Coaches salute the stars of tomorrow at FIM SGP Academy – Down Under in Australia

FIM SGP Academy – Down Under coaches Tony Rickardsson, Max Fricke, Armando Castagna and Phil Morris hailed the progression of the sport’s future stars after a successful three-day event at Adelaide track Gillman from January 22-24.

In an academy organised in partnership between FIM Speedway global promoter Warner Bros. Discovery Sports, the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) and Motorcycling Australia (MA), six-time FIM speedway world champion Rickardsson, Speedway GP star Fricke, FIM Track Racing Commission (CCP) director Castagna and FIM race director Morris coached 23 riders from Australia, New Zealand and Great Britain. Australia’s most successful speedway rider, triple Speedway GP world champion Jason Crump, also appeared as a VIP guest on the final day.

Riders were given priceless tips on riding technique, starts and bike setup, as well as advice on making it into Europe’s professional leagues. They also picked up vital information on health and fitness, anti-doping regulations and working with the media, social media and sponsors.

The 20 young guns from across Australia included the likes of SON2 bronze medallist James Pearson, 2024 SGP3 finalist Jordy Loftus and his sister, Anika Loftus, who was third in the inaugural FIM Women’s Speedway Gold Trophy in Teterow, Germany in 2024. The Queenslander was one of two female participants along with Adelaide’s Ruby Chapman.

Two-time SGP4 silver medallist Cooper Antone, who attended the 2024 FIM SGP Academy in Prague, was on track in Gillman, along with Kobi Canning, who took fourth place at the first-ever SGP4 event in Malilla in 2023.

New Zealand was represented by Julian Rees and Kadin Cracknell, with Britain’s Senna Summers, son of Adelaide-born rider Aaron Summers, also taking part as he prepares for his second WSRA National Development League season with Oxford Chargers this year.

Rickardsson, who lifted his fifth FIM Speedway World Championship in Sydney in 2002, was elated with the progress he witnessed from the young riders after jetting Down Under. He said: “What a fantastic few days! I loved seeing how much better everyone became from when they started off on the first day to where they are no.

“Everything improved – their speed around the track, their starting techniques and I hope everyone is as happy as I am because this was a fantastic event.

“It was a great opportunity for me to work with the young riders, and I hope they have learned about everything from riding techniques and bike setups to working with sponsors and the media. Well done to everyone who took part!”

Fricke has worked with MA at previous training camps staged Down Under and was delighted with the class of 2025. He said: “It was great to see everybody at Gillman last week. I know everybody travelled a long way to be part of this event. We had everyone out on track and getting a few laps in. It was very successful on and off the track.

“Everyone showed some great improvement – getting better and working on lots of different things like technique, speed and starts. They have also been working to improve themselves behind the scenes as well. It has been a great event. Hopefully everybody learned loads.”

The FIM SGP Academy – Down Under is the first of three academies taking place in 2025, with Swedish venue Malilla hosting another in early July and a third event taking place as part of FIM Speedway of Nations week in Polish city Torun, which runs from September 30 until October 4.

Castagna hopes to see more academy events take place in Australia. He said: “I am extremely happy that the FIM SGP Academy – Down Under went very well, and I am sure all 23 kids who were there learned a lot during these three days.

“On behalf of the FIM, I would say it was a job well done, and I really hope we can continue offering something like this for many years to come.”

Morris hopes riders’ participation at Gillman helps them on their path to forging a professional career in the sport. He said: “I would like to thank everyone who took part over the three days. There were a lot of familiar faces and some new ones as well.

“We wanted to give the riders the best experience we could. I hope everyone took something away from it and it can help them in their careers.

“Part of our aim was also to give riders some information about making it into the professional leagues in Europe. We hope we have inspired them to pursue a career in the sport and that we will see as many of them as possible in FIM Speedway events and the European leagues in the years to come.”

Motorcycling Australia CEO Peter Doyle said: “It has been a real pleasure to stage the FIM SGP Academy – Down Under in partnership with the FIM and WBD Sports and bring together riders from all over Australia and beyond to learn from an outstanding coaching team. 

“I thank everyone both in Australia and Europe, who contributed towards making last week’s event at Gillman a real success.

“We are delighted to have four Australian representatives in the Speedway GP series in Jason Doyle, Jack Holder, Brady Kurtz and Max Fricke this year, and we hope the FIM SGP Academy – Down Under will equip many more young riders with the skills to follow in their tyre treads in the years to come.”

Laura Manciet, FIM Speedway World Championships director, said: “On behalf of WBD Sports, I would like to say a huge thank you to our coaches Tony, Max, Armando and Phil, as well as the FIM and Motorcycling Australia for their fantastic work in delivering the FIM SGP Academy – Down Under alongside us.

“As global promoter for the FIM Speedway World Championships, we are keen to put speedway in a global spotlight and develop the sport at every level – from its grassroots all the way up to elite level and Speedway GP.

“A strong pyramid structure starts with the FIM SGP Academies. We look forward to continuing the FIM SGP Academy programme in Malilla and Torun later this year and helping more young riders to learn the skills needed – on and off the bike – to excel in our sport.”

Images: RbMotoLens