Zach Wajtknecht
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Born | Saltford, Bristol, England | 8 February 1998
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Nationality | British |
Current club information | |
British league | Swindon Robins/ Birmingham Brummies |
Career history | |
National League: | |
2015–2016 | Birmingham Brummies |
2017 | Lakeside Hammers |
Premier League/Championship: | |
2016 | Somerset Rebels |
2018 | Lakeside Hammers |
2019– | Birmingham Brummies |
Premiership: | |
2017– | Swindon Robins |
Individual honours | |
2012, 2013 | FIM 125cc Youth Gold Trophy Champion |
2013 | British 250cc Youth Champion |
2014 | FIM 250cc Longtrack Youth World Cup |
2017 | British Under-19 Champion |
2019 | European Grasstrack Champion |
2018 | British Grasstrack Champion |
2016 | British Sand Ace Championship |
Team honours | |
2015 | National League |
2017 | SGB Premiership |
Zach Wajtknecht (born 8 February 1998) is a British speedway rider.
Career
At an early age Wajtknecht became a double World Champion, twice triumphing in the FIM 125cc Grasstrack Youth Gold Trophy. He followed up these successes by being crowned British 250cc Youth Champion in 2013 and winner of the FIM 250cc Longtrack Youth World Cup in 2014. These successes led to Zach being awarded the prestigious Pinhard trophy, a trophy he described himself as being "over the moon" to win.[1]
Wajtknecht was handed his big break in Speedway by the newly reformed National League Birmingham Brummies ahead of the 2015 season, the team's first season in the third tier of British Speedway. The team was put together by former manager Phil Morris, the newly appointed FIM Race Director for the Speedway Grand Prix series. Morris described Wajtknecht as having "what it takes to enjoy a very successful speedway career"[2]
In 2017, he won the British Under-19 Championship at Plymouth.[3] His 2017 season was cut short in July when a crash at Swindon resulted in a ruptured spleen and punctured lung.[4]
Speedway
British League Record
Year | Team | Matches | Rides | Points | Bonus | Total | Average | Full Maximum |
Paid Maximum |
2015 | Sheffield Tigers | 3 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 2.22 | ||
2016 | Somerset Rebels | 15 | 48 | 31 | 7 | 38 | 3.17 | ||
2017 | Swindon Robins | 19 | 81 | 65 | 25 | 9 | 4.44 | ||
2018 | Swindon Robins | 22 | 106 | 114 | 22 | 136 | 5.13 | ||
2018 | Lakeside Hammers | 24 | 104 | 126 | 18 | 144 | 5.54 | ||
2019 | Birmingham Brummies | 8 | 35 | 50 | 5 | 55 | 6.29 | ||
2019 | Swindon Robins | 9 | 40 | 17 | 0 | 17 | 1.70 |
Grasstrack
Zach is also having a very successful Grasstrack career. As well as his two world championships he has been in two European Championship semi's only missing the 2016 final through injury. He has three British titles to his name have won the 250 class twice in 2014 and 2015 and in 2016 he won the British Sand Ace championship on Guernsey.
European Championship
Year | Venue | Points | Pos |
2015 | Semi-finalist | ||
2016 | Semi-finalist | ||
2017 | Did not compete | ||
2018 | ![]() |
16 | 3rd |
2019 | ![]() |
18 | Champion |
2020 | Did not compete |
British Masters
Year | Venue | Points | Pos |
2015 | ![]() |
16 | 14th |
2018 | ![]() |
37 | Champion |
Longtrack
World Championship Grand-Prix
- 2019 - 2 apps (14th) 25pts
- 2020 - 2 apps (4th) 32pts
World Team Championship
- 2018 -
Morizes 6/46pts (with James Shanes, Adam Ellis & Chris Harris) Second
- 2019 -
Vechta 16/41pts (with Chris Harris, Edward Kennett & Adam Ellis) Fourth
References
- ^ "Speedway: Zach Wajtknecht scoops prestigious award for young riders". Sky Sports. 11 January 2015. Retrieved 11 January 2015.
- ^ "DOUBLE WORLD CHAMP JOINS BRUMMIES". Birmingham Brummies. 12 December 2014. Retrieved 12 December 2014.
- ^ "Results: Thursday July 6", speedwaygb.co, 6 July 2017. Retrieved 7 July 2017
- ^ "Zach Ruled Out", speedwaygb.co, 28 July 2017. Retrieved 28 July 2017