By Henry Chard

The Ipswich ‘Tru Mix’ Witches have signed Jordan Jenkins for the 2024 season.

Jenkins says it is a move that he has always wanted in his career and is thankful for the opportunity to ride in Ipswich colours.

“It is one of those moves you always want to happen, but you are not sure if it will because Ipswich is such a good team and what happened there this year was pretty cool,” said Jenkins. “I was straight on the phone to Ritchie (Hawkins) and Chris (Louis) as soon as the season finished really asking for a team spot and saying I was interested.

“I was uncertain at times with my Rising Star average going up and not being a Rising Star anymore. That is a big ask for someone to have faith in me and put me into a number six position, but I feel like I am going in the right direction and clearly Chris and Ritchie feel that way as well and I’m over the moon about it.”

The 22-year-old has raced plenty of laps at Foxhall over the years and is looking forward to making it his home track.

“When I was 12,13, 14 and even in my first year in the National League I was coming to Ipswich every week. I have done plenty of laps there and know plenty of people and I am looking forward to coming there and making it a home for 2024 and hopefully even longer. I have been a couple of times in the Sports Insure Premiership with Peterborough and have had some good races there and some not so good ones but I’m looking forward to getting on the track and cracking it.”

The East Anglian rider enjoyed a successful 2023 campaign and feels he is making good progress in the sport.

“2023 was way above my own expectations, I think. I had a fairly good 2022 and there was a lot going on in the winter prior to 2023. I was in the position where I wanted to make myself better and people believed I could do it, so I made a big move to go to Oxford from Redcar, so I did feel a little bit of pressure. It did come together and throughout all three leagues that I raced in in the UK, I feel like I did myself proud and scored plenty of points.

“I wasn’t in Peterborough’s one to seven in 2022, I got the call to be a number eight I think but was brought in halfway through the season and when I did come in, I was on the back foot and was struggling, there was no doubt about it. I worked hard and stayed committed and knew what I needed to do and towards the end of the season things started to fall into place.

“2023 from the start has been pretty good, every set of averages that have come out I have improved and coming towards the end of the season that showed with having a four-point average in the Sports Insure Premiership which is one of the highest for a Rising Star. I think that shows as I have moved out of the Rising Star position and I’m one of only two riders to have done that, so it has been a pretty good year in all of the leagues. To represent Team GB as well, it has been the most memorable season to date.”

The 2022 National League Riders champion is relishing the prospect of lining up next to Jason Doyle and Emil Sayfutdinov in the same team.

“It is going to be incredible; I am quite good mates with Jason at the minute and he doesn’t live too far away from me, and he has helped me quite a lot already in my career. From speaking to Ritchie, Jason was keen to help me personally as well and that is massive for me. To have someone like Jason in your corner is going to be vital as the season progresses. I am excited to get underway, Jason and Emil are probably the most formidable one and five in the Sports Insure Premiership and to be riding next to them in the same team is only going to bring me on as a rider.”

Jenkins will be working over the winter but already can’t wait for the turn of the year when the new season gets closer.

“I’m just working hard, rebuilding the bikes, and working for one of my sponsors out Bury/Newmarket way doing some commercial plumbing which is good and keeps me busy and gets me learning new things. I am training hard and building bikes and hopefully in the new year we can get on the bike as much as we can for plenty of practice and be raring to go when the season starts.”