Biggest crowds of the year
Changes in government regulations meant that today as many as 3000 spectators can come to sporting events, meaning a return to conditions as there in 2019. So at Målilla and Eskilstuna there were 839 and 1050 people who saw the home teams take comfortable victories.
Riders missing
Both the away teams arrived at their Round 5 meeting with significant riders missing from their team, so the results were not entirely surprising. For Motala Piraterna, neither Oskar Fajfer or Adam Ellis were available leaving Jakub Jamrog as the only clear heat leader in the team when they met Dackarna. For Vetlanda, Gorzow's match tomorrow in the Ekstraliga meant that neither Bartosz Zmarzlik or Syzmon Wozniak came to the start line and Lublin's Dominik Kubera was also not available.
Track safety in focus
After Kim Nilsson's serious crash yesterday in Eskilstuna, Oliver Berntzon took to social media in a four-letter word filled rant about lack of concern for track safety. So, it was no surprise that at both venues there was a clear message given from the clubs that they had put their upmost effort into the track preparation.
#SMEDVETS
Tapes went up at 19.00 hrs as planned on this warm summer's evening in Eskilstuna. And it was the home team that took the first heat with a 4:2 as Alexander Loktayev (12+2) took the chequered flag first with their team captain, Michael Jepsen Jensen (8) in third place.
The carefully prepared track primarily offered first-out-the-gate speedway and early on it was the home team that took advantage with a handful of 4:2s whilst the majority of heats were drawn. That meant by Heat 10 that Smederna led by ten points, 35:25.
But home fans would not leave disappointed at their three Russian speaking riders, Ukrainian, Loktayev, Russian Gleb Chugunov (12+2) and Latvian Andzejs Lebedevs (9+1) found their groove. It was, however, Sweden's own Pontus Aspgren (pictured) who came away with a maximum, 15 pts.
All four riders were involved in an overwhelming display as Smederna took four heat advantanges, including three 5:1s, in the final four heats to run out convincing winners, 57:33 putting them in first place in the league table after Round 5.
For Vetlanda, it was veteran Pole, Tomas Gapinski (13) who saved their blushes whilst their team captain, Peter Ljung put in one of his better performances of 2021 with 8+1 from seven heats.
See Zuzelend for riders full scores.
#DACPIR
In Målilla a late and unexpected rain shower, plus all the talk about track safety, meant there was a delay of an hour before the riders could go out in front of the biggest crowds the club has seen since 2019.
The difference between the two clubs economic situations was clearly reflected in the lineups. And two 5:1s for the home team in the first two heats and that Piraterna top Polish rider, Jamrog, scored just 4 pts meant that there was never a contest in Målilla tonight.
Dackarna riders won all 15 heats and Piraterna only managed a 3:3 twice in the evening meaning that the home side were able to do wonders for their personal heat averages as they smashed the opposition, 63:27.
Jacob Thorssell scored a maximum on the same track where he won the Swedish national championship in 2020, whilst three more riders in the home club scored paid maximums - Rasmus Jensen (13+2), Maciej Janowski (12+3) and Frederik Jakobsen (12+3). Up and coming American, Luke Becker was only just behind them with 12+1.
For Piraterna, it was Danish U21 rider, Jonas Seifert-Salk who top scored with 7 pts. However, the club remain in the same position as they did last year, in last place in the table. Meanwhile, Dackarna are in second behind Smederna even though they have completed one more match that the 2017-19 champions.
See Zuzelend for riders full scores.
