Talented twelve make the cut for FIM Speedway Under 21 World Championship Finals

With a total of twelve priceless places behind the tapes at the 2026 FIM Speedway Under 21 World Championship (SGP2) Finals up for grabs, Saturday saw the sport’s brightest talents converge on Pardubice in the Czech Republic, Fjelsted in Denmark and Krško in Slovenia for the three Qualifying rounds.

With four riders from each Qualifier making the cut for the three Finals in Malilla on 10 July, Łódź in Poland on 31 July and Vojens in Denmark on 11 September, the on-track action was intense with racing getting under way first in the Plochodrážní Stadion Svítkov at Pardubice where defending champion Nazar Parnitskyi from the Ukraine was up against a quality field that included Poland’s 2024 champion Wiktor Przyjemski.

After France's Tino Bouin had claimed victory in the opening Heat of the afternoon, Przyjemski defeated Parnitskyi and there were early wins for Denmark’s William Drejer and Adam Bubba Bednar from the Czech Republic.

Parnitskyi then won at his second attempt and there was a first victory for James Pearson from Australia, but after two blocks it was Przyjemski and Drejer who shared the lead on an undefeated six points each.

The third block of racing started with three new winners as Britain’s Ace Pijper, Mitchell McDiarmid from Australia and swift Swede Rasmus Karlsson all recorded victories before Przyjemski led home Drejer to move into the lead on his own.

Further wins followed for Przyjemski, Bednar, Drejer and McDiarmid in block four to set up a dramatic final block and after the Australian booked his place in the top four alongside Drejer, Przyjemski completed his maximum to ensure the top step of the podium.

Bednar also made sure that he was heading to Sweden when he signed off with a win, but there was disappointment for Parnitskyi whose second behind Karlsson saw him miss the all-important top four by just a point before a three-rider run-off for second was won by Drejer from Bednar and McDiarmid.

The action was even closer in Denmark where Australian Tate Zischke got the evening’s programme under way with a win and Germany’s Janek Konzack followed suit before hotly tipped Pole Kevin Malkiewicz defeated home star Mikkel Andersen and Antoni Mencel made it two Polish winners in the opening block of racing.

Mencel’s second win, that this time came at the expense of Malkiewicz, gave him the lead following the second block that also saw victories for Erik Persson from Sweden, Denmark’s Nicolai Heiselberg and Andersen.

Zischke, Andersen and Malkiewicz all took their second wins of the evening in block three, but Mencel maintained his unbeaten record to lead by a point as the programme passed the halfway mark, although his advantage was short-lived.

Further wins from Andersen and Malkiewicz, combined with Mencel dropping his first point of the evening when he trailed home Britain’s Luke Killeen, resulted in a three-way tie at the top with one block to go once American Slater Lightcap had moved into contention with his first victory.

Following four pointless rides, Finland’s Otto Raak claimed a consolation win to start the fifth and final block before Malkiewicz won from super-consistent Heiselberg – who took the final qualifying position – as Andersen tied things at the top with his fourth win with Mencel’s third-placed finish dropping him out of contention for victory, although he was still guaranteed a place in the Finals.

Konzack too signed off with a victory, but a retirement in his second Heat left him in a frustrating fifth before Andersen won the run-off for first from Malkiewicz.

The third and final Qualifying round in Slovenia was the closest of the day with Poland’s Maksymilian Pawelczak, the 2024 FIM Speedway Youth World Champion, taking the top step of the podium following a three-rider run-off with Villads Nagel from Denmark and Britain’s William Cairns.

After Polish racer Bartosz Banbor had won the opening Heat, Pawelczak defeated Cairns and Nagel also got his evening under way with victory, as did Australian Beau Bailey who then made it two wins in a row after Cairns led home Nagel. Pawelczak and Banbor also maintained their unbeaten run, resulting in a three-way tie for the lead heading into the third block.

Following his victory ahead of Banbor, Pawelczak moved into the lead on his own after Bailey was third behind Nagel and home rider Sven Cerjak, but Cairns remained in contention with his third win and Germany’s Mario Haeusl also picked up three points.

With his fourth win from four starts, this time ahead of Bailey, Pawelczak ensured he kept hold of his slim lead and there were wins for Cerjak, Cairns and Nagel to set up a thrilling fifth and final block that started with a victory for Haeusl from Cerjak that saw both riders narrowly miss out on a qualifying position.

Nagel signed off by inflicting Pawelczak’s first defeat of the evening and then Cairns defeated Bailey – the fourth and final qualifier – to set up the deciding run-off won by Pawelczak.

The focus now switches to Malilla’s Skrotfrag Arena on 10 July for the first of the three Finals to decide the 2026 FIM Speedway Under 21 World Champion.