| Warsaw Speedway | |
|---|---|
 Site of the former Gwardia Warsaw Stadium | |
| Club information | |
| Country | Poland |
Warsaw Speedway has consisted of several former motorcycle speedway teams and stadia, including the current major venue for the sport at the Stadion Narodowy. [1] [2]
The origins of speedway in Warsaw began with the founding of two clubs in the city; the first in 1923, when the Polish Motorcycle Club (Polski Klub Motorowy, PKM) were formed. One of its founders was Witold Rychter and the club's members took part in motorcycle and car competitions throughout the interwar period. [3] The second club created in Warsaw was in late 1929, when the Legia Warsaw (sports club) created a motorcycle section, officially celebrating its anniversary on 8 December. The first speedway was raced on 9 November 1930 at the Polish Army Stadium. [4] The progression of speedway in Poland was halted by World War II.
It was not until 1948 that the first league season of speedway in Poland was held. [5] The 1948 Polish speedway season contained both PKM Warszawa and Legia Warszawa, in addition to a third club called OM TUR Okęcie Warszawa (the speedway section of the Workers' Sports Club Okęcie Warszawa), who raced at Stadion RKS Skra. [6] The team of PKM Warszawa, consisting of Jan Wąsikowski, Jerzy Dąbrowski, Stanisław Brun and Mieczysław Chlebicz, were crowned the first winners of the Team Speedway Polish Championship. [5]
The following year in 1949, the Okęcie speedway merged with the Skra-Związkowiec Warszawa speedway section and went on to win the silver medal in the 1949 Polish speedway season. PKM competing as PKM Ogniwo Warszawa finished 5th and Legia did not compete. [7]
After the 1950 season the speedway leagues were re-organised, which resulted in PKM Warszawa being dissolved and Skra-Związkowiec becoming Budowlani Warszawa. Legia returned in 1951 under the name of CWKS Warszawa (the Central Military Sports Club of the Polish Army) but was then relocated to Wrocław. [8] From 1952 to 1954, only Budowlani represented Warsaw before CWKS Warszawa returned for the 1955 season. [9]
In 1957, CWKS reverted to the name Legia Warszawa and Budowlani reverted to the name Skra Warszawa. Legia also celebrated their first Polish champion in Marian Kaiser, before winning the bronze medal in 1959. [10]
The 1959 season turned out to be the last season of league speedway participation by any Warsaw club for 40 years because both Legia and Skra were dissolved under different circumstances. Legia merged with LPŻ Neptun Gdańsk but remained in Gdańsk and Skra was disbanded.
The only speedway in Warsaw was the continuation of the qualifying rounds of the Speedway World Championship at the Polish Army Stadium in 1961, 1962 and 1964 (it had previously held rounds in (1956, 1957 and 1958). [11] [12] At the end of 1987, the speedway track was removed from the stadium.
Forty years after the last league speedway in Warsaw, later the Gwardia Warsaw sports club introduced a speedway section and a team by the name of WSŻ Gwardia Warszawa entered the 2000 Polish speedway season in the Polish Speedway Second League, racing at the Gwardia Warsaw Stadium. The following season in 2001, the Warsaw Speedway Society (Warszawskie Towarzystwo Żużlowe) took over the club and ran as WTŻ Warszawa before yet another change for the 2002 season, when the Warsaw Motor Club ran as WKM Warszawa.
The 2002 season resulted in promotion to 1. Liga. [13] The promotion seemed inevitable because the club had signed famous names, such as former world champion Sam Ermolenko, in addition to former international riders Andy Smith, Craig Boyce and Roman Jankowski. Unfortunately the 2003 1.Liga season was a disaster, WKM Warszawa ending the campaign bottom of the table with just four points and then disbanding.
In 2015, the Speedway Grand Prix of Poland, which is part of the Speedway World Championship series, was held at the Stadion Narodowy. [14] It has held subsequent rounds in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023 and 2024. [15]
Legia Warszawa, commonly referred to as Legia Warsaw or simply Legia, is a professional football club based in Warsaw, Poland. Legia is the most successful Polish football club in history, winning record 15 Ekstraklasa champions titles, a record 20 Polish Cup and 5 Polish SuperCup trophies. The club's home venue is the Polish Army Stadium. Legia is the only Polish club never to have been relegated from the top flight of Polish football since World War II.
Warsaw is home to one major professional football club and a number of smaller clubs. The only one currently playing in the first division (Ekstraklasa) is Legia Warsaw.
Śląsk Świętochłowice is a Polish sports club based in Świętochłowice, Upper Silesia, known for its motorcycle speedway and football teams.
The Stadion Wojska Polskiego, officially named Stadion Miejski Legii Warszawa im. Marszałka Józefa Piłsudskiego is an all-seater, highest fourth category football-specific stadium located at 3 Łazienkowska Street in the Śródmieście district, Powiśle area, within the square of the streets: Łazienkowska, Czerniakowska, Kusocińskiego and Myśliwieck. It is the home ground of Legia Warsaw football club, who have been playing there since 9 August 1930.
OKS Odra Opole is a football club based in Opole, Poland, currently playing in the I liga.
Polonia Bydgoszcz is a Polish sports club based in Bydgoszcz most known for its speedway team ŻKS Polonia Bydgoszcz which currently races in the 1. Liga. The club has won the Polish Speedway League Championship seven times, the latest in 2002, and European Team Championship three times, the latest in 2001. The club also has a football team that plays in the lower leagues, though it was more successful in the past and played in the Polish top division, plus several other departments: athletics, cycling and boccia.
The 1948 Polish Speedway season was the 1948 season of motorcycle speedway in Poland.
The 1951 Polish Speedway season was the 1951 season of motorcycle speedway in Poland.
WTS Sparta Wrocław, also known as Betard Sparta Wrocław for sponsorship reasons, are a motorcycle speedway team based in Wrocław, Poland. They were established in 1950. The team's home track is at the Olympic Stadium, which has a capacity of 13,000 people. The team currently competes in the Ekstraliga and have won the Team Speedway Polish Championship five times.
Stadion RKS Skra is a historic football and athletics stadium in Mokotów Field, Warsaw, Poland. It is currently used mostly for rugby union matches as the home stadium of Skra Warsaw. The stadium has a capacity of 35,000 people, but has been closed since October 2019.
Legia Warszawa, known in English as Legia Warsaw, is a Polish multi-sports club based in Warsaw, Poland.
Wybrzeże Gdańsk is a Polish multi-sports club based in Gdańsk, established in 1945, most known for its motorcycle speedway and handball teams, which compete in the 1. Liga and Polish Superliga, respectively.
The 1949 season was Wisła Kraków's 41st year as a club. Wisła was under the name of Gwardia-Wisła Kraków.
The 1950 season was Wisła Kraków's 42nd year as a club. Wisła was under the name of Gwardia Kraków.
The 1954 season was Wisła Kraków's 46th year as a club. Wisła was under the name of Gwardia Kraków.
Stal Rzeszów is a Polish motorcycle speedway club. The team currently competes in the Polish Speedway Second League and have won the Team Speedway Polish Championship twice.
Wilki Krosno is a Polish motorcycle speedway team based in Krosno. The club operates under the name of Cellfast Wilki Krosno. The team currently competes in the Ekstraliga.
The Gwardia Warsaw Stadium was a 9,000-capacity multi-use stadium in Warsaw, Poland. It was primarily used for association football and later motorcycle speedway.
Andrzej Krzesiński was a motorcycle speedway rider from Poland.
Zbigniew Raniszewski was a motorcycle speedway rider from Poland.
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