The 2007 FIM Track Racing Sidecar Gold Trophy 1000cc is only a fortnight away, and as preparations continue ahead of the event, the international competitors are ready to hit our shores.

Riders and passengers from The Netherlands, Great Britain and New Zealand will be making the journey to Wayville in South Australia, and they will be hoping to win the event and take the Gold Trophy home as part of their carry-on luggage.

While the Aussies boast the current Gold Trophy champions as well as a host of big name riders, a solid line-up of overseas guests will be out in force, to prove that it wasn’t a wasted effort making the trip down under.

Two New Zealand teams will be in action on November 24, with Nicholas Edmonds pairing Paul James and John Hannan teaming up with Jason Wallis.

Edmonds and James won the New Zealand Sidecar Championship in 2005 and 2006, and managed to come 17th in the 2006 event.

Hannan and Wallis have also won the New Zealand Sidecar Championship twice – taking out the event in 1996 and eight years later in 2004.

Both Kiwi pairings will be hoping that they can have the Gold Trophy shipped across to the land of the long white cloud, and in doing so, keep the Trans-Tasman rivalry with Australia alive and well.

There are four all-British combinations that will take to the track in SA, with the pairing of Gary Jackson and Carl Blyth the biggest threat for the title.

Jackson and Blythe finished second at the inaugural staging of the event last year at the Isle of Man, and if form is anything to go by, they could perhaps even be classed as the team to beat.

Team Jackson just wrapped up their fourth British Title, winning the 2007 British Sidecar Speedway Championship on 21 September to retain their 2006 title.

Matt Tyrrell and Shaun Yates who came fourth overall in the 2007 British Sidecar Speedway Championship and 10th in last year’s Gold Trophy will be competing, as will countryman Ivor Matthews.

Matthews finished fifth at last year’s event riding with Aussie passenger Mick Stace, and at this year’s event he will be teamed up with Dutchman Erik Van Dijk, who he partnered to fifth place in this year’s British Championship.

The other British pairing to keep an eye out for is that of Robert Wilson and Terry Saunters. Wilson rode to third with passenger Nicky Owen at the 2006 event, and will be looking to go two steps further at Wayville.

Roelof Liemburg is the other Dutch competitor at the event, and he will ride with Brit David Williams as his passenger.

With a host of Australian pairings set to join this impressive list of international challengers, the racing at Wayville is set to be nothing short of sensational.