Speedway news and results from the Swindon Advertiser, Wiltshire

SHAKE off your post-Elite League play-off semi-final blues by casting your vote for the 2008 Swindon Advertiser’s Robins’ Rider of the Year. It’s time for Robins fans everywhere to make their selection for their top performer in Swindon colours - and have the chance of winning the all-new Robins Elite Pass.

As well as entry to all of the Robins home fixtures, Elite Pass holders will receive the following great benefits, potentially worth thousands of pounds:

• Free Guest offers
• Complimentary Raceday programme at all valid meetings.
• Guided pre-meeting pitwalk
• Free Robins Mobile wallpaper
• Free rain off text alerts and away meeting Mobile Alert result service
• Exclusive email newsletters
• Hyundai Affinity Discounts (save up to £3800 on Family vehicles)
• Legends Lounge discounted upgrade opportunities
• Exclusive discounts from sponsors and associated companies
• Birthday card signed by team
• Pre-season Robins breakfast with the team and autograph session
• Discount on end of season dinner and dance tickets

Can anyone prevent super skipper Leigh Adams from winning the award for a fifth straight year? Inevitably, Adams will be as popular as ever with the Blunsdon faithful, who have been delighted by their team’s against-the-odds run to the play-offs.

Last year’s world number two has maintained his impeccable Elite League form, recording an 11-point average while nursing a raw Robins side through the pitfalls of a full league campaign.

Few riders can have made such a sensational impact in British speedway than Croatian wonderkid JURICA PAVLIC. From the moment the 19-year-old arrived with a bang at the Abbey Stadium in early August, recording an amazing paid 12 on his debut, Pavlic has wowed the supporters with his displays.

Who can forget his brilliant 21-point haul from reserve as Swindon beat Lakeside on August 8, or the paid 15 against Wolverhampton this month? MADS KORNELIUSSEN has proved himself a worthy heat leader after stepping up this season.

The Dane, always a favourite with Swindon fans, has recorded a string of double-figure scores and also announced himself as one to watch on the wider stage. Rising star TROY BATCHELOR is another one to keep tabs on.

The confident Aussie was largely an unknown quantity at the start of the campaign, but has performed to such a degree that Swindon are keen to make the King’s Lynn asset one of their own.

Also in the youngsters’ bracket is British ace JAMES WRIGHT. The Stockport rider has had his ups and downs in 2008, but has showed enough promise to indicate a bright future and also performed well in the British Championship.

Injuries have affected SEB ALDEN’S campaign. But the Swede is highly-rated by Robins’ chief Alun Rossiter and his points from reserve helped maintain Robins’ unlikely push for honours.

TRAVIS MCGOWAN would be the first to admit he has been a disappointment. Much was expected of the Australian, signed from Reading, but a pre-season injury hampered his progress and most observers know he can do better.

Regular number eight CORY GATHERCOLE has had few chances to show his abilities in Robins colours. But there is little doubt the cousin of Leigh Adams has promise and has performed well at premier League level for the Isle of Wight.

Supporters had only a fleeting glimpse of Austria’s MANUEL HAUZINGER. He opened with eight points on his debut, but was unable to hit those heights again. Finally, Dutchman THEO PIJPER rode only nine meetings for the club in an injury-affected spell before being replaced by Hauzinger.

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