the world”, she says with enthusiasm.
She’s been watching the SEC since One Sport took over the event in 2013 and her favourite series was in 2014 when then 25-year-old Russian Emil Sayfutdinov won in a close fought competition over Danes Nicki Pedersen and Peter Kildemand.
The Russian took home the victory by just six points. That winning margin, just two heat wins, was accumulated by faultless racing in the qualifying stages in Round 2 in Togliatti and in the final Round 4 at Czestochowa, where he did not lose a single heat - until the finals.
Winner that night in Poland was fellow Russian, Grigorji Laguta, who will also feature in this year’s line-up alongside 2016 SEC champion, Nicki Pedersen.
But as well speaking to the first British women’s rider to break into the sport, we also catch up with German, Sindy Weber. She made history as the first ever woman to ride in Poland’s Nice 2 league when she represented Polania Pila against Wanda Kraków in August last year, just two days after her 19th birthday. She was paired with Swede, Tomas Jonasson (pictured) in her first heat.
Weber is from a speedway family, “I grew up in a speedway stadium!” she laughs.
“I usually find the TAURON SEC much more interesting than the SGP races. There's a lot more action there and it's exciting to the end. And, I must say, One Sport is a very good organizer”, she says giving a rider’s understanding of what is needed to make these events work.
We ask her if she would like to appear at the SEC, “Of course! But I think it would be very difficult to ride in the SEC as a woman. I have no sponsors so we have to finance everything ourselves,” she says honestly.
McAuley and Weber have both been ground-breaking women in the sport of speedway. Right now, they can enjoy the SEC from the stands, but let’s hope that women like them will soon also compete against the men in this great competition.
