Ekstraliga (speedway)
| File:Speedway Ekstraliga logo2.jpg | |
| Sport | speedway |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2000 |
| CEO | League Commissioner: Ryszard Głód |
| Motto | Więcej mocy... More power... |
| No. of teams | 8 |
| Country | Poland |
| Most recent champion(s) | Stal Gorzów Wielkopolski |
| TV partner(s) | nSport |
| Official website | Official site |
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The Speedway Ekstraliga (Template:Lang-en, Template:Lang-pl) is the top division of motorcycle speedway in Poland. It has been called the "richest and most popular speedway league in the world",[1] and attracts riders from all over the world. The Ekstraliga has the highest average attendances for any sport in Poland.[1]
With the fall of communism in Poland in the 1990s and the resultant sharp increase in the value of the Złoty, the sport began to attract a wider range of star riders from other countries. The first of these was Denmark’s Hans Nielsen.[1]
In 2000, the First Division was renamed Ekstraliga, and the number of teams was reduced.[1] Since 2012 the official sponsor of Ekstraliga is the Polish energy company ENEA, which signed the financial contract for three consecutive seasons through 2014. The top division tournaments are named Enea Ekstraliga respectively.[2]
2014 Speedway Ekstraliga
- Stelmet Falubaz Zielona Góra
- Unibax Toruń
- Unia Tarnów
- Dospel Włókniarz Częstochowa
- Stal Gorzów
- Fogo Unia Leszno
- Betard Sparta Wrocław
- Renault Zdunek Wybrzeże Gdańsk
Teams
| City | Club | Current team name | Seasons in Ekstraliga |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bydgoszcz | Polonia Bydgoszcz | Polonia Bydgoszcz | 2000-07, 2009-10, 2012-13 |
| Częstochowa | Włókniarz Częstochowa | Dospel Włókniarz Częstochowa | 2000- |
| Gdańsk | Wybrzeże Gdańsk | Renault Zdunek Wybrzeże Gdańsk | 2000, 2002-03, 2005, 2009, 2012, 2014- |
| Gniezno | Start Gniezno | Start Gniezno | 2000, 2002-03, 2005, 2009, 2013 |
| Gorzów Wlkp. | Stal Gorzów Wlkp. | Stal Gorzów | 2000-02, 2008- |
| Leszno | Unia Leszno | Fogo Unia Leszno | 2000- |
| Piła | Polonia Piła | Speedway Polonia Piła | 2000-03 |
| Rybnik | RKM Rybnik | ROW Rybnik | 2004, 2006 |
| Rzeszów | Stal Rzeszów | PGE Marma Rzeszów | 2006-2008, 2011-13 |
| Tarnów | Unia Tarnów | Unia Tarnów | 2004-2008, 2010- |
| Toruń | KS Toruń | Unibax Toruń | 2000- |
| Wrocław | WTS Wrocław | Betard Sparta Wrocław | 2000- |
| Zielona Góra | ZKŻ Zielona Góra | Stelmet Falubaz Zielona Góra | 2001, 2003-05, 2007- |
Ekstraliga Champions
Juniors U-21 League
Individual Championship of Juniors U-21 League
See also
External links
- ^ a b c d Kevin Meynell & Marcin Babnis (7 July 2004), History of Polish Speedway. Main competitions. Rules. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
- ^ Poważny inwestor wchodzi do Speedway Ekstraligi! PrzegladSportowy.pl 01-12-2011. Ringier Axel Springer.