Coaches Rickardsson, Hancock & Sundstrom to deliver Malilla Masterclass at FIM SGP Academy

Eighteen riders from eight different countries will get a masterclass in Malilla as they attend the second FIM SGP Academy of 2025 next week.

Led by Sweden’s six-time FIM Speedway world champion Tony Rickardsson, four-time Speedway GP world champion Greg Hancock and Swedish national team manager and former FIM Speedway World Cup winner Linus Sundstrom, the FIM SGP Academy is a unique opportunity for riders to enjoy expert coaching on and off the bike as they take their first steps into the sport.

The FIM SGP Academy, staged in partnership between the FIM, Swedish motorcycle federation SVEMO and FIM Speedway global promoter Warner Bros. Discovery Sports, gives riders and their families advice in many aspects of speedway, including sporting and anti-doping regulations, starting and riding techniques, bike preparation, media and social media, sponsorship, fitness and health.

With the FIM SGP Academy events all taking place away from any youth meetings, they provide the perfect opportunity for riders and their families to learn and hone their skills away from a competition and, most importantly, have fun and meet other young riders and speedway families from around the world.

Among the 18 riders heading to Malilla are three from the United States – including Karl Hancock, the youngest son of Speedway GP legend Greg Hancock. Five riders from host nation Sweden will also take part. There will also be four riders from Germany, two from Romania, one from Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands and Great Britain.

Following the FIM SGP Academy – Down Under staged at Adelaide club Gillman in January, Rickardsson looks forward to the first European academy of 2025, with one more still to take place in Polish city Torun as part of FIM Speedway of Nations week, which runs from September 30 until October 4.

Rickardsson said: “It’s always a real pleasure to work with the young riders and their families at these FIM SGP Academy events, and it’s particularly exciting that this is the first one to take place in Sweden.

“The response has been great, and Greg, Linus and I look forward to seeing all 18 riders both on the track and in the classroom as we talk them through some of the most important aspects of the sport.

“We have staged our SGP4 championship for the riders aged 11-13 in Malilla for the past two seasons, and the Skrotfrag Arena has the ideal facilities to train young riders.

“But unlike SGP4, this is not a competition – this is all about our riders having fun and hopefully taking the next steps on their speedway journey.”

FIM Track Racing Commission (CCP) director Armando Castagna commented: “Along with Tony Rickardsson, FIM race director Phil Morris and Speedway GP rider Max Fricke, it was great to travel to Gillman in January and work with the young riders at the FIM SGP Academy – Down Under.

“The Malilla academy features riders from all over the world and we are delighted to be part of a project that introduces riders and their families to the FIM Speedway world and hopefully inspires them to follow their dreams in the sport. Maybe we will see some of them competing in Malilla one day, and hopefully in a Speedway GP event.”

Laura Manciet, FIM Speedway World Championships director for WBD Sports, added: “The FIM SGP Academies are the first step for young riders on the pyramid system we are building in partnership with the FIM.

“It would be great to see some of this year’s FIM SGP Academy riders in the FIM SGP4 World Championship for 11-13-year-olds and SGP3 – the FIM Speedway Youth World Championship for 250cc, under-16 riders in the coming seasons. Then, of course, it would be a huge pleasure to see these riders progress to the FIM Speedway Under-21 World Championship (SGP2) and ultimately Speedway GP in the future.

“We would like to thank the FIM, SVEMO, our hosts in Malilla and, of course, Tony, Greg and Linus for working with us to deliver this event for our young riders and their families. We look forward to a great week in Sweden.”

Words and Images by SGP