The 2003 Elite League speedway season was the 69th season of the top division of
speedway
Speedway may refer to:
Racing Race tracks
*Edmonton International Speedway, also known as Speedway Park, a former motor raceway in Edmonton, Alberta
*Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a motor raceway in Speedway, Indiana
Types of races and race cours ...
in the United Kingdom and governed by the
Speedway Control Bureau
The Speedway Control Bureau (SCB), known as the Speedway Control Board between 1948 and 2002, governs the sport of motorcycle speedway in the United Kingdom on behalf of the Auto Cycle Union (ACU). The directors are appointed by the ACU and Br ...
(SCB), in conjunction with the
British Speedway Promoters' Association
The British Speedway Promoters Limited (BSPL) organises the domestic motorcycle speedway competitions in the United Kingdom. They are also responsible for the promotion and running of the FIM meetings staged in Britain.
Each club has a promote ...
(
BSPA
The British Speedway Promoters Limited (BSPL) organises the domestic motorcycle speedway competitions in the United Kingdom. They are also responsible for the promotion and running of the FIM meetings staged in Britain.
Each club has a promote ...
).
Season summary
In 2003, the league decreased to eight teams, after the
King's Lynn
King's Lynn, known until 1537 as Bishop's Lynn and colloquially as Lynn, is a port and market town in the borough of King's Lynn and West Norfolk in the county of Norfolk, England. It is located north of London, north-east of Peterborough, no ...
dropped to the
Premier League
The Premier League (legal name: The Football Association Premier League Limited) is the highest level of the men's English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Foo ...
and reverted back to their traditional name of Stars. They also lost the promotion of Nigel Wagstaff who took over at Oxford, which resulted in
Oxford Cheetahs
The Oxford Cheetahs are a British speedway teamLawson,K (2018) “Riders, Teams and Stadiums”. based at Oxford Stadium, in Oxford, England. They were founded in 1939 and are five times champions of Britain, in 1964, 1985, 1986, 1989 and ...
taking over the Silver Machine name from King's Lynn. King's Lynn's leading riders
Nicki Pedersen
Nicki Pedersen (born 2 April 1977) is a Danish motorcycle speedway rider. He has won the World Championship in 2003, 2007 and 2008 and was a World Cup winner with Denmark in 2006, 2008, 2012 and 2014. His brother, Ro ...
and
Sebastian Ułamek
Sebastian Ułamek (born 20 November 1975) is a former motorcycle speedway rider from Poland. He was a European individual Champion.
Career
Ułamek rode in the Polish leagues for his home club Włókniarz Częstochowa from 1992 until 1998 and the ...
also switched to Oxford.
Freddie Eriksson
Freddie Ove Eriksson (born 23 April 1981 in Stockholm, Sweden) is a former motorcycle speedway rider from Sweden.
Career summary
Eriksson began his British speedway career in 2001 with King’s Lynn with whom he had two relatively successful ...
went to Ipswich. Oxford also brought in former World Champion
Greg Hancock
Gregory Alan Hancock (born June 3, 1970 in Whittier, California) is an American former professional motorcycle speedway rider. As of 2023, he was one of only six riders to have won the individual World Championship four or more times.
In addit ...
from Coventry but lost
Leigh Adams
Leigh Scott Adams (born 28 April 1971 in Mildura, Victoria)Oakes, P.(2004). ''British Speedway Who's Who''. is an Australian former motorcycle speedway rider. He is a multiple Speedway Grand Prix winner and World Team Champion. He also w ...
and
Lukáš Dryml
Lukáš Dryml (born 16 April 1981 in Pardubice, Czechoslovakia) is an international speedway rider who represented the Czech Republic speedway team in the Speedway World Cup. He is a former World U-21 and European U-19 Champion. His father Ale ...
to Poole.
Poole's decision to recruit Adams and Dryml was instrumental because they went on to claim the title. Adams finished top of the league averages and he was backed up by their five time World Champion
Tony Rickardsson
Tony Rickardsson (born on 17 August 1970) is a Swedish former professional motorcycle speedway rider. He competed in the Speedway World Championships from 1989 to 2006. Rickardsson is notable for winning six Speedway World Championship titles in 1 ...
and the vastly improved form of
Magnus Zetterström
Hans Magnus Zetterström (born 9 December 1971 in Eskilstuna, Sweden) is an international motorcycle speedway rider who rides for the Belle Vue Aces in the British Elite League, having previous been with Poole Pirates. Zetterström became Europ ...
. Poole went on to complete the double by winning the
Knockout Cup.
[
]
Final table
Play-offs
Semi-final decided over one leg. Grand Final decided by aggregate scores over two legs.
Semi-finals
*
Poole Pirates
Poole Pirates (also known as Poole Speedway) are a motorcycle speedway team based in Poole, England, competing in the SGB Championship. The club have been the champions of the United Kingdom on ten occasions.
Poole Speedway is promoted by l ...
48-42
Oxford Silver Machine
*
Coventry Bees
Coventry Bees were a motorcycle speedway team that existed from 1929 to 2018. They raced at Brandon Stadium, Brandon near Coventry, England.
History
A Coventry team was first formed in 1928 and competed in the inaugural season of the Southern ...
60-30
Peterborough Panthers
The Peterborough Panthers are a British speedway team based in Peterborough, England. They are three times champions of the United Kingdom, winning the highest level league in 1999, 2006 and 2021.
History 1970–1994
The Panthers inaugural sea ...
Final
First leg
Second leg
The Poole Pirates were declared League Champions, winning on aggregate 100-79.
Elite League Knockout Cup
The 2003 Elite League Knockout Cup was the 65th edition of the
Knockout Cup for tier one teams.
Poole Pirates
Poole Pirates (also known as Poole Speedway) are a motorcycle speedway team based in Poole, England, competing in the SGB Championship. The club have been the champions of the United Kingdom on ten occasions.
Poole Speedway is promoted by l ...
were the winners of the competition.
Quarter-finals
Semi-finals
Final
First leg
Second leg
The Poole Pirates were declared Knockout Cup Champions, winning on aggregate 90-88.
Leading final averages
Riders & final averages
Belle Vue
* 10.79
* 8.24
* 7.93
* 6.78
* 6.52
* 6.21
* 5.23
* 5.15
* 4.79
* 4.78
* 4.31
* 2.67
* 2.46
Coventry
* 9.23
* 8.78
* 8.49
*7.72
* 6.84
* 5.97
* 3.71
* 3.27
* 2.82
Eastbourne
* 8.48
* 8.08
* 8.05
* 7.83
* 7.81
* 7.44
* 7.36
* 5.89
* 5.70
* 5.08
* 4.00
* 4.00
* 2.67
Ipswich
* 9.41
* 6.53
* 6.46
* 5.93
* 5.93
* 5.91
* 5.60
* 5.47
* 4.83
* 4.70
* 4.07
* 4.00
Oxford
* 9.33
* 9.28
* 8.64
* 7.82
* 7.81
* 6.52
* 6.43
* 6.37
* 6.30
* 5.57
* 4.84
* 4.77
* 4.46
* 2.72
Peterborough
* 9.23
* 8.76
* 7.28
* 7.22
* 6.97
* 6.93
* 6.23
* 5.86
Poole
* 10.14
* 10.07
* 9.64
* 8.52
* 7.66
* 7.20
* 7.06
* 6.48
* 6.10
* 5.83
* 4.55
* 4.33
Wolverhampton
* 9.28
* 9.10
* 7.45
* 7.40
* 7.02
* 7.01
* 6.57
* 6.00
* 5.80
* 5.67
* 4.88
* 2.95
See also
*
Speedway in the United Kingdom
The sport of speedway in the United Kingdom has changed little since the first meetings in the 1920s. It has three domestic leagues, its own Speedway Grand Prix, and an annual entry into the Speedway World Cup / Speedway of Nations.
History
Se ...
*
List of United Kingdom Speedway League Champions
*
Knockout Cup (speedway)
Knockout Cup (sometimes referred to as the KO Cup) is a type of British motorcycle speedway competition, examples of which have run annually since 1929.
Each tier of British Speedway has its own respective Knockout Cup. The current Knockout Cup ...
References
{{Speedway Elite League
SGB Premiership
2003 in British motorsport