The Isle of Wight Warriors (formerly Isle of Wight Islanders) are a motorcycle speedway team from England. They last competed in the 2019 National Development League and ride their home meetings at the Smallbrook Stadium.[1] Since leaving the British Speedway leagues, the team has competed in various challenge matches and the amateur NORA league.[2][3]
| Isle of Wight Warriors (formerly Islanders) | |||||||||||
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| Club information | |||||||||||
| Track address | Smallbrook Stadium Ashey Road Ryde Isle of Wight PO33 4BH | ||||||||||
| Country | England | ||||||||||
| Founded | 1996, 2016 (re-founded) | ||||||||||
| Club facts | |||||||||||
| Colours | Blue and Yellow | ||||||||||
| Track size | 385 metres (421 yd) | ||||||||||
| Track record time | 66.1 secs | ||||||||||
| Track record date | 13 April 2017 | ||||||||||
| Track record holder | Stefan Nielsen | ||||||||||
| Major team honours | |||||||||||
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History
editOrigins and 1990s
editIsle of Wight speedway began in 1996, at the Smallbrook Stadium, when the team signed up as a founder member of the newly formed Conference League.[4] The league was for teams outside of the Premier League at the time and during their inaugural season the Ryde Wight Wizards finished in fourth place in the 1996 Speedway Conference League table.[5]
The following season in 1997, the team entered the Conference League again, which was now the third tier of British speedway because a new Elite League had been formed as the top tier, with the Premier League becoming the second tier.[6] However, in July the Premier League team Skegness Braves folded due to financial difficulties and the Smallbrook Stadium promotion stepped in to host the remainder of the fixtures. The team would be known as the Isle of Wight Islanders.[7]
The team won their first silverware in 1998 after winning the Young Shield, an end of season event for the leading eight clubs in the league table. They defeated the league champions Peterborough Panthers in the final.[8]
2000s
edit
After several mediocre seasons they won the Young Shield again during the 2001 Premier League speedway season. In 2002, Adam Shields and Danny Bird won the Premier League Pairs Championship, held at Derwent Park on 19 July[9][10] and the following season in 2003, the club won their best honour to date, when winning the Premier League Knockout Cup.
During the 2007 Premier League speedway season, the team reached the play offs and won both the Pairs (Chris Holder and Jason Bunyan beat Glasgow in the final)[11] and Fours Championships (Holder, Bunyan, Krzysztof Stojanowski, Glen Phillips and Cory Gathercole).[12]
After the 2008 season the Islanders joined the third division (the National League) finishing 5th.
2010s
editAfter three seasons without National league success, the team won the National Trophy (a supplementary tournament, during the 2013 National League speedway season).[13]
After a break of two years (2014 and 2015), the club reformed in 2016 under the promotion of Barry Bishop and Martin Widman. For the 2018 and 2019 seasons the team raced as the Isle of Wight Warriors.
2020s
editThe COVID-19 pandemic caused the cancellation of the 2020 season before the club announced they would not be competing during the 2021 season.[14] However, a team would race as the Wightlink Warriors Shale Track Racing Club, separate from the British speedway leagues.[15]
In 2024, the team won the amateur NORA league.[3]
Notable riders
edit
Season summary
editReferences
edit- ^ Bamford, R & Jarvis, J.(2001). Homes of British Speedway. ISBN 0-7524-2210-3
- ^ "2023 fixtures". Warriors Speedway. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
- ^ a b "Wightlink Warriors Secure first ever Nora Speedway League title!". NORA league. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
- ^ "More variety for the Tigers". Cambridge Daily News. 15 March 1996. Retrieved 14 July 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Year by Year". Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
- ^ "BRITISH LEAGUE TABLES - MODERN ERA (1991-PRESENT)". Official British Speedway website. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
- ^ "Is this the end for the Braves?". Boston Target. 25 June 1997. Retrieved 14 July 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "1998 season fixtures and results" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
- ^ "2002 fixtures" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
- ^ "2002 Premier League Pairs at Workington". YouTube. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
- ^ "ISLANDERS TAKE PAIRS TITLE". Sheffield Speedway. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
- ^ "2007 fixtures" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
- ^ Oakes, P (2006). Speedway Star Almanac. Pinegen Ltd. ISBN 0-9552376-1-0.
- ^ "Warriors withdraw from National League". Warriors Speedway. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
- ^ "New speedway club owners say sport on Island is 'All Wight'". Isle of Wight County Press. Retrieved 14 July 2023.