Speedway World Cup
Speedway World Cup: 2008 SWC - Demark win World Cup on home shale.
By Admin
Jul 20, 2008, 00:02

Denmark sent a sell-out Vojens crowd home in raptures after regaining the World Cup in a highly dramatic Final.

The pre-meeting favourites had to withstand a remarkable challenge from holders Poland, but they finally secured victory in Heat 24 when Niels-Kristian Iversen headed home Tomasz Gollob, who was taking a joker ride in the Poles' last throw of the dice.

But there had been an almost unprecedented number of twists and turns to get to that stage in a meeting which included a break for heavy rain, numerous incidents and a power cut too!

The early stages saw Denmark, Poland and Australia evenly-matched, but the latter received a serious blow in Heat 3 when Jason Crump was taken down by Peter Ljung on turn two and suffered wrist damage.
Crump re-emerged to compete in the re-run and his next ride, but was unable to go further in the meeting and Australia never seriously threatened thereafter, their night being summed up when Chris Holder stopped in Heat 24 when set for their only win of the meeting.

Sweden, meanwhile, had suffered a nightmare start with no points in the first three races, and were further hampered when the outstanding Fredrik Lindgren was excluded  from Heat 6 after a fourth-bend tangle with Davey Watt.

But Lindgren recovered to take Heat 9 as a joker, and at one stage the Swedes threatened to upset the two leaders before being forced to settle for third place.

The main battle featured Denmark and Poland, with the Poles initially seeming to adapt better to constantly changing track conditions.
Their spirit was indicated by Tomasz Gollob's sensational last-lap pass of Bjarne Pedersen in Heat 17, but Kenneth Bjerre responded in the next after being involved in a three-way second bend spill.
Poland had held a four-point lead, but the meeting swung on Heats 20 and 21. Rune Holta led away in the former, but Danish captain Hans Andersen shot to the front as Holta went into reverse and eventually retired.

Then, with Denmark one point in front, Jarek Hampel crashed out of Heat 21 whilst Nicki Pedersen was leading - although the damage was limited by Pedersen then being kept in third place in a thrilling battle involving Andreas Jonsson and Ryan Sullivan.

Bjarne Pedersen and Bjerre moved the Danes closer with victories in the subsequent two races, although the fact that the Poles finished in third place beind the Swedes on both occasions opened up the possibility for the joker to come into play.

But Iversen, who had not enjoyed the best of meetings, became the Danish hero to lead the double-points Gollob, and then inherit the lead when Holder stopped, the celebrations in the home camp beginning as soon as he crossed the line.

A win for Gollob could have changed everything as Greg Walasek pulled off one of the rides of the night to win Heat 25, but by that stage the majority of the supporters were awaiting the trophy presentation.
Denmark's second win in three years means that each of Saturday's four Finalists have won the Ove Fundin Trophy twice in the present World Cup era.

The other nations could take plenty of credit - Poland having never come so close away from home shale, Sweden with several riders who can improve still further, and Australia - superb in Leszno, but their Final chances so badly hit by Crump's injury.

Andersen said: "We knew we were the favourites but we said before the meeting how hard it was going to be, and that all four teams could win on the night. There was a lot to fight against with the weather and getting all the riders clicking, but we came together and it's fantastic to win on home soil.

"We managed to get ahead after 20 heats but it wasn't easy with Poland having the chance to put in the joker - we didn't really want to go six points up, but we managed to pull through anyway. Full credit to the boys, the mechanics, the management and especially the fans. It couldn't be better."
 
2008 FIM NORDICBET WORLD CUP FINAL

DENMARK 49:
Nicki Pedersen 11, Bjarne Pedersen 11, Hans Andersen 11, Kenneth Bjerre 9, Niels-Kristian Iversen 7.

POLAND 46:
Tomasz Gollob 14, Wieslaw Jagus 12, Jarek Hampel 11, Rune Holta 5, Grzegorz Walasek 4.

SWEDEN 39:
Fredrik Lindgren 16, Jonas Davidsson 10, Andreas Jonsson 9, Peter Ljung 4, Daniel Nermark 0.

AUSTRALIA 21:
Leigh Adams 6, Ryan Sullivan 5, Chris Holder 4, Jason Crump 3, Davey Watt 3.