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MNZ - Press Release:
Speedway Renaissance Continues
Sam Taylor in Solo Qualifying
Hard on the heels of the announcement that the final round of World 2003 Longtrack Championship will be in New Plymouth on November 1 comes more good speedway news.
MNZ announces that for the first time in many years it will have a representative in qualifying for the World Speedway Solo Championships. Sam Taylor will be our rider in Elgane, Norway, on 3 May.
Although resident in Brisbane the 21-year-old has three NZ Under 21 Championships to his name and is the 2003 NZ Solo and NZ Longtrack winner.
Ivan Mauger who is in New Plymouth following the World Longtrack launch earlier in the week, coaches Sam, and another New Zealander, Ben Powell, on Australia’s Gold Coast. Just like his coach, Sam was born in Christchurch but has found it necessary to go overseas, as Ivan did in the 70s, to develop his career.
Ivan modestly says, “We have had a bit of a lull.” In fact, the last time New Zealand had a rider in the final of the World Solo’s was Ivan in 1985, which turned out to be his retirement year.
Although Ivan Mauger is at the forefront of the international revival, MNZ CEO Trevor Gill is quick to point out that he is not alone. “Ivan is to speedway what Pele is to soccer - but there is a good deal of very hard work being done by clubs and people, particularly in Auckland and Christchurch”
“Motorcycling New Zealand and Speedway New Zealand are working co - jointly on a development strategy for the sport, many of the issues are track related so we need to work closely with the speedway people and they have been very supportive.”
