Frustrated Morris set for Polish debut (From Swindon Advertiser)

Swindon Robins: Frustrated Morris set for Polish debut

6:00am Friday 22nd June 2012 in Sport By Andy Warren

SWINDON Robins youngster Nick Morris is set to throw himself into the toughest league in the would as he prepares to make his Polish Ekstraliga debut. The teenage Australian is set to begin riding for Polonia Bydgoszcz in early July, having spent the last three weeks training with the club in-between his commitments with the Robins.

Morris is flying out to Poland today to once again practice with the club led by Russian Grand Prix rider Emil Sayfutdinov, and is looking forward to adding the extra meetings to his schedule after last night’s home clash with Belle Vue became the 12th Robins race night to fall victim to the weather this season.

“It is very frustrating to keep having rain offs because I can’t really get into any sort of rhythm with my riding because I am just not getting enough meetings,” he said.

“I am only riding in Britain at the moment, but I have been going over to Poland every week to practice which has been a good experience for me.

“Bydgoszcz have been flying me out there for practice, and in the future in looks like I am going to be riding for them, and my first meeting could be against Gorzow in a few weeks time.”

If Morris does make his debut for the seven-time Polish champions, he will be doing so against a side boasting some of the best riders in the world.

Gorzow are captained by legendary Pole Tomasz Gollob, who is backed up by new Poole signing Krzysztof Kasprzak, former Robins favourite Matej Zagar, King’s Lynn number one Niels-Kristian Iversen and in-form Peterborough youngster Michael Jepsen Jensen.

The young Australian does not hold any reservations about mixing it with such impressive company, but admitted it will be a steep learning curve for him.

“It is something I am really looking forward to and have been working towards for a while, so it should be good, although it will be very tough.

“Poland is where all the top riders race every week, and if you really want to get there in speedway you have to be racing in Poland.

“To race with people like Emil will be a great experience because I am sure I will learn a lot from them, and I can’t wait to get started.”

The Bydgoszcz track is widely regarded as one of the best in the world, and its multiple lines has seen it produce some of the most entertaining meetings in the history of the Grand Prix series.

Gollob was born in the town and spent 14 years riding for the club before moving to Tarnow and then on to Gorzow, and Morris is delighted to have the chance to learn his trade on such a challenging surface.

“It really is a superb track and it has been great to ride on, although it is a lot bigger than what I am used to,” he said.

“It is a lot faster too, so you need a completely different riding style to go well on it, and that will do me a lot of good.”

Morris will remain in Gorzow and attend tomorrow night’s Grand Prix at the Edward Jancarz Stadium, where he will watch his Robins skipper Hans Andersen in action.

The Dane currently sits bottom of the GP standings, and will be looking to improve on his poor start to the campaign which has seen him pick up only 24 points from five meetings.

Morris will accompany fellow Australian Darcy Ward to the meeting to cheer on compatriot Chris Holder, and the young Robin has been impressed with how the pair, nicknamed the Turbo Twins, have been performing this year.

“Darcy has just been out of this world, and I really don’t know how he is keeping it up,” he said.

“Chris is right up there in the GP table and he has a chance of being World Champion. To watch them both ride and being able to pick up things up from them is awesome.”