Emil Sayfutdinov

Emil Damirovich Sayfutdinov (russian: link=no, Эмиль Дамирович Сайфутдинов; born 26 October 1989) is a Russian motorcycle speedway rider and member of the Russia national speedway team. He is a three times World team champion, twice World Junior champion and a two-time winner of the European Championships in 2014 and 2015.

Career history

;2005
Sayfutdinov gained his speedway licence in 2005, just before his 16th birthday. He started his career in the Russian league with Mega-Lada Togliatti. His team won the Russian Champion title, and Sayfutdinov was one Mega-Lada's best riders with an average of 2.271 (15th place in league). He won the Individual under-21 Russian Championship and was 6th in the Russian Senior Championship. He also won the Russian Pairs Championship title with Mega-Lada that year.

In international competitions he started in Individual U-19 European Championship. In Semi-Final C in Daugavpils, Latvia he was won qualification to the Final. But he was too young and was not allowed to take part – the minimum age of a rider is 16 years of age at the start of each year.

;2006

In 2006, he signed for Polish team Polonia Bydgoszcz, the then Polish League Runner-up. On 9 April 2006, he rode in his first meeting in the Polish Ekstraliga (Wrocław vs Bydgoszcz 53:37). He started in only one heat – finishing last behind Tomasz Gapiński, Hans N. Andersen and Piotr Protasiewicz. On 23 March 2006, (Bydgoszcz vs Tarnów 44:46) he scored his first points in the Ekstraliga (finishing second behind with his teammate Krzysztof Buczkowski, he beat Paweł Hlib and Kamil Zieliński). Polonia Bydgoszcz finished 3rd in Polish Championship - Emil's Average was 1.353 (38th place). He started in Team U-21 Polish Championship – Polonia finished 2nd place in Qualifying Group C. Sayfutdinov did not race in the Russian league in 2006, therefore he could not defend his titles, and the Motorcycle Federation of Russia did not nominate him for any international competitions.

;2007

In 2007, Sayfutdinov remained with Polonia Bydgoszcz in Poland. It was very bad season for Bydgoszcz – they finished last in the Ekstraliga and were relegated from the top division for first time in their history. Sayfutdinov's average was 1.463 (36th place). He also made his debut in the Swedish Elitserien with Masarna Avesta who finished in 5th place in league.

He returned to Russian league in 2007 with Mega-Lada Togliatti. Sayfutdinov won the Russian League Championship title and a bronze medal in Russian Pairs Championship. Mega-Lada took part in the European Club Champions' Cup – Sayfutdinov scored 0 points – but his team came 3rd in final. In the Individual under-21 Russian Championship he finished second.

In June, Sayfutdinov took part in the Team U-21 World Championship. Sayfutdinov was Russia's top points scorer in the Qualifying Round 1, but Russia finished last and were knocked out of the competition. With the senior team – in July – he participated in the 2007 Speedway World Cup with Russia, finishing in sixth place. After winning the quarter and semi-finals, he qualified to the Individual U-21 World Championship Final. On 9 September 2007, Emil Sayfutdinov became the World Under-21 Champion for the first time with a 15-point maximum score, breaking the track record twice during the meeting.

;2008
In 2008, Sayfutdinov remained with Polonia Bydgoszcz in Polish First League (second division). Polonia won league were promoted back to the Ekstraliga. In Swedish Elitserien he rode for Masarna Avesta, who were relegated after finishing the season in last place. In Russia, with Mega-Lada Togliatti, he won league championship title again. Sayfutdinov won Individual U-21 Russian Champion title and won the silver medal in the Russian Senior Championship. With Mega-Lada he took part in the European Club Champions' Cup Final and won the European Club title.

In June, he started in Team U-21 World Championship Qualifying Round 1, but the Russian team finished last again. In July, he participated in the 2008 Speedway World Cup. In the semi-final he was the top point scorer for Russia with 14 points. Sayfutdinov did not take part in the race-off because he was taking part in the Individual U-21 World Championship Semi-Final, where he won qualification to the final. On 4 October 2008, he defended his World Under-21 Champion title, becoming the first rider to ever do so. In the final he beat Chris Holder again, and Jurica Pavlic