It was a magical evening for all speedway riders who took part in last U21 WCH final in Pardubice. For the second time in his career Maksym Drabik became the best youth in the world.
The beginning of the competition was very even, Dominik Kubera, the leader of the competition, scored 5 points in his first two starts and was on his way to the gold medal.
In turn, Gleb Chugunow was at the other pole, after eight races he sensationally was last with zero points. After such a performance it became almost certain that the entire podium of the Junior World Championships this year will be taken over by Poles (Dominik Kubera, Maksym Drabik and Bartosz Smektała). Until the end, however, it was necessary to wait for the decision as to which of them would win the most valuable medal.
Jaimon Lidsey, Jonas Jeppesen and the local hero Jan Kvech performed well in the tournament. They, apart from Poles, were the main actors of the Friday evening in Pardubice.
When everyone wrote down Gleb Chugunov, he scored a phenomenal end and advanced to the final. Shortly after the semi-finals, it became certain that Maksym Drabik became the junior world champion for the second time in his career. Dominik Kubera was eliminated in the semi-final and had to wonder until the end whether he would win a bronze or silver medal.
In the final, the best was Russian, Gleb Chugunov, and Bartosz Smektała came in second. This meant the necessity of taking an additional run for the silver medal. The outgoing world champion and fifth rider in senior competition in Europe, Bartosz Smektała, who did not leave any illusions to his rival, eventually won the silver medal. Kubera, despite joining the competition as a leader, ended the struggle in third place.
Scores:
1. Gleb Chugunov 13 (0,0,2,3,3,2,3)
2. Bartosz Smektała 17 (3,2,3,2,2,3,2) + 1st place in extra heat for silver medal
3. Maksym Drabik 14 (2,3,2,3,1,2,1)
4. Jaimon Lidsey 15 (1,3,3,3,2,3,0)
5. Robert Lambert 11 (3,3,0,2,3,0)
6. Jonas Jeppesen 11 (3,2,2,2,1,1)
7. Jan Kvech 10 (3,2,3,1,0,1)
8. Dominik Kubera 9 (2,3,1,0,3,0) + 2nd place in extra heat for silver medal
9. Patrick Hansen 8 (1,1,2,3,1)
10. Frederik Jakobsen 8 (2,2,1,1,2)
11. Rafał Karczmarz 7 (1,0,1,2,3)
12. Petr Chlupac 6 (2,1,0,1,2)
13. Wiktor Lampart 4 (0,1,3,0,0)
14. Tim Soerensen 3 (1,1,1,0,0)
15. Nick Skorja 2 (0,0,0,1,1)
16. Dominik Moeser 0 (0,0,0,0,0)
17. Patrik Mikel - nie startował
18. Daniel Silhan - nie startował
Heat after heat:
1. R. Lambert, D. Kubera, R. Karczmarz, N. Skorja
2. J. Kvech, F. Jakobsen, J. Lidsey, D. Moeser
3. J. Jeppesen, M. Drabik, P. Hansen, G. Chugunov
4. B. Smektała, P. Chlupac, T. Soerensen, W. Lampart
5. R. Lambert, J. Kvech, W. Lampart, G. Chugunov
6. M. Drabik, F. Jakobsen, P. Chlupac, N. Skorja
7. D. Kubera, J. Jeppesen, T. Soerensen, D. Moeser
8. J. Lidsey, B. Smektała, P. Hansen, R. Karczmarz
9. B. Smektała, J. Jeppesen, F. Jakobsen, R. Lambert
10. J. Kvech, P. Hansen, T. Soerensen, N. Skorja
11. J. Lidsey, G. Chugunov, D. Kubera, P. Chlupac
12. W. Lampart, M. Drabik, R. Karczmarz, D. Moeser
13. P. Hansen, R. Lambert, P. Chlupac, D. Moeser
14. J. Lidsey, J. Jeppesen, N. Skorja, W. Lampart
15. M. Drabik, B. Smektała, J. Kvech, D. Kubera
16. G. Chugunov, R. Karczmarz, F. Jakobsen, T. Soerensen
17. R. Lambert, J. Lidsey, M. Drabik, T. Soerensen
18. G. Chugunov, B. Smektała, N. Skorja, D. Moeser
19. D. Kubera, F. Jakobsen, P. Hansen, W. Lampart
20. R. Karczmarz, P. Chlupac, J. Jeppesen, J. Kvech
Semifinal:
21. J. Lidsey, M. Drabik, J. Kvech, D. Kubera
22. B. Smektała, G. Chugunov, J. Jeppesen, R. Lambert
Final:
23. G. Chugunov, B. Smektała, M. Drabik, J. Lidsey
Extra heat for silver medal:
24. B. Smektała, D. Kubera
