Perth-raised Englishman Tai Woffinden has claimed the Speedway Grand Prix World Championship in Poland after a season that included two busted collarbones, pain and fighting against the odds.
Woffinden, who made a return to the World Championship this year after his first campaign in 2010, had to score six points to stave off closest rival, Jaroslaw Hampel should he score the maximum of 21 points at Torun.
The expectant Polish crowd were left stunned in just the fifth race of the night when Woffinden – coming up against Hampel and two other Polish competitors skipped away for a memorable win.
Polish Wildcard Adrian Miedzinski failed to read the script at the tapes in heat five and plundered Hampel’s chances by sneaking past him for second place, sending the Union Jack’s in the crowd wild – and Woffinden into tears of joy.
Miedzinski would have the last laugh however, going on to take his first Speedway Grand Prix round victory over Hampel, Greg Hancock and Niels-Kristian Iversen, Iversen securing third in the World Championship and crucially the best placed Danish rider.
Australian double World Under-21 Champion, Darcy Ward finished the night in the semi-finals again and has finished the season in eighth position, guaranteeing him a tilt in the 2014 Championship despite the injuries that saw him miss races earlier this year.
Fellow Australian, Troy Batchelor scored a solid six points in his Speedway Grand Prix debut. The Queenslander appeared to lack power off the turns against the Speedway Grand Prix regulars, however he showed that he can mix it among the best.
Out-going World Champion, Chris Holder was on hand to congratulate his good friend Woffinden and the eighth British World Champion, as was the last British World Champion, Mark Loram – 13 years after he took his win.
Woffinden was handed his World Championship trophy by the enigmatic 1981 and 1982 World Champion American, Bruce Penhall.
“It has been an amazing season. It hasn’t been an easy one, but I’ve put everything I can into my speedway this year and really made it happen,” said Woffinden.
“I’ve had two broken collarbones and I’ve come back from that fighting fit. To put in the performances I’ve been putting in all season was a great achievement.
“I got a wild card and I was 500/1 in January to win it. I know people who put £20 or £30 on me back in January. I think they’re going to be pretty happy.”
At the end of the season, Holder, who is still recovering from a major British Elite League crash earlier in the season, finished the standings in 12th position.
With the top eight gaining direct qualification to 2014, Grand Prix organisers – BSI-IMG – are in a difficult position come next year’s permanent Wildcards.
Polish legend, Tomasz Gollob is another outside the drop zone due to injury and there is no Swedish rider in the top eight.
Gollob’s age will count against him, however the commercial realities of the sport’s size and Gollob’s star in Poland will see him almost shoe-in. Holder’s ability and recent World Championship victory, in all righteousness, should see him be given a permanent place.
Tonight though, the spoils though remain with Woffinden – who backed his Grand Prix performances up with the British Championship as well.
His return to the Grand Prix competition forms an amazing story – his father, Rob, passed away from cancer mere weeks before his 2010 tilt, since then he has had a total life transformation through fitness and positive thinking.
His mother, Sue was one of the first people to hit the track after the confirmation of his World Championship to celebrate with her son, which will no doubt extend long into the Polish night.
The 23-year-old represents the new breed of Speedway Grand Prix competitors and eclipsed Holder as the youngest World Champion ever. A result that is being celebrated equally in Australia as it is in Great Britain, especially in the tight knit Perth speedway community.
