From Poland, to ride

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33435, 17 January 1974, Page 16

From Poland, to ride

Four outstanding overseas riders — including the first two Poles to visit New Zealand — arrived in Christchurch yesterday for the first meeting of the inaugural “World Champions” international circuit, at Templeton on Wednesday.

The Poles, Z. Piech, third in the last world championship final, and E. Jancarz, who has also filled this position, are leading contenders in the Australian and New Zealand section of the series. The other two riders to arrive yesterday were the Scottish international, B. Harkins, and one of Britain’s most spectacular test riders, C. Pusey. All four will compete in a shake-down meeting on borrowed machines in Palmerston North on Saturday night. Their machines are at present in Australia but will be flown out in time for the first round of the international circuit.

Speaking through an interpreter, Jancarz and Piech and their Polish manager (Mr B. Kowalski) described the visit as a pioneering one. If the venture were a success, New Zealand could expect further visits. Piech, who is only 21, is regarded as one of the finest prospects in the sport. He has been racing since only 1970. He was attracted to the sport after watching a match in

Poland one Sunday after noon. Before then, he had never even ridden a motorcycle. Since then, his progress has been phenomenal. He won the Polish championship in 1972, was a key figure in the Polish world league team last northern season and finally took third place in his first world final, held in his home country. Jancarz arrived on the international scene in 1968 and was then hailed as a future world champion. Unfortunately, injury handicapped his progress after he had finished third behind Mauger and Briggs in the 1969 world final at the age of 21. He regained much of his old form to again qualify for the world final last season. ‘FANTASTIC’ CIRCUIT

Harkins and Pusey, two of the most colourful characters in British speedway, expressed considerable enthusiasm for the forthcoming international circuit. “Fantastic” and “very ambitious,” was how Harkins described the circuit. “It is probably the best thing to happen to speedway in the last 20 years.”

The meeting at Palmerston North on Saturday will be Pusey’s first since breaking his arm while representing Britain in Spain in the middle of last year. The number of meetings in the international circuit in New Zealand has been reduced. The final meeting, in Auckland, has been cancelled, largely because the Western Springs promoters are overcommitted with motor-cycle meetings. The three meetings in New Zealand are now: Templeton on January 23. Wellington on January 26 and Palmerston North on January 29. The series between New Zealand and the Rest of the World will contnue, with minor modifications, as originally planned.