Author Archives: Henry Chard

About Henry Chard

Press Officer at Ipswich Speedway

RACEDAY GUIDE | BELLE VUE (A)

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The Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches travel to Manchester to face the Belle Vue Aces at the National Speedway Stadium on Monday 4th August in a ROWE Motor Oil Premiership R2 fixture that starts at 7.30pm.

LINE-UPS

BELLE VUE: 1. Brady Kurtz © 9.44 2. Norick Blödorn 5.20 3. Jaimon Lidsey 7.61 4. Zach Cook 6.11 5. Dan Bewley 8.96 6. Tate Zischke 3.00 7. Jake Mulford (RS). Team Manager: Mark Lemon

IPSWICH: 1. Jason Doyle 8.42 2. Danny King © 6.64 3. Adam Ellis 5.88 4. Tom Brennan 7.09 5. Emil Sayfutdinov 8.38 6. Dan Thompson 5.42 7. Jason Edwards (RS). Team Manager: Ritchie Hawkins

REFEREE: C. Gay

ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP TABLE

TeamMeetingsPoints
Ipswich1731
Belle Vue1831
Leicester1727
Sheffield1626
King’s Lynn1614
Oxford1811
Birmingham186

TICKET NEWS

Tickets are available to purchase online in advance here and on the gate.

LIVE COVERAGE

You can watch the meeting live on TNT Sports and discovery+.

THE PREVIEW

The Witches head to the National Speedway Stadium on Monday to face the Belle Vue Aces in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership.

Ipswich returned to the top of the table after a convincing win over struggling Birmingham last time out but head to a place where success has been hard to come by. The Suffolk side are still looking for their first ever league win at the National Speedway Stadium, but they did pick up a first ever win there in the Knockout Cup earlier this season.

The two sides both sit on 31 points going into the fixture and the Witches will be at least looking to keep things close for the aggregate bonus point ahead of the return fixture at Foxhall later in August.

MANAGER’S NOTES

Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches team manager Ritchie Hawkins gives us his pre-match thoughts…

“It’s a top of the table clash and I’m sure it will be a great meeting with some great racing. We have had mixed results there this season with the win in the cup early doors and defeat in the league meeting which was one of our more typical Belle Vue performances! We will go there looking to get another win and we keep saying it, but we know if we all perform well, we are capable of winning anywhere. They are the league champions and are very strong on their home track with two of the top riders in the world.

“We know we need to get back to where at the start of the season with everyone contributing, not running last places and being solid one to seven with everyone scoring. That is the way we know we can win at places like Belle Vue and Sheffield and that is what we will look to do on Monday. Yes, we would like to finish top of the league and yes, this meeting can have a bearing on that with Belle Vue still to come to us and a bonus point at play. We want to beat them over two legs again and keep that psychological advantage going into the play-offs.

“It doesn’t make any difference to the play-offs where we finish in the top four because you have no pick, you gain no advantage from it and all four teams are capable of beating each other on their day. It’s unfortunate how the rules are set up that you gain no advantage from finishing top which is completely wrong but that is the way it is. For us it is about building momentum and confidence and going into the play-offs with that and getting back to where we were in April where we were extremely high on confidence.”

BELLE VUE ACES

The Aces sit second in the table, level on points with Ipswich at the top, as they look to steal a march in the fight to finish first heading into the play-offs. They boast a 100% record at home with nine wins from nine in the league and come into the fixture off the back of an away win at Birmingham.

Brady Kurtz and Dan Bewley form a formidable partnership for the Aces at one and five, particularly at the National Speedway Stadium, and Kurtz raced to a paid maximum against the Witches last time out on home shale with Bewley dropping just one point in the same fixture. 

LAST TIME OUT AT THE NATIONAL SPEEDWAY STADIUM

The Witches last travelled to Manchester back in June in the league. Ipswich started the fixture with a full 1-7 but later lost Jordan Jenkins to a knee injury. The visitors were also without team manager Ritchie Hawkins as promoter Chris Louis stepped in. Belle Vue were forced into a late change with rider replacement being operated at two in place of Norick Blödorn who picked up a knee injury. The Aces started strong and held a six-point lead after seven heats. The Witches fought hard to get back into the meeting but a string of 3-3s allowed the Aces to maintain their advantage before a late flurry of points saw them race to a 14-point win. Emil Sayfutdinov top scored with 12.

AWAY DAYS

Ticket prices can be found here and official programmes cost £3.50. For more information about your visit to the National Speedway Stadium, head here.

For more information about the club head to Belle Vue’s official website.

RACEDAY REPORT | IPSWICH 56–34 BIRMINGHAM

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MEETING SPONSOR

Pike Air– They provide comprehensive cover for your air conditioning, refrigeration, heat pump and ventilation systems.

SCORECARD

IPSWICH 56: Jason Doyle 5, Danny King © 11+1, Adam Ellis 5+2, Tom Brennan 10, Emil Sayfutdinov 11, Dan Thompson 2+1, Jason Edwards (RS) 12+1. Team Manager: Ritchie Hawkins

BIRMINGHAM 34:  Tobiasz Musielak © 7, Paco Castagna 5+2, Jonas Jeppesen 3, Keynan Rew 11+1, Matej Zagar 7, Ben Barker 1, Sam Hagon (RS) 0. Team Manager: Chris Adams

REFEREE: G. Allen

ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP TABLE

TeamMeetingsPoints
Ipswich1731
Belle Vue1729
Leicester1727
Sheffield1626
King’s Lynn1614
Oxford1811
Birmingham176

THE REPORT

The Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches raced to a convincing win over struggling Birmingham on Thursday night at Foxhall in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership.

The hosts were tracking Jason Edwards for the first time as a ‘full-time’ Witch after he signed as a 28-day injury replacement for Jordan Jenkins as they looked to return to the top of the table against a Brummies side who sat bottom of the table. After a day of wet weather in the area, conditions were tricky early on but after getting to grips with the track, the home team established a healthy lead and recorded a comfortable victory, picking up the aggregate bonus point in the process to regain top spot in the league. Edwards top scored with 12+1.

Danny King won a shared heat one as Jason Doyle retired and in heat two the Witches rode to a maximum courtesy of Edwards and Dan Thompson. The Brummies registered a heat advantage in heat three as the returning Keynan Rew raced to victory. Emil Sayfutdinov picked up three points in heat four in a 4-2 to the hosts making it 14-10 after the opening stages.

Tom Brennan got his first win of the evening in heat five in an Ipswich heat advantage. Heat six was shared as Matej Zagar couldn’t be caught and Sayfutdinov remained unbeaten after winning heat seven, but it was only a 3-3 as Rew passed Thompson at the back on the run to the line. King and Edwards teamed up for a 5-1 in heat eight putting the home team 29-19 up.

Another maximum followed in heat nine courtesy of Brennan and Adam Ellis. Doyle got his first win of the evening in a heat 10 4-2 and it was a 3-3 in heat 11 as Sayfutdinov continued his sublime form on the night. Rew came in as a tactical substitute in heat 12 and Ellis was forced to start from 15 metres back having gone through the tapes. In the re-run Edwards took the chequered flag and Ellis managed to pass both Brummies for the maximum in the race of the night, giving Ipswich a 46-26 lead.

Thompson replaced Doyle in heat 13 and Sayfutdinov’s unbeaten night came to an end as Tobiasz Musielak held him off for the win in a Brummies heat advantage. Edwards’ stunning full debut ended with another win in a heat 14 4-2 before the night finished in another heat advantage to Ipswich as King picked up the race win to complete a routine victory for the Witches.

RITCHIE HAWKINS REACTION

Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches team manager Ritchie Hawkins reflects on Thursday’s win over Birmingham…

“It was a meeting we had to win, and we got a comfortable win. These wet meetings are not the most entertaining and wouldn’t have been the most enjoyable for anyone out there, but we did a good, solid, professional job. The standout performance was Jason (Edwards) in his first meeting as our Rising Star since signing the temporary contract and he has shown his determination that he wants to make it a permanent move.

“The right decision was made not to do anything with the track. We know since the works on the drainage were done at the start of last season that the track drains very well now. I have seen far worse track conditions, it took a lot of rain, and it was as good as it could be, and the track staff did a great job. It does alter the home track advantage a bit because it is not how we would normally set it up, but we managed that well tonight. It can be a leveller but as a team it was a professional performance tonight.

“I was delighted with Jason (Edwards). He watches and he learns and his improvement from last week was immense. He is taking note of everything going on around him and is learning from our more experienced riders. He has got a close relationship with Danny from riding at Redcar together and he has learned and improved massively. It was an impressive performance and what more can you say.

“Jason (Doyle) only did three heats tonight and was suffering from a tooth infection. He gave himself a jolt when he nearly crashed in his third ride and I’m sure if the scores were closer, he’d have gone out in heat 13. With the way the things are with the season he is having and the injuries and now an infection in his mouth, I don’t like pulling them out of a heat 13, but it was the sensible thing to do in the grand scheme of things.

“Dan is getting over his ear infection that affected him last week, but it was a tough night for him in the difficult conditions, and he struggled getting himself setup. He now has 10 days off from our meetings and that little break will help him and I’m sure he will be back to his best soon.

“It was good to see a lot of people stay for the second half and I’m sure the youngsters appreciated that support, so thank you to them. We look forward to seeing their improvement over the coming weeks.”

PIKE AIR RIDER OF THE NIGHT

The sponsors chose Edwards who top scored on his debut from reserve with 12+1.

WHAT IT MEANS

Ipswich pick up two points and the aggregate bonus point after a 49-41 win at Birmingham earlier in the season, a result that sees them return to the top of the table. The Brummies remain bottom.

NEXT FIXTURE

The Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches travel to the National Speedway Stadium to take on the Belle Vue Aces on Monday 4th August in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership. Tickets can be purchased on the gate and in advance here.

RACEDAY GUIDE | BIRMINGHAM (H)

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The Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches host the Birmingham Brummies at Foxhall Stadium on Thursday 24th July in a ROWE Motor Oil Premiership R2 fixture. Parade: 7.30pm, first race: 7:45pm.

MEETING SPONSOR

Pike Air– They provide comprehensive cover for your air conditioning, refrigeration, heat pump and ventilation systems.

LINE-UPS

IPSWICH: 1. Jason Doyle 9.07 2. Danny King © 6.65 3. Adam Ellis 5.57 4. Tom Brennan 7.09 5. Emil Sayfutdinov 8.87 6. Dan Thompson 5.09 7. Jason Edwards (RS). Team Manager: Ritchie Hawkins

BIRMINGHAM: 1. Tobiasz Musielak © 6.90 2. Paco Castagna 4.59 3. Jonas Jeppesen 4.85 4. Keynan Rew 5.38 5. Matej Zagar 6.53 6. Ben Barker 3.65 7. Sam Hagon (RS). Team Manager: Chris Adams

REFEREE: G. Allen

ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP TABLE

TeamMeetingsPoints
Belle Vue1729
Ipswich1628
Sheffield1526
Leicester1624
King’s Lynn1614
Oxford1811
Birmingham166

TICKET NEWS

Tickets are available to purchase in advance here and on the gate and are priced at £24 for adults and £22 for concessions (65+) & students (21 & under). Tickets for children aged 6-16 are £1 whilst children 5 & under go free. Official programmes are priced at £3.50 and are available at the stadium. Car parking is free for all supporters. Debit and credit card payments are accepted. Turnstiles open at 6.40pm.

THE PREVIEW

The Witches are back in ROWE Motor Oil Premiership action on Thursday at Foxhall Stadium as they host the Birmingham Brummies.

Ipswich exited the Knockout Cup last week in disappointing fashion with the full focus now on the league programme. Eight meetings remain in the regular campaign with Ritchie Hawkins’ side looking to finish top going into the play-offs. Having guested in the past two meetings, Jason Edwards makes his first appearance as a ‘full-time’ Witch having signed as a 28-day injury replacement for Jordan Jenkins last week.

The home team hold an eight-point lead for the aggregate bonus points having beaten the Brummies at Perry Barr back in May and it will be Birmingham’s last visit to Foxhall after the news that they will close at the end of 2025.

MANAGER’S NOTES

Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches team manager Ritchie Hawkins gives us his pre-match thoughts…

“It will be their last ever visit and we wish them all the best in finding a new track and hopefully one day we will see them back at Ipswich. It has been another tough season for them, but we need to focus on ourselves and being a lot better than last week. We need to perform as we should do and show our fans what we are all about and put in a performance for them.

“We are now focused on the play-offs, and this is the run-in to them. We have six weeks or so to get ourselves in a good run of form because we have faltered since we picked up a few injuries and haven’t performed as well as we were earlier in the year. We know we can do a lot better and now is the time to build into that for the massive meetings at the end of the year.

“They have a team with ex Ipswich riders in and I’m looking forward to seeing Keynan and catching up with him and seeing how he is coming on this season in a year away from us. They also feature Ben who hopefully is back from his recent illness. He is always exciting and provides a lot of entertainment as we have seen over the years. He is one of my favourite riders we have had in the side, and I have managed. It’s been a long time since Paco was with us in the Championship and it is great to see the progress he has made over the years and see him in the Premiership. He has been doing well and scoring points and will relish coming back to Ipswich a lot more experienced and a better rider than he was then.

“Tobi at number one goes very well at Foxhall and is one of the top riders in the league so it will be a very tough test if we don’t perform better than we did last week. Birmingham have run us close the last couple of years and have beaten us. They probably have a better record against us than any other team in the league in the last two years so we can’t take anything lightly and need to perform and put right the wrongs from last week.”

BIRMINGHAM BRUMMIES

The Brummies are bottom of the table with nothing to race for but pride until the end of the season. They have just three wins to their name in 2025 although their only win on the road this season was a shock one, away at Leicester. They were well beaten on their last visit to Suffolk going down by 30 points back in April.

The visitors are at full strength for the fixture with former Witches amongst their ranks. Keynan Rew rides at four with Ben Barker at reserve. Paco Castagna and Jonas Jeppesen also had spells at Foxhall and will be keen to show what they can do.

LAST TIME WE MET IN SUFFOLK

Ipswich last welcomed Birmingham back in April of this year. The hosts earned another dominant home victory, winning 60-30 at Foxhall in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership. Ipswich came into the meeting at full strength while Birmingham were without Matej Zagar due to visa issues, former Witch Danyon Hume guested in his place at number three. The Witches also picked up the aggregate bonus point following a 47-43 victory at Perry Barr earlier that month. Jason Doyle top scored with 11+1.

SECOND HALF

A six-heat second half between Ipswich Academy and Mildenhall Academy will follow the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership fixture.

Ipswich Academy: 1. Connor King 2. Dylan Huthwaite 3. Austin Riches 4. Charlie Wood. Team Manager: John Carpenter

Mildenhall Academy: 1. Ryan Ingram 2. Calum Mitchell 3. Harrison Rogers 4. Max Broadhurst. Team Manager: Kieran Phillips

WITCHES SIGN EDWARDS AS 28-DAY INJURY REPLACEMENT

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The Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches have signed Jason Edwards as a 28-day injury replacement for Jordan Jenkins.

In a crash at Belle Vue last month, Jenkins sustained a significant tear to the MCL in his left knee, along with a sprain to his ACL with bruising and bleeding to both the tibia and femur. On Thursday night after the Knockout Cup fixture, the Rising Star had a practice at Foxhall but is not fit to return to action.

Edwards has guested for the Witches three times since Jenkins’ injury and will be part of the side going forward whilst Jenkins recovers. Edwards was part of the title winning Sheffield side in 2023 and also lifted the Knockout Cup with the Tigers in 2024 before making the move to Birmingham at the start of the season. The 22-year-old picked up a shoulder injury in early June and was released by the Brummies but has since returned to racing and is keen to secure a spot for the remainder of the season.

Team manager Ritchie Hawkins explained the decision behind the move and provided an update on Jenkins’ fitness.

“After Thursday’s meeting Jordan had a practice and as much as he got round, he is not close to being fully fit yet. We have brought Jason in, and he is a great replacement, he fits in with the team brilliantly. He really wanted the opportunity to be with us, and he wants to make sure it is for the rest of the season.

“He has got 28 days to get himself in the side and Jordan has got 28 days to prove he is fit and ready to attack the play-offs. Jordan will be staying as part of the side, and we will help him as much as we can in his recovery and will help Jason settle into the side which won’t take very long. We need to attack the rest of the season now.”

RACEDAY REPORT | IPSWICH (87) 45–45 (93) KING’S LYNN

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MEETING SPONSORS

Fred. Olsen Logistics – Fred. Olsen Logistics offers a complete start to finish operation in freight forwarding and logistics services, their offices based in Ipswich and Felixstowe are perfectly located near to Britain’s largest container port with direct links worldwide as well as fantastic road and rail links across the UK.

The Fat Cat Ipswich – They are a small, friendly Free House where you can enjoy a wide selection of up to fifteen real ales served straight from the cask from our temperature-controlled tap room. Also, on offer are up to five real ciders as well as a selection of gins, whiskies, rums, wines and Belgian beers. They are a pub about the beer and the people so whether it is lively debate you’re after or a quiet pint in the greenery filled garden, you can find it there!

The Fat Cat Colchester – Fat Cat Colchester is a well-established free house serving a great selection of ales, wines, spirits and food. You’ll be warmly greeted by their friendly atmosphere, the oak bar with a row of hand pumps advertising a selection of real ales. Above the bar, a blackboard details the wide range of beers sourced locally, nationally and from abroad.

SCORECARD

IPSWICH 45: Jason Doyle 12, Danny King © 6+1, Adam Ellis 6, Tom Brennan 3, Emil Sayfutdinov 14+1 (Paid Maximum), Dan Thompson 2, Jason Edwards (G) (RS) 2+1. Team Manager: Ritchie Hawkins

KING’S LYNN 45: Niels-Kristian Iversen R/R, Richard Lawson 5+2, Chris Harris 12+2, Lewis Kerr (G) 6+1, Jan Kvěch 6+2, Nicolai Klindt © 14+1, Luke Harrison (G) (RS) 2+2. Team Manager: Rob Lyon

REFEREE: D. Watters

KNOCKOUT CUP DRAW

QUARTER-FINALS

First Leg: Birmingham 33-57 Leicester. Second Leg: Leicester 46-44 Birmingham

First Leg: King’s Lynn 53-37 Oxford. Second Leg: Oxford 37-53 King’s Lynn

First Leg: Belle Vue 40-50 Ipswich. Second Leg: Ipswich 67-23 Belle Vue

SEMI-FINALS

First Leg: Leicester 54-36 Sheffield. Second Leg: Sheffield 44-46 Leicester

First Leg: King’s Lynn 48-42 Ipswich. Second Leg: Ipswich 45-45 King’s Lynn

THE REPORT

The Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches exited the Knockout Cup after a draw in the second leg of their semi-final against King’s Lynn at Foxhall.

The visitors held a six-point lead from the first leg at the Adrian Flux Arena and arrived in Suffolk without Niels-Kristian Iversen and Ben Cook with rider replacement in operation at one and Lewis Kerr guesting at four. The Witches were missing the injured Jordan Jenkins as Jason Edwards stepped in at number seven. There was nothing to separate the two sides for the duration of the meeting as the away side secured their progress in the competition after an incident-filled heat 14. Emil Sayfutdinov top scored with a 14+1 paid maximum.

It was the perfect start in heat one as Jason Doyle and Danny King hit a 5-1 for the home team. Nicolai Klindt won a shared heat two and the visitors levelled the score on the night with a maximum of their own in heat three. Sayfutdinov took victory in a shared heat four making it 12-12 with the Stars maintaining their six-point lead on aggregate.

Adam Ellis won heat five but with partner Tom Brennan relegated to the back it was a 3-3. King fell on the first turn of heat six and was excluded and in the re-run, Doyle picked up the three points to ensure the away side couldn’t extend their aggregate lead. The 3-3s continued in heat seven as Sayfutdinov couldn’t be caught and King bounced back from his fall to win heat eight in a 4-2 to Ipswich that put them 25-23 up on the evening but still trailing by four points on aggregate.

The away side went in front in the tie and extended their aggregate lead with a 5-1 in heat nine. Doyle picked up his third win of the meeting in heat 10 with King third for a heat advantage to level the score. Sayfutdinov won a shared heat 11 but the away side took a huge step towards winning the tie in heat 12 thanks to a maximum which put them 38-34 in front and 10 points ahead on aggregate with just three heats to race.

There was a delay before heat 13 as King’s Lynn team manager Rob Lyon asked the referee if Luke Harrison had to take his third ride by the end of heat 14 and once that query was eventually resolved Doyle and Sayfutdinov raced to a maximum to keep the tie just about alive. However, it was all over after heat 14. With the Witches needing a heat advantage to take it to a last-heat decider, Brennan hit the front as Dan Thompson found a way past Kerr to join him only for Kerr to come back under him going into the first turn late on in the race, and the Ipswich reserve hit the fence. The referee decided to exclude the Witches rider and award the 3-3 which meant the tie was over. Sayfutdinov completed a paid maximum by winning a shared heat 15 as Doyle hit the deck, ending a disappointing night for the Witches.

RITCHIE HAWKINS REACTION

Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches team manager Ritchie Hawkins reflects on Thursday’s draw with King’s Lynn…

“It was a very bad night, we didn’t rise to the occasion at all, and we faltered massively. We had a massive opportunity to get to the cup final, but we made too many mistakes and didn’t perform anywhere near to our capability. We have missed out on another cup final, and we were in a good position to make it, but we didn’t take it. We certainly need to learn our lessons from tonight and remember the feeling because everyone is absolutely gutted. We need to take this feeling into the play-offs and make sure we don’t feel this way again and achieve bigger things.

“We need to assess as a team where we have gone wrong because we are a far better team than we have shown. This meeting tonight should be well within our capabilities to get through and we didn’t perform bar our top two who were very strong. We need to back them up better and we have done that for the majority of the season, but we didn’t tonight, and we faltered massively. We need to write it off very quickly and get our heads back focused and look towards the play-offs because that is the number one goal. It is a big disappointment for us, there is no overlooking that, we have failed tonight but that doesn’t mean we can’t succeed in the future.

“Tom was on the wrong end of everything all night, he won the big heat 14 which he needed to, but it was a really tough night for him, and it happened at the wrong time. There was no lack of effort from the boys, that was there from everyone, but it did not work out for us, and we did not get on the right end of anything, and we weren’t strong enough to cope with the occasion. We need to make sure that doesn’t happen again going forward.

“It was a tough night for Dan; he will get them at his age. In heat 14 he looked close to producing a hero’s ride but that’s how close you are in sport sometimes, going from hero to zero, to use the expression. I certainly can’t fault him, he has been suffering from a bad ear infection all week and it no doubt affected him but when we needed him, he stepped up to the plate and heat 14 was just one of them. I can’t fault anyone wanting to try and win the meeting and I was happy to see him put it all on the line, but we shouldn’t have been in that position anyway going into heat 14.

“It was just hard racing in heat 14, I don’t think the referee did anything wrong. It is one of those things and I have no complaints.

“Emil was superb, as was Jason. They were doing the business, and we had a lot of race winners, but we had a lot of falls and exclusions and points thrown away which on a night like this you can’t afford.”

FAT CAT & FRED. OLSEN LOGISTICS RIDERS OF THE NIGHT

Fred. Olsen Logistics awarded it to Sayfutdinov after he went the night unbeaten by an opponent.

Fat Cat opted for King.

WHAT IT MEANS

Ipswich’s interest in the cup ends as King’s Lynn meet Leicester in the final.

NEXT FIXTURE

The Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches host the Birmingham Brummies at Foxhall on Thursday 24th July in a ROWE Motor Oil Premiership fixture. Tickets can be purchased on the gate and in advance here.

WITCHES BACKING “FORE” GET ME NOT GOLF CHARITY

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Image courtesy of Steve Waller

Members of the Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches team visited Seckford Golf Club last week to support the charity “Fore” Get Me Not Golf.

The charity is dedicated to supporting those living with dementia so they can continue enjoying the sport they love. Through their dementia friendly golf sessions they provide a welcoming and accessible environment for all.

Founded in 2022 and created by Tony Pennock and Wendy Chard it has shown that golf can greatly enhance the quality of life for those living with dementia.

Their initiative blends physical activity, mental stimulation, and social interaction in a safe, adapted setting. At the same time, it helps support essential research into dementia.

Ritchie Hawkins, Danny King, Adam Ellis, Jordan Jenkins and Dan Thompson all joined last week’s session alongside former Witch Cameron Heeps and rider and commentator Adam Roynon. Trevor Jones, a former Witches rider in the 1970s, is a regular at the sessions and enjoyed chatting with the class of 2025.

Sky Sports also recently visited the club to film for a feature which was played out on their live golf coverage on World Alzheimer’s Day which can be watched here.

To donate to the charity, click here.

To find out more about the charity, the sessions and getting involved, head to their website.

Facebook, X, Instagram

Image courtesy of Steve Waller
Image courtesy of Steve Waller


RACEDAY GUIDE | KING’S LYNN (H)

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The Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches host the King’s Lynn Stars at Foxhall Stadium on Thursday 17th July in a Knockout Cup semi-final second leg fixture. Parade: 7.30pm, first race: 7:45pm.

MEETING SPONSORS

Fred. Olsen Logistics – Fred. Olsen Logistics offers a complete start to finish operation in freight forwarding and logistics services, their offices based in Ipswich and Felixstowe are perfectly located near to Britain’s largest container port with direct links worldwide as well as fantastic road and rail links across the UK.

The Fat Cat Ipswich – They are a small, friendly Free House where you can enjoy a wide selection of up to fifteen real ales served straight from the cask from our temperature-controlled tap room. Also, on offer are up to five real ciders as well as a selection of gins, whiskies, rums, wines and Belgian beers. They are a pub about the beer and the people so whether it is lively debate you’re after or a quiet pint in the greenery filled garden, you can find it there!

The Fat Cat Colchester – Fat Cat Colchester is a well-established free house serving a great selection of ales, wines, spirits and food. You’ll be warmly greeted by their friendly atmosphere, the oak bar with a row of hand pumps advertising a selection of real ales. Above the bar, a blackboard details the wide range of beers sourced locally, nationally and from abroad.

LINE-UPS

IPSWICH: 1. Jason Doyle 9.07 2. Danny King © 6.65 3. Adam Ellis 5.57 4. Tom Brennan 7.09 5. Emil Sayfutdinov 8.87 6. Dan Thompson 5.09 7. Jason Edwards (G) (RS). Team Manager: Ritchie Hawkins

KING’S LYNN: 1. R/R for Niels-Kristian Iversen 6.74 2. Richard Lawson 6.25 3. Chris Harris 6.69 4. Lewis Kerr (G) 6.04 5. Jan Kvěch 6.49 6. Nicolai Klindt © 6.02 7. Luke Harrison (G) (RS). Team Manager: Rob Lyon

REFEREE: D. Watters

KNOCKOUT CUP DRAW

QUARTER-FINALS

First Leg: Birmingham 33-57 Leicester. Second Leg: Leicester 46-44 Birmingham

First Leg: King’s Lynn 53-37 Oxford. Second Leg: Oxford 37-53 King’s Lynn

First Leg: Belle Vue 40-50 Ipswich. Second Leg: Ipswich 67-23 Belle Vue

SEMI-FINALS

First Leg: Leicester 54-36 Sheffield. Second Leg: Sheffield 44-46 Leicester

First Leg: King’s Lynn 48-42 Ipswich. Second Leg: Ipswich v King’s Lynn (July 17)

TICKET NEWS

Tickets are available to purchase in advance here and on the gate and are priced at £24 for adults and £22 for concessions (65+) & students (21 & under). Tickets for children aged 6-16 are £1 whilst children 5 & under go free. Official programmes are priced at £3.50 and are available at the stadium. Car parking is free for all supporters. Debit and credit card payments are accepted. Turnstiles open at 6.40pm.

THE PREVIEW

The Witches take on the King’s Lynn Stars on Thursday at Foxhall in the decisive second leg of their Knockout Cup semi-final tie.

The two sides met at the start of June in the first leg at the Adrian Flux Arena and it was the Stars who came away with a six-point victory.

Jordan Jenkins misses out again through injury and as was the case on Monday in Norfolk when the two sides met in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership, Jason Edwards guests at number seven. Team manager Ritchie Hawkins has reverted back to the more familiar riding order for this fixture with Emil Sayfutdinov back at number five.

Ipswich need to win by more than six points on Thursday evening if they are to progress to their third cup final in three years and Leicester await the winners having seen off Sheffield in their semi-final.

MANAGER’S NOTES

Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches team manager Ritchie Hawkins gives us his pre-match thoughts…

“Thursday is the biggest meeting of the season so far. I hope you are all going to be there supporting us, we have a great team that want to win trophies this year. We are six points down but that is more than achievable for these boys. We had a good chat after Monday’s meeting and everyone’s minds are focused on Thursday night and making another cup final. Our ambition is to have won two trophies by the end of the year. We have been very good this year on the whole and we are extremely determined, and we go into it wanting to win by as many as possible. If we all perform as we should do that will be more than six points.

“We have raced King’s Lynn four times already this year and we know we beat them by a good scoreline at home earlier in the year. The track will be completely different this time compared to the one-off bank holiday meeting, so the previous meeting doesn’t hold any significance. We know how good we should be, and the focus is on making the final and looking forward, not back.

“Jason always fits in well with us, he has done a good job in his last two guest appearances and did his job. He is by far the best Rising Star out there that we could use to replace Jordan and he loves being part of the team. We love having him and I know he will be out to impress on Thursday.”

KING’S LYNN STARS

With their play-offs hopes all but over in the league, King’s Lynn will be desperate to finish off the job after building a six-point lead at the Adrian Flux Arena and reach the Knockout Cup final. The Stars will have to perform better than their last visit to Foxhall though when they suffered a 53-37 defeat. The Norfolk side have lost eight away league fixtures with their only two victories on the road coming at Oxford in the league and cup.

The visitors are without Niels-Kristian Iversen with rider replacement in operation at number one. Ben Cook is still missing too, and Lewis Kerr has been booked as a guest. Luke Harrison is at number seven on Thursday.

LAST TIME WE MET IN SUFFOLK

Ipswich welcomed King’s Lynn to Foxhall in May in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership. The home team went into the fixture at full strength and sitting top of the table with a 100% record whilst the Stars were looking for their first points on the road and were without the injured Ben Cook, with rider replacement in use at number two. Despite that, it was the visitors who would start brightly in the derby in front of a big bank holiday crowd, and they were threatening an upset as they held a six-point lead after seven races. However, that was as good as it got for the Norfolk outfit as Ipswich rattled off eight consecutive heat advantages to win comfortably in the end and preserve their unbeaten start to 2025. Jason Doyle top scored with 12+2.

RACEDAY REPORT | KING’S LYNN 46-44 IPSWICH

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Image courtesy of Ian Burt

SCORECARD

KING’S LYNN 46: Niels-Kristian Iversen R/R, Richard Lawson 9, Chris Harris 3+1, Simon Lambert (G) 1, Jan Kvěch 18+1, Nicolai Klindt © 15+1, Jody Scott (G) (RS) 0. Team Manager: Rob Lyon

IPSWICH 44: Jason Doyle 9, Danny King © 5+2, Emil Sayfutdinov 5, Adam Ellis 4+2, Tom Brennan 9+2, Dan Thompson 10+1, Jason Edwards (G) (RS) 2+2. Team Manager: Ritchie Hawkins

REFEREE: M. Bates

ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP TABLE

TeamMeetingsPoints
Ipswich1628
Sheffield1426
Belle Vue1626
Leicester1522
King’s Lynn1614
Oxford168
Birmingham156

THE REPORT

The Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches were narrowly defeated at King’s Lynn on Monday night in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership.

The Witches had Jason Edwards deputising for the injured Jordan Jenkins whilst King’s Lynn were using rider replacement at number one for Niels-Kristian Iversen and Simon Lambert as a guest at number four for Ben Cook. The two sides exchanged several maximums in the meeting, but it was Ipswich who established an eight-point lead after nine races. However, the home team fought back to claim a two-point win on the night. Dan Thompson top scored with 10+1.

After a delayed start to allow the crowd in, the hosts registered a 4-2 in heat one as Danny King retired with a puncture. Heat two was shared before the away side hit a maximum in heat three thanks to Emil Sayfutdinov and Adam Ellis. The Stars responded in heat four with a 5-1 of their own to put them 13-11 ahead.

The visitors got the next of the maximums in heat five as Jason Doyle and King couldn’t be caught. After a long sun delay action resumed as Thompson and Tom Brennan raced to another maximum for the Witches. King’s Lynn picked up a heat advantage in heat seven before the points were shared in heat eight making it 22-26 overall.

The Brennan-Thompson partnership were at it again in heat nine as they secured another 5-1 to Ipswich. Jan Kvěch came out as a tactical substitute in heat 10 and it had the desired effect as he and Richard Lawson teamed up for a 5-1. Kvěch was back out in heat 11 and won again in a 3-3 and a 5-1 from the home team in heat 12 levelled the score at 36-36.

King’s Lynn went in front for the first time since heat four as they registered a 4-2 in heat 13 with Brennan managing to split the home pair. The points were shared in heat 14 and another 3-3 in heat 15 secured the win for the home team.

RITCHIE HAWKINS REACTION

Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches team manager Ritchie Hawkins reflects on Monday’s defeat at King’s Lynn…

“It was a disappointing away defeat after getting ourselves in a good position. The night started off tough with Danny and Dan both having punctures and shredding tubes. We managed to overcome that and get into a good position but after King’s Lynn used the tactical sub we dropped away at the end of the meeting. We are usually very strong in the final heats but tonight we weren’t. We couldn’t make starts and they got the better of us there.

“We didn’t make starts in the later heats, but the boys fought hard. The big turning point was in heat 12 when Emil had a bike problem on the start line and that doesn’t help when one of your main riders is out. A disappointing night for him but there were positives as well. Dan Thompson on a track he has found difficult had a very good performance at reserve and Tom had another good night.

“We will use this going into Thursday, tonight wasn’t vital, other than wanting to beat King’s Lynn, we are going to be in the play-offs at the end of the year looking to win the title. Thursday is a massive meeting, and we will use this disappointment to make sure we go away happy on Thursday.

“It was another extremely long meeting but that is the same for both sets of riders. We are an experienced, professional outfit and we should be able to cope with the delays, and it didn’t affect the result. More than anything it is not ideal for the fans and a lot were speaking to me after the meeting about how unhappy they were with it but result wise, it didn’t make any difference. We should be able to win these meetings, and it is disappointing, but we have bigger fish to fry this week and in the rest of the season.”

RIDER OF THE NIGHT

Fans online voted for Thompson who top scored from reserve with 10+1 from five rides.

WHAT IT MEANS

Ipswich stay top and King’s Lynn stay fifth, eight points behind the top four.

NEXT FIXTURE

The Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches host the King’s Lynn Stars at Foxhall on Thursday 17th July in a Knockout Cup semi-final second leg fixture. Tickets can be purchased on the gate and in advance here.

RACEDAY GUIDE | KING’S LYNN (A)

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The Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches travel to King’s Lynn to face the Stars at the Adrian Flux Arena on Monday 14th July in a ROWE Motor Oil Premiership R2 fixture that starts at 7.30pm.

LINE-UPS

KING’S LYNN: 1. R/R for Niels-Kristian Iversen 6.74 2. Richard Lawson 6.25 3. Chris Harris 6.69 4. Simon Lambert (G) 6.04 5. Jan Kvěch 6.49 6. Nicolai Klindt © 6.02 7. Jody Scott (G) (RS). Team Manager: Rob Lyon

IPSWICH: 1. Jason Doyle 9.07 2. Danny King © 6.65 3. Emil Sayfutdinov 8.87 4. Adam Ellis 5.57 5. Tom Brennan 7.09 6. Dan Thompson 5.09 7. Jason Edwards (G) (RS). Team Manager: Ritchie Hawkins

REFEREE: M. Bates

ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP TABLE

TeamMeetingsPoints
Ipswich1528
Sheffield1324
Belle Vue1524
Leicester1421
King’s Lynn1512
Oxford158
Birmingham156

TICKET NEWS

Tickets are available to purchase on the gate.

THE PREVIEW

The Witches cross the border on Monday to take on the King’s Lynn Stars in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership.

Ipswich extended their lead at the top of the table on Thursday with a big win over top four rivals Belle Vue at Foxhall. The visitors remain without Jordan Jenkins who has suffered a knee injury. The Rising Star rider has received the results of his scan and is now awaiting on a timescale for recovery from the experts. Jason Edwards steps in again at number seven after guesting in last week’s win at Oxford.

Team manager Ritchie Hawkins has made a change to the riding order with Emil Sayfutdinov moving to number three. Tom Brennan rides at number five with Adam Ellis at number four for the trip to Norfolk.

MANAGER’S NOTES

Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches team manager Ritchie Hawkins gives us his pre-match thoughts…

“It’s our last visit to Lynn this season, it is not massively vital in terms of our league position, but we have got the local rivalry, and we want to get on top of them ahead of next Thursday night, which is a massive meeting at home in the cup. We have not travelled there with the best of circumstances with the team with injuries and what not, but we are getting back to full fitness. We are not there yet but we are in great form.

“Jordan has had his scan results, so we are waiting on the opinion from the experts on that really and what the recovery time will be and then we will know what we are doing with him. We hope he is back sooner rather than later. Jason is coming back in on Monday, and I’m delighted to have him. He was brilliant at Oxford, and he fits in well with our side and is capable of scoring good points.”

KING’S LYNN STARS

As the weeks tick by, the Stars’ play-off hopes look increasingly slim with the club sitting fifth, nine points off fourth-placed Leicester who have a meeting in hand. King’s Lynn have just nine fixtures remaining to turn things around starting against Ipswich. The hosts can take confidence from having beaten the Witches twice at home already this season 48-42 and 51-39.

There’s a new riding order for the hosts since they last faced Ipswich with Niels-Kristian Iversen now at number one, although he will be missing on Monday and rider replacement will be in operation. Captain Nicolai Klindt drops to reserve with Grand Prix rider Jan Kvěch now back in the main body of the team at number five. Simon Lambert guests at number four in place of Ben Cook.

LAST TIME OUT AT THE ADRIAN FLUX ARENA

The Witches last travelled to Norfolk just a month ago in the league. The visitors welcomed back Jason Doyle to the side after his hip injury with Connor Mountain guesting for the injured Dan Thompson at reserve. The Stars were using rider replacement for Ben Cook with Jody Scott coming in for Ashton Boughen. The two teams traded heat advantages in the opening eight races with the Suffolk side four up. However, Ipswich lost Doyle who withdrew ahead of heat nine after aggravating his injury and King’s Lynn took advantage to race to victory in the closing stages with Ipswich picking up the aggregate bonus point. Emil Sayfutdinov top scored with 9+1.

AWAY DAYS

An adult ticket costs £24, concessions (disabled, 66 and over, students) £22, children (12-15 accompanied by adult) £5 and children under 12 go free. Official programmes cost £3.50. Facilities include free floodlit parking, seated grandstand, covered standing grandstand, restaurant, fully stocked bar and function room, four licenced bar outlets, merchandise stands, toilets and a first aid room. For travel information headhere.

For more information about the club head to King’s Lynn’s official website.

RACEDAY REPORT | IPSWICH 56–34 BELLE VUE

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By Rob Binns

MEETING SPONSORS

Tru7 Group – Tru7 Group is a diversified supplier to the construction, demolition and agriculture industries. Their premium fleet has state-of-the-art safety technology, and they make sure you have the right vehicle or operator for the job, saving time, fuel and emissions. With service and sustainability core to their business, their fast-growing portfolio offers van, truck and plant rental and sales, demolition and remediation, earthworks, asbestos removal, concrete and aggregates.

RN Euston – RN Euston Limited has supplied steel framed buildings in East Anglia for over 40 years.  Established by Ray Euston the business has grown steadily over the years and now Ray works in partnership with his son Mark.  The company is based in Suffolk and work all over East Anglia where they have gained a reliable reputation.

SCORECARD

IPSWICH 56: Jason Doyle 12+1, Danny King © 13+2 (Paid Maximum), Adam Ellis 3+1 (Withdrawn), Tom Brennan 9+1, Emil Sayfutdinov 8+2, Dan Thompson 11+3, Vinnie Foord (G) (RS) 0. Team Manager: Ritchie Hawkins

BELLE VUE 34: Brady Kurtz © 10+1, Norick Blödorn R/R, Jaimon Lidsey 7, Zach Cook 3+1, Dan Bewley 8, Tate Zischke 1+1, Jake Mulford (RS) 5+1. Team Manager: Mark Lemon

REFEREE: S. Perkin

ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP TABLE

TeamMeetingsPoints
Ipswich1528
Sheffield1324
Belle Vue1524
Leicester1421
King’s Lynn1512
Oxford158
Birmingham156

THE REPORT

The Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches stormed to a 56-34 victory over the Belle Vue Aces in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership at Foxhall on Thursday night, overcoming a 14-point deficit to secure the aggregate bonus point in the process.

Jordan Jenkins damaged the medial collateral ligament in his left knee in the reverse fixture and is yet to return. Vinnie Foord guested at number seven for Ipswich in his place while Belle Vue were operating rider replacement at number two to cover Norick Blödorn who is also suffering from a knee injury. The visitors won 52-38 at the National Speedway Stadium last week but the Witches looked determined to close the aggregate deficit and held a 10-point lead after seven heats. The hosts kicked on further in the second half of the meeting and extended their advantage on the night to 22 points to claim all three points. Danny King top scored with a paid maximum of 13+2.

Ipswich made the perfect start in heat one with King making the gate while Jason Doyle fought his way past Brady Kurtz on the back straight in the second lap to join his skipper for a maximum. Dan Thompson cruised to victory in a shared heat two. Jaimon Lidsey earned the first race win of the evening for the visitors in heat three, but the two Witches split the Aces pair for another 3-3. Dan Bewley set the pace in heat four, but reserve substitute Thompson and Emil Sayfutdinov left Jake Mulford at the back to earn a third consecutive shared heat and make it 14-10 to the hosts.

Heat five was initially stopped by referee Seth Perkin who handed out a warning to Kurtz for not remaining stationary at the start. The current world number two recovered to win the re-run but had to settle for a 3-3 with Tate Zischke sliding off while at the back before quickly remounting. King flew round the outside from the gate to take the chequered flag in heat six, but Bewley was able to hold off Doyle to limit the damage to a home 4-2. Sayfutdinov and Thompson gated on a maximum in heat seven and faced minimal challenge as the Witches reserve held off Lidsey while Zach Cook fell away at the back after early bike trouble. The 5-1 took the scoreline to 26-16.

Foord skidded off on the second bend in heat eight which saw him excluded. King produced one of rides of the night in the re-run, dodging Cook’s efforts to hold him off round the first bend before passing him on the back straight and then Jake Mulford on the fourth bend in the same move to earn a share of the points. Adam Ellis flew into the air fence at speed in heat nine and was excluded from the re-run, but Tom Brennan made the gate and kept Bewley at bay for the victory in a 3-3. Doyle and King raced to their second maximum of the meeting in heat 10 with the Ipswich number one taking the victory. Kurtz set the pace as heat 11 was shared to make it 40-26.

Mark Lemon brought in Kurtz as a tactical substitute for Zischke in heat 12 while Thompson replaced Ellis after his earlier crash. The Aces raced to a maximum as Foord pulled up with bike issues on the back straight. Ipswich bounced straight back in heat 13 with a 5-1 from Doyle and Sayfutdinov to make sure of the win on the night. Brennan flew round the outside to set the pace in heat 14 while Thompson was locked in a tight battle for second with the Witches reserve defending every effort from Cook superbly to ensure a maximum. Ritchie Hawkins selected Doyle and King for heat 15 who finished the meeting as they started it and secured their third maximum of the night as a pair. Doyle again took the chequered flag while King rounded Kurtz on the fourth bend to secure his paid maximum and make the final score 56-34 on the night as Ipswich secured the aggregate bonus point by a scoreline of 94-86.

RITCHIE HAWKINS REACTION

Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches team manager Ritchie Hawkins reflects on Thursday’s win over Belle Vue…

“It was a great all-round team performance! Awesome to see Danny get a max and Doyley and Emil looking back to their best, their performance was great. Everyone contributed, I thought it was probably the best Tom has ridden the dirt, and Dan Thompson was back to his best as well so I think there is so much progress tonight with the boys, so we’re obviously really delighted. Adam was a little bit unlucky in his third ride with the crash, he got put in a position he didn’t want to be in, so we just rested him for the last race. To get the bonus point as well against the reigning champions is a superb effort!

“Straight after the interval we knew they were going for a tactical substitute against both reserves. They’ve got such a strong heat leading trio, Jaimon [Lidsey] is having a superb season and is going under the radar a bit with how good Dan [Bewley] and Brady [Kurtz] are doing in the GPs. Their top three are flying so it was obviously going to be a tough heat, but I felt heat 14 was going to be a good one for us and heats 13 and 15 were certainly as good as we could’ve hoped.

“I think Danny is having a brilliant season, he’s settled in great to the number two position. It suits him with the dirt on the track and tonight there was plenty of dirt out there for him. He revels in it when there are deep conditions. Other riders were struggling but for Danny it’s his forte and you can see now he’s fit again. Last season he would’ve struggled with them conditions but while his fitness levels are far from perfect, his hand is certainly strong enough to handle it, and you can see how good he is.

“We’ve got the league meeting away at King’s Lynn on Monday where we’re in a great position so in that sense it’s nowhere near as vital as Thursday night, but we’ll obviously have a lot of travelling supporters like we always do so we want to go there and win. It’s our last chance to go there this year so we want to get a win there this season as they’re always really sweet and then a massive meeting next Thursday. I hope everyone is out to support us because we need it and we need to get into the cup final.”

TRU7 GROUP & RN EUSTON RIDERS OF THE NIGHT

Captain King was RN Euston’s choice after he went the night unbeaten by an opponent.

Tru7 Group went for Thompson who racked up 11+3 from reserve.

WHAT IT MEANS

Ipswich extend their lead at the top of the table to four points while Belle Vue remain in third.

NEXT FIXTURE

The Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches travel to King’s Lynn to take on the Stars on Monday 14th July in a ROWE Motor Oil Premiership fixture. Tickets can be purchased on the gate.