29 Riders from down under are taking on the world in 2025
Australia will again have a large contingent of speedway riders based in Europe for the 2025 season, which kicked off with meetings in England over the weekend of March 16 and 17.
The three levels of league competitions in the UK will feature 29 Australian riders in team line-ups as the tracks open their season, while leagues in Poland, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, the Czech Republic and France will soon commence their seasons with Australian involvement in those countries as well.
The ‘class of 2025’ as usual includes riders ranging from our Speedway Grand Prix contenders, through to seasoned campaigners continuing to make significant contributions to their teams, to the first-timers striving to make their mark in the sport.
The Premiership – the top tier of league racing in the UK – has seven teams, all of which contain Australian riders after only minimal movement from season 2024.
Ben and Zach Cook and Keynan Rew all move to new homes for this year, while Luke Killeen, who actually rides on a British licence, steps up to this level for the first time.
In the Championship, there are nine teams with only Glasgow and Redcar not having Australians in their ranks.
From last year, both Rory Schlein and Connor Bailey have retired, while Josh Pickering and Ben Cook continue in the Premiership but have stepped away from the Championship due to increased involvement in leagues on the Continent.
Three first-timers start their debut season in the UK after earning a Work Permit as a result of placings in State Championship meetings at home.
They are 16-year-old Mitchell McDiarmid, who will have two other Perth riders in Cameron Heeps and Luke Killen among his teammates, Mitchell Cluff and Fraser Bowes.
The Workington team should be a good fit for Bowes as one of five Australian riders along with a Brit and a Finn lining up alongside him in the outfit.
Matt Marson and Dayle Wood will also ride in the third tier National Development League at Edinburgh for further experience.
AUSSIES IN PREMIERSHIP
BELLE VUE – Brady Kurtz, Jaimon Lidsey, Zach Cook, Tate Zischke
BIRMINGHAM – Keynan Rew
IPSWICH – Jason Doyle
KINGS LYNN – Ben Cook
LEICESTER – Max Fricke, Sam Masters, Ryan Douglas
OXFORD – Rohan Tungate, Luke Killeen
SHEFFIELD – Jack Holder, Chris Holder, Josh Pickering
AUSSIES IN CHAMPIONSHIP
BERWICK – Dayle Wood
EDINBURGH – Justin Sedgmen, Kye Thomson
OXFORD- Sam Masters, Cameron Heeps, Luke Killeen, Mitch McDiarmid
PLYMOUTH – Mitchell Cluff
POOLE – Zach Cook, Matt Marson
SCUNTHORPE – Jake Allen, Declan Kennedy, Zaine Kennedy
WORKINGTON – Troy Batchelor, Jye Etheridge, Tate Zischke, Fraser Bowes, Jacob Hook
