On September 1, the individual finals of European Speedway Championships will take place in Daugavpils, Latvia. Around 8 thousand spectators are expected to arrive from the Baltics, Europe, Russia and the CIS. Television coverage of the event is expected in almost twenty countries. The European Championship finals are supported by Rietumu.
The European cup finals will be contested among the 16 leading European riders from Poland, Denmark, Sweden, the Czech Republic, Russia and Ukraine. Latvia will be represented by the two best local sportsmen – Andrzej Lebedew and Kjastas Puodzuks.
The heats will take place in the Daugavpils "Lokomotīve" stadium, which is widely regarded by professionals as one of the best speedway tracks in Europe. The race is being organised by the well-known Daugavpils motosports club Speedway Grand prix of Latvia.
"Latvia has a rich tradition of speedway and we host European and global scale events in Daugavpils every year. These dynamic and spectacular races are becoming more and more popular all around the world and, with the current pace of development, I am certain that Latvian sportsmen will continue to duly compete with their international rivals, whereas the Daugavpils stadium will be one of the favourite arenas for competitors and spectators alike," says Vladimir Rybnikov, President of Speedway Grand Prix of Latvia.
It should be noted that the European cup competition will take place in Daugavpils – the capital of Latgale, which is known for its unique undisturbed nature and more than two thousand lakes, hence the "region of blue lakes" name. Thanks to its amazing nature and excellent ecology, this part of Latvia has been attracting more and more visitors from Russia and Europe over recent years, becoming a great alternative for the glamorous Jūrmala and bustling Riga.
"We openly welcome such an important European event as the Speedway Championship finals in Daugavpils. It is not only important from a sporting perspective, but also for the development of Latgale on the whole. The more such events are staged here, the more visitor and investor exposure this emerging region will receive," says the Senior Vice-President of Rietumu Ilya Sukharenko.
In 2013, the Latvian Speedway Club, which is among the leading continental organisations in this discipline or sports, will celebrate its 50th anniversary. To celebrate this milestone, Speedway Grand Prix of Latvia plans to hold a speedway World Grand Prix in Daugavpils. The race is planned in cooperation with a number of broadcasters, including Eurosport, ensuring coverage in more than 140 countries.
Eleonora Gailisha Mass Media and Public Relations
Phone: +371-67020506
Fax: +371-67020563
E-mail:
egailisha@rietumu.lv
