Strength in Europe

Since 2011 only two non-Europeans have medalled in the Junior World Championships – Jaimon Lidsey and Max Fricke – meaning that the lineups for the U21 European Championships and the World Championships can be very similar. Indeed, four of finalists in the 2021 competition have already medalled in the most European Junior Championships- Wiktor Lampart (Gold, 2019, Silver 2018); Jakub Miskowiak (Silver, 2020); Alexander Woentin (Bronze, 2020); Mads Hansen (Bronze, 2019).

U19 European Championships

However, in 2021 the FIM have decided not to have a U21 European Championship but only an U19 competition. And some of the competitors we will meet on 4 September in Straslund also have competed in this competition too.

For example, Jan Kvech from the Czech Republic won the U19 European Championship in 2020 beating, among others, Latvia’s Ernest Matjusonoks and Francis Gusts as well as Frenchman, Steven Goret.

And this weekend the 2021 European U19 Championship was decided in Riga, Latvia.

Gusts best in Europe

Matjusonoks and Gusts were in action again on home shale as well as four of the five reserve riders for the global competition. So that meant Petr Chulpac (Czech Republic), Philip Hellström Bängs (Sweden), Norick Bloedorn (Germany) and Drew Kemp (Great Britain) were all on the start line in Riga this weekend.

Bloedorn finished in 15^th and Chulpac 9^th, but otherwise the top five in this U19 competition was dominated by riders who will be in this year’s U21 World Championships.

It was Latvia’s Gusts who won Gold in his home country in impressive style, dropping just one point in his five heats. In second place, after a race off, was Hellström-Bängs who beat Poland’s Mateusz Cierniak who had to be satisfied with the bronze. Outside the medals by just one point was Kemp in 4^th whilst Matjusonoks finished in 5^th.

Gusts and his compatriot and Lokamotiv Daugavpils teammate Matjusonoks are the only riders at Riga who will compete in the U21 World Championships as permanent riders. But this outing shows that there is some serious talent waiting in the wings should anyone be injured before 4^th September. But the question remains, will Gusts be able to turn his European Gold to a World Championship medal?

NB that the picture is of David Bellego, Francis Gusts' teammate in Swedish club, Avesta Masarna.

Det blir Björn Bjurling som får ansvaret som målvaktstränare för Björklövens elitverksamhet (A-lag, J20 och J18).

Den före detta SHL-målvakten kommer närmast från ett åtagande som målvaktstränare för AIK:s SDHL-verksamhet.

Sportchefen Per Kenttä om den intressanta rekryteringen av Södertälje-bekantingen.

- Väldigt kul att vi kunde hitta en lösning med Björn. Han är väldigt driven, kunnig och kommer bli en bra tillgång för våra målvakter och för vår förening, säger Björklövens sportchef till klubbens hemsida.

Alex Trivellato avslutade den gångna säsongen i Västerås och noterades för 13 poäng på 18 matcher.

Nu har den 28-årige backen klart med en ny klubb.

Det blir en återkomst till HC Bolzano i ICEHL.

Den storvuxne liraren med meriterna från spel i den tyska högstaligan har skrivit på för en säsong, meddelar HC Bolzano på hemsidan.

Väsby får in ytterligare en spelare med meriter från spel i HockeyAllsvenskan: Elias Lindström ansluter till Hockeyettan-klubben.

Den 21-årige forwarden har bokförts för 99 matcher i andraligan med AIK de senaste åren.

Sportchefen Tom Tärnström om vad Lindström kan tillföra laget.

- Elias är en stor, stark och smart center som tar stort ansvar över hela banan. I AIK har han varit ett stående inslag i deras line up under två säsonger vilket såklart tyder på stor kvalitet att slå sig in i ett sådant lag på den nivån. Han var också lagets andra bästa tekare samt den forward som vann flest dueller föregående säsong. Vi ser dock också att han har även andra kvaliteter i sig på Hockeyettan-nivå så förutom det gedigna arbetet tror vi oss också kunna få ut mer offensivt av Elias än vad han fått utrymme för i AIK, säger Väsbys sportchef till hemsidan.

Karlskrona får en fin förstärkning på forwardssidan. Det är Erik Santesson som ansluter till KHK.

Den 24-årige Rögle-produkten har skrivit på för en säsong med Blekinge-klubben.

Skåningen har mycket allsvensk erfarenhet (225 matcher) och kommer närmast från spel i Kristianstad.

"Erik Santesson har de fyra senaste säsongerna spelat i HockeyAllsvenskan där han representerat Almtuna IS och senast Kristianstads IK. Med Rögle BK som moderklubb har Erik spelat sin ungdoms- och juniortid i klubben där han även fick prova på spel i HockeyAllsvenskan och SHL", skriver Karlskrona på hemsidan.

There were two matches in the Bauhaus Elitserien in Sweden this Thusrday night as Kumla Indianerna and Hallstavik Rospiggarna took part in their first match this week whilst Dackarna and Gislaved Lejonen both took part in thier second match in Målilla.

Both Indianerna and Dackarna used Riders' Replacement as they were missing their Australian Grand Prix riders, Max Fricke and Jason Doyle, who are prepare themselves for the SGP double header in Lublin this weekend.

Indianerna v Rospiggarna #INDROS

Before the match started both teams were on 7 points in sixth and seventh place with Rospiggarna ahead on points scored in this important bottom of the table clash in Kumla. The bonus point was almost certainly going back with the Hallstavik team after their convincing 54:36 win at home earlier this year.

Former World Champion, Chris Holder (pictured) put in an excellent performance for the home team scoring 18+1 from seven heats. But the team missed Fricke and Rospiggarna took advantage when Kumla's Swedish riders were on the startline to collect two 1:5s to be leading by six points at the end of Heat 5.

The visitors manage to increase thier lead by another two points when Kumla's U21 Swedish champion, Gustav Grahn, was excluded from Heat 13 and the final score was 41:49. Rospiggarna took 3 pts in total with the aggregate scores 103:77 and their top scorer, Zielona Gora's Patryk Dudek with 13 pts from five heats.

Full scores from SVEMO.

Dackarna v Lejonen #DACLEJ

Both teams came into this match with a loss on Tuesday with differing pressures on the teams. For the visiting Lejonen, the is need to bounce back and keep up the fight on winning the league table against an impressive Smederna. For the home side, they need to rise above the embarassing defeat at the hands of Masarna and show fans they are still a team to reckon with. The home side also had a cushion in regard to the bonus point having won the match 40:50 in Gislaved.

When Lejonen's Australian rider, Rohan Tungate (13+1) took the chequered flag first with Polish teammates, Jakub Miskowiak (8) and Grzegorz Walasek (10+1) behind in Heats 7 and 11, it looked like the visitors might finally catch up with the home team. But Dackarna were too strong throughout even without their top Australian, Doyle. Just as on Tuesday it was Luke Becker who top scored for the Målilla side this time with an impressive 14+2. He was again well supported by Jacob Thorssell (11+1). But the difference tonight was the whole team were on point. For example, Danish riders Fredrik Jacobsen (10+2) and Rasmus Jensen (12+2) also scoring in double points with the latter making up for a poor show in Avesta with just 2 pts.

It mean that Dackarna won convincingly 51:39 and took the bonus point 101:79 silencing the critics and also putting a question mark on Lejonen's quest for a 2021 championship win.

Full scores from SVEMO.