Speedway is one of the most popular sports in Poland. The Ekstraliga has the highest average attendances for any sport in Poland. The first meetings in Poland were held in the 1930s.Kevin Meynell & Marcin Babnis (7 July 2004)
History of Polish Speedway. Main competitions. Rules.
Retrieved 25 October 2014. Speedway in Poland is governed by the Main Commission of Speedway Sport (''Główna Komisja Sportu Żużlowego, GKSŻ'') which is a part of the Polish Motor Union (''

Polski Związek Motorowy The Polski Związek Motorowy (PZM, PZMot) ( en, Polish Automobile and Motorcycle Federation) is an automobile club and the governing body of motorsports in Poland. It is based in Warsaw. Established in 1950 by merging the Polish Car Club and the ...

, PZM''). PZM is a member of the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) and the

Union Européenne de Motocyclisme FIM Europe (Formerly the Union Européenne de Motocyclisme (UEM) or European Motorcycle Union) is the FIM-affiliated organisation responsible for motorcycle sport within Europe. In response to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, FIM Europe susp ...

(UEM).

National team

Poland has produced three Individual World Champion -

Jerzy Szczakiel Jerzy Szczakiel (28 January 1949 – 1 September 2020) was a Polish speedway rider. He was one of three Polish nationals to have won the Speedway World Championship, the others being 2010 World champion Tomasz Gollob and the 2019 Speedway Gran ...

who won in

1973 Events January * January 1 - The United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and Denmark enter the European Economic Community, which later becomes the European Union. * January 15 – Vietnam War: Citing progress in peace negotiations, U.S. ...

Tomasz Gollob Tomasz Robert Gollob (; born 11 April 1971 in Bydgoszcz, Poland) is a former Polish motorcycle speedway rider. He appeared in every Speedway Grand Prix series between its inaugural season in 1995 and 2013. His brother Jacek is also a speedway rid ...

who won in the 2010 Individual Speedway World Championships and Bartosz Zmarzlik who won in 2019, 2020 and 2022. He is the only Polish triple world champion. Polish junior riders are among the best in the world. The Polish National U-21 team won the Under 21 World Championship since 2005 in every years (lately in

2007 File:2007 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Steve Jobs unveils Apple's first iPhone; TAM Airlines Flight 3054 overruns a runway and crashes into a gas station, killing almost 200 people; Former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto ...

). Besides, since 2000 Polish juniors won medals of Individual U-21 World Championship. Polish riders have been World Champions seven times at Under 21 level (lately Karol Ząbik at the 2006 ISJWC).

Championships

There are three types of speedway championships in Poland: individual (''Indywidualne Mistrzostwa Polski'', IMP), pairs (''Mistrzostwa Polski Par Klubowych'', MPPK), and team, consisting of three leagues (''Drużynowe Mistrzostwa Polski'', DMP). The Junior U-21 championships also consist of three categories: individual (''Młodzieżowe Indywidualne Mistrzostwa Polski'', MIMP), pairs (''Młodzieżowe Mistrzostwa Polski Par Klubowych'', MMPPK), and team (''Młodzieżowe Drużynowe Mistrzostwa Polski'', MDMP).

Teams (league competition)

There are three speedway leagues in Poland: # '' Ekstraliga (Ekstraliga żużlowa)'' (

Team Speedway Polish Championship The Team Speedway Polish Championship (Polish: ''Drużynowe Mistrzostwa Polski, DMP'') is an annual speedway event held each year in different Polish clubs organized by the Polish Motor Union (PZM) since 1948. The team winning the league is award ...

) # ''

Polish Speedway First League The Polish Speedway First League or Liga.1 żużlowa is the second division of motorcycle speedway Motorcycle speedway, usually referred to simply as speedway, is a motorcycle sport involving four and sometimes up to six riders competing o ...

(eWinner 1.liga żużlowa)'' # ''

Polish Speedway Second League The Polish Speedway Second League or Liga.2 żużlowa is the third division of motorcycle speedway in Poland. It is below the Ekstraliga and the Polish Speedway First League The Polish Speedway First League or Liga.1 żużlowa is the second ...

(2. liga żużlowa)'' In the 2009 season, the Extraleague and First League have eight teams competing. The second League has seven teams. Notably, KS Toruń (since 1976) has never been relegated to a lower division until the 2019 season when the team was relegated for the first time in the history.

Competitions

Polish Cup

*Individual Speedway Polish Cup (''Indywidualny Puchar Polski, IPP'') *Team Speedway Polish Cup (''Drużynowy Puchar Polski, DPP'')

Helmets competition

GKSŻ organizes the Golden Helmet, Silver Helmet and Bronze Helmet competitions.(pl
pzm.pl
''Golden, Silver and Bronze Helmets Regulations'' #''

The Golden Helmet "The Golden Helmet" is a 32-page Disney comics adventure story written, drawn, and lettered by Carl Barks. The story was first published in ''Four Color'' #408 (July 1952) with a cover by Barks. In the story, Donald Duck and his nephews hunt for a ...

(Złoty Kask, ZK)'' is a single meeting held in PC Team 3rd from last season (before usually in Wrocław), with the top twelve riders in the Extraleague and the top four riders in the First League. The Winner get a new motorcycle Java. #'' The Silver Helmet (Srebrny Kask, SK)'' is an individual competition for riders under 21 years of age for the top sixteen riders in the Extraleague, the top ten riders in the First League, and the six two riders in the Second League competing. A Final event held in PC Team U-21 3rd from last season. #'' The Bronze Helmet (Brązowy Kask, BK)'' is an individual competition similar to the Silver Helmet except the riders must be under 19 years of age. Riders are nominated for this competition by their teams.

Friendly competition

Other competitions include (individual meetings), e.g.: # Mieczysław Połukard Criterium of Polish Speedway Leagues Aces (''Kryterium Asów Polskich Lig Żużlowych im. Mieczysława Połukarda)'' held in the Polonia Stadium in

Bydgoszcz Bydgoszcz ( , , ; german: Bromberg) is a city in northern Poland, straddling the meeting of the River Vistula with its left-bank tributary, the Brda. With a city population of 339,053 as of December 2021 and an urban agglomeration with more ...

. It is seen by riders and fans as the official opening of the new season. First staged in 1982, although a similar meeting was held in the 1950s. #''Crest Chain of Ostrów Town (Łańcuch Herbowy Miasta Ostrowa)'' held in

Ostrów Wielkopolski Ostrów Wielkopolski () (often abbreviated ''Ostrów Wlkp.'', formerly called simply ''Ostrów'', german: Ostrowo, Latin: ''Ostrovia'') is a city in west-central Poland with 70,982 inhabitants (2021), situated in the Greater Poland Voivodeship; ...

. It is the official end of season meeting. First staged in 1978. #''Alfred Smoczyk Memorial ( Memoriał im. Alfreda Smoczyka)'' Alfred Smoczyk was the first Polish speedway superstar. He successfully competed on Dutch tracks in the late 1940s, but died in a road accident in October 1950. This meeting has been held every year since 1951 in

Leszno Leszno (german: Lissa, 1800–1918 ''Lissa in Posen'') is a historic city in western Poland, within the Greater Poland Voivodeship. It is the seventh-largest city in the province with an estimated population of 62,200, as of 2021. Previously, i ...

, where he lived, in the

Alfred Smoczyk Stadium Alfred Smoczyk Stadium ( pl, Stadion im. Alfreda Smoczyka) is a stadium in Leszno, Poland. It is currently used for speedway matches and is the home stadium of Unia Leszno. The stadium has a capacity of 15,000 people. The stadium is located o ...

. #''Edward Jancarz Memorial ( Memoriał im. Edwarda Jancarza) in

Gorzów Wielkopolski Gorzów Wielkopolski (; german: Landsberg an der Warthe) often abbreviated to Gorzów Wlkp. or simply Gorzów, is a city in western Poland, on the Warta river. It is the second largest city in the Lubusz Voivodeship with 120,087 inhabitants (Decemb ...

Speedway Grand Prix in Poland

In 2010 season, Poland hosts three Speedway Grand Prix events (two Polish and one

European European, or Europeans, or Europeneans, may refer to: In general * ''European'', an adjective referring to something of, from, or related to Europe ** Ethnic groups in Europe ** Demographics of Europe ** European cuisine, the cuisines of Europe ...

SGP: #

at Polonia Stadium (since 1998), #

(since 2008) and # Toruń at MotoArena Toruń (since 2010). Previously, SGP events hosted in: #

Chorzów Chorzów ( ; ; german: link=no, Königshütte ; szl, Chorzōw) is a city in the Silesia region of southern Poland, near Katowice. Chorzów is one of the central cities of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union – a metropolis with a population ...

Silesian Stadium Silesian as an adjective can mean anything from or related to Silesia. As a noun, it refers to an article, item, or person of or from Silesia. Silesian may also refer to: People and languages *Silesians, inhabitants of Silesia, either a West Sla ...

(2002–04) and # Wrocław at Olympic Stadium (1995–97, 1999-00, 2004–07)

Panorama

Famous riders

(born 1971): Individual Polish Champion eight times (lately in 2009), 2nd ever Polish World Champion in

2010 File:2010 Events Collage New.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2010 Chile earthquake was one of the strongest recorded in history; The 2010 eruptions of Eyjafjallajökull, Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland disrupts air travel in Europe; A ...

* Andrzej Huszcza (born 1957): has been riding since 1975 till 2007 *

Edward Jancarz Edward 'Ed' Jancarz (20 August 1946 – 11 January 1992) was a Polish international speedway rider.Bamford, R. & Shailes, G. (2002). ''A History of the World Speedway Championship''. Stroud: Tempus Publishing. Career Jancarz rode in the UK fo ...

(1946–1992) *

Rune Holta Rune Holta (born 29 August 1973 in Stavanger, Norway) is a speedway rider. He grew up in Randaberg Norway, but has been a Polish citizen since 2002, allowing him to represent Poland in international competitions and was a member of their Spe ...

(born 1973): the only Individual Polish Champion winner who is a naturalized citizen of Poland (born Norwegian). *

Zenon Plech Zenon Plech (1 January 1953 – 25 November 2020) was a Polish international motorcycle speedway rider. He finished third in the Speedway World Championship in 1973 and as the runner-up in 1979. Career summary Plech won the Polish National Cha ...

(b. 1953): Individual Polish Champion five times, double WC Individual medallist (1973 and 1979) *

Mieczysław Połukard Mieczysław Połukard (1930 in Warsaw, Poland – 26 October 1985 in Bydgoszcz, Poland) was a Polish motorcycle speedway rider and coach, the first Polish rider to ride in the Individual World Championship Final in 1959 and won the World Team C ...

(1930–1985): the first Polish rider to ride in the Individual World Championship Final in 1959 *

Alfred Smoczyk Alfred Smoczyk (11 October 1928 – 26 September 1950) was an international speedway rider from Poland. Speedway career Smoczyk was the first champion of Poland, winning the Polish Individual Speedway Championship in 1949. In 1950, he was kil ...

(1928–1950): the first PC Individual champion after World War II (in 1949) *

(b. 1949): the first Polish World Champion in 1973 *

Paweł Waloszek Paweł Waloszek (28 April 1938 – 7 September 2018) was a Polish international motorcycle speedway rider who was second in 1970 Individual Speedway World Championship. Career details World Championships * Individual World Championship ** 19 ...

(b. 1938): the first silver WC Individual medallist (1970) *

Antoni Woryna Antoni Woryna (born 15 February 1941 in Rybnik, Poland - died 14 December 2002) was an international motorcycle speedway rider who appeared in the Speedway World Championship finals five times, and was the first Polish rider to win a medal at th ...

(b. 1941): the first WC Individual medallist (bronze in 1966) and the first double WC Individual medallist (bronze in 1970) *

Bartosz Zmarzlik Bartosz Zmarzlik (; born 12 April 1995) is a Polish motorcycle speedway rider and three-time World Champion (2019, 2020 and 2022). He has been decorated with the Order of Polonia Restituta, V class. Biography Born in Szczecin, Poland, Zmarzlik i ...

(ur. 1995): the first Polish three-times World Champion (2019, 2020, 2022) *

Jarosław Hampel Jarosław "Jarek" Hampel (; born 17 April 1982 in Łódź, Poland) is a Polish Speedway rider. He was a participant of the FIM Speedway Grand Prix in 2007 and 2010. He received his speedway license in 1998 with the Polish team Polonia Piła, ...

(b.1982): three times Speedway World Championship medallist

Notes

External links

Speedway on Polish Motor Union website
(pl)

(pl)
polish news on speedwayworld.tv
(en) {{DEFAULTSORT:Speedway In Poland