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'WIGHTLINK' WARRIORS & WIZARDS

WARRIORS SHALE TRACK RACING CLUB

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2018 SEASON

The 2018 season saw the 'Wightlink Warriors' continue to provide fun filled family nights out, where the racing was a part of the family show.  Race nights included access to the pit areas, 12 mascots of all ages demonstrating their skills on track using bikes ranging from electric to 500cc, rider autographs, rider’s bikes on display, vintage bikes on display, an educational book club, William our bear, a children’s half time race and lots of other inclusive events throughout the year.  As a team the 

'Wightlink Warriors' had it's most successful year since Martin and Barry returned the club 3 seasons previously.  The 'Wightlink Warriors' competed in 21 home meetings and 14 away, finishing two places higher in the league, scoring more league points and more racing points for the club.  It was a tremendous turnaround from the 2017 season which saw the team finish in 10th 

position.  The atmosphere within the club was one of positivity and fun, proclaiming the Island, our team and its ethos  everywhere we travelled and on race days at home.

The club won major honours in 2018 with victory for the Warriors Captain Ben Morley in the National League Riders Championship, and he was joined on the podium by teammate Alfie Bowtell who finished second – A 'Wightlink Warriors' 1 – 2.

The 'Wightlink Wizards' for the first time, entered into the Southern Development League, a league designed to teach riders how to race.  A perfect stepping stone for riders of the club’s My First Skid school to have their first experiences of racing.  All riders representing the Wizards came through the school or were residents on the Isle of Wight.  We entered the league with a squad of 7 including 3 Islanders, one of which was female and we stuck to the same squad system all year, taking two notable victories along the way over the Weymouth 'Wildcats', finishing 4th in the league.

2018 included history making moments such as Morgan Williams, the first person born on the Island to score points for an Island team and Steph Whitlock, who became the first female Islander to score points in a SCB registered speedway meeting.  Truly a remarkable achievement for My First Skid and the 'Wightlink Wizards'.

My First Skid staged schools both on the Island and at various other stadiums across the UK.  It not only brought people from across the UK to the Island but genuinely found new riders from the Island for the sport.  It also had a World Championship Silver Medallist with 15-year-old student Chad Wirtzfeld claiming second in the 250cc Under 18 World Long Track Best Pairs in Germany. 

The Stadium continued to be improved with an increased area for wheelchair users, a refurbished fast food bar, continual track and fencing improvements, the re-birth of Bella the motorway blade – to improve the smoothness of the track surface, we repainted many areas and improved access to the track from the pits and more.

The club attended 20 different Island shows including a live riding display at the Chale Show, the Survivors lap for the Cancer Research UK IOW Relay for life event and the Isle of Wight Day Parade, where we also entered a team into the Isle of Wight day It’s a Knockout event.  We attended many schools and groups demonstrating our bikes and equipment to pupils and group members enabling us to initiate the “bring my class” incentive, which was a tremendous success.  We continued to promote and represent the Island, the club, our sponsors and fans as often as we could both on and off the Island.

We continued our support of the GB Young Lions when we hosted some 30 riders at the start of the season in February where they had 2 days on track riding and a day in the gym and classroom learning about fitness, diet, media and interview techniques.  The club also welcomed a GB Young Lions team to the Island in August for a challenge match – which the 'Wightlink Warriors' won.

In all, a season which the clubs profile and standing within speedway grew, a season which our fan base grew, and a season which made history, our best season to date.  

All meetings represented below are available to purchase on DVD.

Click HERE for more information.