Ipswich Witches column: Mike Bacon previews 2023 season at Foxhall Stadium with Emil Sayfutdinov set to spearhead play-off charge
All roads lead to Foxhall Stadium tomorrow night as Ipswich Witches get their 2023 speedway season under way.
And what a season it promises to be.
The Witches have hit national headlines this winter after swooping for former Grand Prix star and Russian ace Emil Sayfutdinov to bolster their team for the summer ahead.
It’s a huge signing.
Sayfutdinov, 33, is one of the world’s top stars and, along with fellow Witch, former world champion and No.1, Jason Doyle, 37, the Ipswich pairing form a formidable heat leader duo and a pairing that is likely to put fear into teams this 2023 season.
It’s Peterborough Panthers who are the opponents for the Witches on opening night tomorrow (7.30pm) in a Premiership clash.
The Panthers are led by the hard-riding Nicki Pedersen, a three-time world champion himself, and the action is sure to be explosive in front of what is set to be a big opening night crowd.
For the Witches this season, it will be a case of trying to go a couple of steps further than they did in 2022, where they qualified for the end-of-season play-offs, but lost to eventual champions Belle Vue in the semi-final.
This summer there are seven teams in the Premiership: the Witches, Panthers, Wolverhampton Wolves, King’s Lynn Stars, Belle Vue Aces, Sheffield Tigers and Leicester Lions.
The top four will again go into the play-offs and, quite frankly, you could pick any of the above for a play-off place.
Sayfutdinov, a double European champion and double world U-21 champion, who was No.3 in the world in 2021, has been capturing all the headlines in the sport this winter in England. He is back in the country having not ridden here since 2011, concentrating on racing in Poland and Sweden, instead.
In 2022 he was unable to compete anywhere following a ban after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. However, this year he can race again and it will be a debut for him at Foxhall Stadium tomorrow night.
“It’s the first time for me at Ipswich and I hope everything goes well,” he said.
“We have had a few laps now at Ipswich on practice day and I’m ready for the first meeting.
“I’m happy to be back in England and especially Ipswich and hope to make lots of points for the team and fight for the championship.”
And he admits even for a rider of his experience, he will be nervous.
“You always get nervous, of course,” he said. “But I can’t wait, it’s my first meeting for so long. I’ve just done practice and more practice because of the 18-month break. I don’t mind feeling that stress before the meeting to be honest.”
The rest of the Witches line-up for 2023 sees skipper Danny King back at the club once more to lead the Witches charge, while German Erik Riss is also back after undergoing surgery on his ankle.
Young Aussie, Keynan Rew, is a newcomer to British Speedway, but comes with a big pedigree Down Under, while Danyon Hume, who enjoyed a fine 2022 with Ipswich, and Joe Thompson, make up the septet.
The Witches head to Peterborough on Monday night in a quick-fire return fixture with the Panthers, a track where they have enjoyed mixed success over the past few seasons.
Racing at Foxhall goes on throughout the summer and I’ll bring you all the latest news and results, as well as not just the thoughts of the riders, but my thoughts as well, as the season unfolds.
Admission for fans on race night: Adults (17+) £22, concessions (65+) £20, children (16 and under) free, car parking is also free.
UPCOMING FIXTURES:
Thurs., March 23, PETERBOROUGH (HOME), 7.30pm, league.
Mon., March 27, Peterborough (away), 7.30pm, league.
Thurs., March 30, Leicester (away), 7.30pm, KO Cup.
Thurs., April 6, LEICESTER (HOME), 7.30pm, KO Cup.
