B.Pedersen
Danish
12th July 1978
Ave:9.05
Interim GSA: 7.86
Website
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Danish International Bjarne Pedersen returns to Wimborne Road for his 7th consecutive campaign with the Pirates having first linked up in 2002 when transferred from his only other British club, Premier League Newcastle. Bjarne has worked his way up the world class speedway table and has claimed a world number 6 ranking although he had to rely on a GP wild card nomintion to gain a place in last year's championship. Bjarne struggled to reproduce his domestic form again on the world championship stage but secured a further GP season for 2008 by going through the qualifiers and claiming an automatic place after beating Lubos Tomicek in run-off for the final 3rd qualifying spot. In the 6 seasons that Pedersen has been a Pirate he has rapidly moved into the all-time top 10 points scoring table finishing 2007 as the 6th all-time highest. Bjarne is the only rider from 2007 to retain his place for the 2008 season. |
D.Watt
Australian
6th January 1978
Ave:8.06
Interim GSA: 7.86
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Locally based Dave Watt returns to his first British Elite club having been a previous Pirate in 2003 and 2004. Watt first came to the UK in 2001 where he spent time riding at Premier league level for the Isle of Wight. The following year he moved to Newcastle, as Bjarne Pedersen headed south to Dorset, but then gained team berths at King's Lynn and Poole in 2003 where he averaged 6.01 in Poole's Double winning season. In 2004 he started with the Pirates but an injury at the end of the May ruled him for a lengthy period and by the time he was fit to resume racing there was not place available in the Poole team as Krzysztof Kasprzak had been called up. Watt was given a chance at Eastbourne where he remained through until 2006 when he moved to Oxford, but he was recalled by the Eagles in 2007 where he really proved his worth. It seemed a certainty that he would continue as an Eagle in 2008 but when the Sussex clubs opted for a British strong-spearhead there was no opportunity for Watt so the Poole promotion took a change in direction and went for a stronger top two by inviting their asset to ride again for the club. |
C.Holder
Australian
24th September 1987
Ave:5.05
Interim GSA: 8.14
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Making his long-awaited step up into the Elite league Chris comes to Wimborne Road as one of the most promising riders in world speedway. The Poole club recognised this huge talent and were instrumental in bringing him to Britain to serve his 'UK apprenticeship' and were quick to secure his signature in 2006, although Chris decided that he would like a further year's Premier League experience under his belt and stayed with the Isle of Wight last season. It was clearly a sound idea as 'Noddy' enjoyed a highly successful campaign, coming very close to scooping the World U21 championship. But he did win the Premier League Pairs (with Jason Bunyan), the Premier League Fours and also made a World Team Cup appearance with the Australians. Chris may know that there is a lot of expectation on his shoulders but the New South Wales rider who was Australian U21 champion in successive seasons from 2005 to 2007, the Australian Long track champion in 2005, and the New South Wales State Champion in 2006 and 2007 whilst making it a double State success by winning the Western Australia State Champion 2007 will take all the pressure in his stride. |
K.Zabik
Polish
25th October 1986
Ave:5.00
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Alongside Chris Holder, Karol Zabik is probably one of the most sought after young riders with his natural ability and exciting potential. Karol already has a world U21 title to his name having claimed the honours in 2006 and Peterborough were quick to realise his class and signed him up in 2006. It wasn't however a 'marriage made in heaven' and was a relatively short-lived arrangement. His availability made him a 'must have' for Poole and was signed at the end of the 2007 campaign. His father had a season with Sheffield back in 1980.
A serious of injuries, a drop in confidence and dramatic loss of form led to Karol Zabik losing his place for the Pirates in May after making just 5 meeting appearances.
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A.Skornicki
Polish
22nd October 1976
Ave:4.89
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Renowned for his long-flowing hair and 'donut' celebrations this flamboyant Polish rider is certain to bring experience to the Poole side in 2008. Adam is best described as a rider with a considerable amount of 'untapped' talent and many expected him to reach the heady heights of top class international rider when he was first signed by Wolverhampton in 2000. With over 160 appearances for the Midlands club scoring over 1000 points, he has also given service to Arena Essex, Oxford and Belle Vue. Adam rode for Poole as a guest in the Craven Shield final in 2006 where he quickly endeared himself to the Poole fans. |
Z.Suchecki
Polish
21st July 1984
Ave: 3.65
Interim GSA: 3.23
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'Zibi' as Zbigniew is more familiarly known as came to England last season with Ipswich where he endured something of a roller-coaster British baptism. A rider with immense talent he did well to achieve a 3.65 debut season average. A true-entertainer with his all-out racing style 'Zibi' slots into the Poole team as reserve for the start of 2008 but once he has 'settled' into the groove it would be no surprise to see him push for one of the second-string berths.
A serious crash during the Castle Cover Pirates home meeting against Eastbourne on April 23rd 2008 left 'Zib' with a broken femur. He was replaced in the Poole side by Daniel Davidsson in May.
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F.Eriksson
Swedish
23rd April 1981
Ave: 3.00
Intermim GSA: 6.56 |
26 year old Eriksson joins the Pirates on a loan deal and will begin the campaign as a reserve with his 3.06 average. Eriksson was performing better than that figure suggests during the 2007 season when riding for the ill-fated Oxford Elite league side that went out of business midway through the season and his link up with Poole will be his fourth British club since first coming to England in 2001. He began with King's Lynn with whom he had two productive seasons scoring over 400 points in 71 appearances. In 2003 he made 14 appearances late season for Ipswich, on loan fro his parent club Oxford, but missed out on a British berth in 2004. Oxford used him for their closing matches of 2005 when he rattled in over 40 points in just 4 meetings. The following season though was far from memorable for Eriksson, 13 matches with Oxford saw him struggle to get amongst the points and he was released in June of that season. Any hopes for making a big impression in 2007 were thwarted for the former Swedish U21 champion, following the Cheetahs early demise, but it would appear that he could have become a big capture for the Pirates in 2008. |
M.Zetterstrom
Swedish
9th December 1971
Ave: 5.18 |
'Zorro' was called up by the Castle Cover Pirates in May 2008 to cover the position vacated by Karol Zabik as the Pole was recovering from a catalogue of injuries and noticeable drop in form. The former club captain is always a popular figure at Wimborne Road and after three good seasons in the Premier league with Somerset.
Zetterstrom made his Poole club debut in 1996 but a serious injury sustained at Exeter meant he missed a large part of that campaign and all of the following year. For the rest of the nineties he featured for Poole but was loaned to Peterborough in 2000, was back in Dorset in 2001. Zorro felt the brunt of being 'dropped' by the Pirates in 2002 but Peterborough were quick to have him back. He won the European Championship title that season.
In 2003 Zetterstrom was part of the Pirates British League cup side and his performances ensured he was welcomed back to the main fold in 2004 for a season but then fell victim to the averages jigsaw puzzle.
Somerset gambled on his high Premier League converted average where he became an instant hit but last season the Swede courted controversy when a clash of dates with his Polish club ended in him being heavily fined by the BSPA for missing the Premier League Riders championship.
It appeared as though Zetterstrom's British ventures were over but he responded to the SOS call to ride again for Poole, a club that he has great passion for, a passion that is mirrored by the Poole fans love of the zany Zorro.
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D.Davidsson
Swedish
17th March 1983
Ave: 3.38
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Part of the double team change made by the Pirates in May, Daniel Davidsson returns to Wimborne Road, the club he began his British racing career with in 2003. He was back in 2004 but was not considered by the Pirates in 2005 where he rode for both Coventry and Peterborough. He began 2006 back as a Pirate but found his place in jeopardy when the Pirates felt they needed to strengthen up at reserve. It was a decision that haunted Poole co-promoter Matt Ford as the Pirates continued to struggle in the lower section of the side. After not securing a British club place in 2007 it appeared that Daniel, older brother to former Pirate Jonas Davidsson currently riding for Lakeside, had seen the end to a British career but his low average fitted perfectly for the Pirates enforced double change to replace Karol Zabik and Zibigniew Suchecki after their injuries. |
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K.Kasprzak
Polish
18th July 1984
Ave: 8.68
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An injury to club skipper Bjarne Pedersen sustained in the Pirates' Craven Shield semi-final defeat by Coventry led to Leszno-born Krzysztof Kasprzak getting his wish to return to Dorset, albeit as a stop-gap replacement. The 2005 World U21 champion was first brought to England in 2003 making his debut against Coventry on 26th March scoring 5 points from 4 rides, but he was soon to become a popular rider amongst the Dorset faithful. That said, he lost his starting place for Poole in 2004 but was snapped up by Swindon. It was a short-lived association as injury cost him his place with the Robins and by the end of June he was back as a Pirate.
Under rain-drenched conditions Kasprzak won the U21 world championship, a title he proudly added to his World U21 team championship of 2005, by a ballot and two years later was crowned European Champion.
Last season he was frozen out at Poole by the averages and he linked up with Lakeside. This year he is a permanent GP wild card but his biggest delight so far was that call from Poole on May 2nd.
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