Wounded Crump wins world speedway opener

Australia's defending world speedway champion Jason Crump has stormed to victory in the season-opening European Grand Prix in Poland, but admitted he had not expected to launch his title defence until June.

Crump won a re-run final ahead of local favourite Jaroslaw Hampel and Russian Emil Sayfutdinov. Australia's second rider Chris Holder was 10th in his full-time introduction to world speedway competition, only missing out on a semi-final place on a countback.

Crump was unsure whether he would start the 2010 season after suffering severe burns and broken bones in a crash at Belle Vue (UK) last September, which nearly cost him the 2009 championship.

But the 34-year-old declared himself fit to race in Leszno and cruised into the semi-finals with 10pts from his five heats.

He then led a determined Sayfutdinov home to reach the final, before producing a classy tapes-to-flag triumph to top the rostrum.

Crump's success clearly left the Aussie international baffled. He was surprised he even raced at the Alfred Smoczyk Stadium, let alone won the meeting.

"I didn't expect to be here today, so it was a bit of a bonus really," said Crump. "At the end of last season, I thought I would be able to start defending the world championship in about June if I was lucky.

"So it's a big bonus to be here at the start of the season and an even bigger bonus to get into the final."

He added: "I can run, but I can't really lift anything heavy with my left arm. I've had a lot of support from a lot of people - my wife, my family and a lot of other people who have stepped up and helped me. So I'm very fortunate and I'm really happy to be here.

"I've always put a little bit of pressure on myself to be the world champion, and I want to try and win again.

"But this year is a little bit different because it was only two months ago that I decided I would start."

Hampel, who made his world speedway return after a two-year absence, topped the heat scorecard with 11pts, before pushing the Aussie all the way in the final.

Third-placed Sayfutdinov bagged 10pts in his heats, but was unable to keep up with Crump and Hampel from the tapes in the decider.

Wildcard Janusz Kolodziej made a great impression on his Polish Ekstraliga home circuit with 10pts, before bagging second place behind Hampel to secure a spot in the last four.

But his night was ended when he lifted and collided with Sayfutdinov going into turn three in the first staging of the final. The referee then excluded the Pole from the re-run.

Three-time world champion Nicki Pedersen scraped through to the last eight with 8pts, before missing out behind Crump and Sayfutdinov in the second semi-final.

Kenneth Bjerre (10), Rune Holta (9) and Chris Harris (8) made positive starts to their SGP seasons. But Freddie Lindgren, Hans Andersen and Chris Holder will have been gutted to miss the semi-final cut on countback, despite scoring eight points apiece.

RESULTS
Heat scores
Jaroslaw Hampel (3-1-2-2-3) 11
Jason Crump (3-3-3-1-0) 10
Emil Sayfutdinov (3-1-1-3-2) 10
Janusz Kolodziej (1-3-3-2-1) 10
Kenneth Bjerre (1-2-2-2-3) 10
Rune Holta (2-3-1-1-2) 9
Chris Harris (2-3-0-0-3) 8
Nicki Pedersen (3-2-0-0-3) 8
Freddie Lindgren (1-1-3-3-0) 8
Hans Andersen (0-2-2-3-1) 8
Chris Holder (2-2-0-2-2) 8
Tomasz Gollob (2-0-2-1-1) 6
Andreas Jonsson (R-1-1-1-2) 5
Greg Hancock (0-0-3-0-1) 4
Magnus Zetterstrom (1-0-0-3-0) 4
Tai Woffinden (0-0-1-0-0) 1

Semi-Final 1: Hampel, Kolodziej, Holta, Harris.
Semi-Final 2: Crump, Sayfutdinov, Pedersen, Bjerre.
Final: Crump, Hampel, Sayfutdinov, Kolodziej (exc, foul riding).

Standings (after round one of 11): 1 Jason Crump (19), 2 Jaroslaw Hampel (18), 3 Emil Sayfutdinov (14), 4 Janusz Kolodziej (12), 5 Rune Holta (10), 6 Kenneth Bjerre (10), 7 Nicki Pedersen (9), 8 Freddie Lindgren (8), 9 Hans Andersen (8), 10 Chris Holder (8), 11 Chris Harris (8), 12 Tomasz Gollob (6), 13 Andreas Jonsson (5), 14 Greg Hancock (4), 15 Magnus Zetterstrom (4), 16 Tai Woffinden (1).