Poole Cycle Speedway
Poole Cycle Speedway
Gallery
Page 1
Greg Gluchowski
Poole club's newest international signing who lines up in the Premier League squad for the first time in 2010. He started racing cycle speedway in 2000 in his home town of Gniezno where he still rides in the top tier of the Polish League. He visited Britain for the European Individual Championships at Wednesfield in 2006 and then again in 2008 at Leicester for the Euro club championships. It was in 2006 that Greg paid his only previous visit to Poole and has now realised his ambition to race here for a top British club. He has a host of medals in Polish individual, pairs and team events and is rated highly by his competing countrymen. An all-round pacey competitor, Greg's speciality is his jet propelled starting technique so be sure to see him in action at Harbourside!
Gavin Wheeler
One of the top stars of British cycle speedway, and son of the legendary Southampton rider Colin, Gavin has been riding since he was 9 years of age after seeing "dad" competing in a match at Poole. He came to International prominence in 1997 when he clinched the World Junior Championship and went on to become a British Senior Champion in 2002 and again in 2008 when the final was staged here at Harbourside. Gavin rates his home track at Winchester Road as his favourite just ahead of Poole along with Ipswich and Wednesfield where he also enjoys racing. Of his contemporaries, he rates Lee Aris as the rider he respects most for the 100% effort he puts in on and off the track making him a role model for aspiring youngsters. Gavin enjoys the social side of the sport and the many friendships he has made whilst racing. His preference is for big team events and the extra "buzz" they generate rather than individual competitions. Gavin has won three BTC winners medals for Southampton and still has aspirations for another. He would also like to add a senior World title to his impressive racing CV!
Ben Donohue
Ben has been a Harbourside regular since 2001 when he saw someone have a racing crash and said 'this sport is for me'! He has been capped for England at junior level and competed in Poland. He has ridden for Poole in two U.19 British team finals, winning the title on one occasion. He loves racing on the Poole track and away from home prefers larger, faster circuits like Southampton. In early racing days Ben says he was greatly influenced by Ade Gale who taught him the importance of hard training and racing focus. He also had great admiration for the team riding skills of Richard Clanfield while currently he rates Gavin Wheeler as the complete rider from gating, team riding, switching lines...in fact, the lot! Ben is an increasingly important cog in the club activities off-track as a fully fledged BC Coach which sees him regularly leading the Clubnight sessions which have attracted so many new young faces to the club. He is also a busy club committee member, helping to spearhead the GoRide accreditation efforts. As a rider he nurtures the hope of a British team winners medal.
Thomas Reed
Tom started racing cycle speedway at the age of 5, having been was introduced to the sport by his father, Mark Reed who was also a successful rider. Tom signed for Poole in 2008 and made an immediate impact in the premier league notching big scores and taking notable scalps. Last year he travelled to Adelaide, for the Junior World Championships where he finished 7th - the highest ranked GB rider. He has won many British titles in his young career including the British U.16 and U.19 titles, and the national U.16 indoor titles. Tom also rides for his local club Exeter in the South West league, where he has competed ever since he took up the sport. Tom says his favourite tracks are Poole and East Park plus - of course - his home town circuit, Exeter. Tom looks up to the likes of Gavin Wheeler, Lee Aris, Daniel Pudney, for the effort they give and for their commitment they give to their clubs, as well as their high standards in the sport. The Junior World title is now well within his sites and he would dearly like to add it to his impressive list of accomplishments.
Pete Young
Pete holds the record for the most appearances in International racing for Scotland and Gt Britain and is also the record points scorer. He started recing in his home city of Edinburgh in 1979, following in father Dave's wheel tracks. Rode in Manchester for a couple of seasons before moving to Poole in 1988. Has appeared in 12 British finals, winning the coveted title in 1997 and runners up spot in 2001. Raced in 6 European finals with 2 rostrum places in 1994 (3rd) and 2000 (2nd). Pete has also raced in 6 World finals. He has 11 British team winners medals, 9 of them with Poole and aims to add one more in memory of his former team partner, Ade Gale.He enjoys the competition in cycle speedway, especially winning but also the cameraderie. He had great respect for riders like Jim Varnish and John Watchman in his earlier years and more recently the likes of Daniel Pudney, Gavin Wheeler, Lukas Nowacki, Lee Aris and Marcin Paradinski. He enjoys racing on well prepared tracks like Findon, Horspath and Leicester but especially Poole!
Pawel Cegielski
Hails from Torun in Northern Poland and has raced for his home town club in the top flight ExtraLeague since 2001. For Pawel, the sport is all about the team result rather than his individual points total and he names the Torun team of 2005 on its way to European and World club titles and the 2007 Poole line-up as his all-time best teams. Prior to racing at Poole, Pawel spent some time in the UK with the Filton and E.Newport clubs. Although team racing is his first preference on the track, he has a string of individual honours capped by reaching the World Final in 2007. When in the UK, Pawel loves racing at Harbourside but also admits to a liking for Hellingly!In Poland he is a much respected figure and helps to train the young riders in the Torun club. On the International scene , he enjoys his visits to Australia to see his good buddy and fellow Poole team member from 2007 - Brad Hoppo. Pawel is also good pals with World champ Daniel Pudney who he greatly admires. Pawel speaks perfect English and is a great ambassador for the sport.
Artur Poprawski
The popular Polish star was an outstanding prospect from the moment he started racing in his home town of Poniec in 1999 followed by a move of club to nearby Rawicz where he has remained loyaly ever since despite attempts to lure him by bigger clubs. His impressive record in the Polish Junior Championships saw him on the rostrum no less than 6 times, twice as a winner, twice as runner up and twice in the bronze position. He also progressed to a third place in the European Junior Championship at Wednesfield. Since moving into senior competition, Artur has progressed steadily and qualified for the World final in Adelaide in 2009 and the Polish senior individual in the same year. He is a full time physical education student at Leszno which accounts for his incredible standard of speed and fitness. Artur has completed 3 short seasons with Poole in the Premier League during his summer vacations and enjoys the high standard of competition in the UK and the support of the home crowd at Harbourside Park.
Marcin Paradinski
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