The Ipswich Witches crowned 2025 Premiership Champions
Ipswich Witches have been crowned ROWE Motor Oil Premiership champions for the first time in 27 years, sealing a dramatic Grand Final victory over Leicester Lions at a packed Foxhall Stadium on Thursday night.
Thousands of fans packed into the Suffolk venue to witness history, as Ipswich held their nerve through a tense and incident-filled meeting to lift the league title — their first since 1998.
The night was far from straightforward for the Witches, with the second leg of the Grand Final filled with drama, restarts, and disqualifications in the early heats. Both sides traded blows in the opening stages, with Leicester determined to overturn their narrow deficit from the first leg.
Ipswich finally began to assert control in the middle of the meeting, earning a 4-2 in Heat 8 and then a vital 5-1 in Heat 9 courtesy of Tom Brennan and guest Keynan Rew, extending their overall lead to 11 points on aggregate.
However, the Lions refused to back down. Led by skipper Max Fricke and the in-form Ryan Douglas, Leicester fought back and ensured the tie went right down to the wire — with the overall outcome only settled in the final race.
Ipswich needed a finisher in Heat 15 to clinch the title, and the tension inside Foxhall reached fever pitch as Douglas crashed out on the third lap, confirming a 46-43 victory on the night and a seven-point aggregate win for the Witches.
Jason Doyle top-scored for Ipswich with 10 points, while Fricke (13) and Douglas (9) led the scoring for Leicester, each taking three race wins apiece.
An emotional Ritchie Hawkins, the Ipswich team manager, paid tribute to the fans and everyone involved with the club after finally ending nearly three decades of waiting for the title.
“It was an amazing night for everyone involved at the club,” said Hawkins. “We had a massive crowd in — thank you to everyone who came to support. We have won it for them and all the local sponsors.
“We have terrific support here and we have waited a long time for this moment. I am so proud to be part of a team that have managed to bring a trophy back.
“The meeting was another close affair, which we expected. Leicester battled hard and they are a superb team, and it wasn’t a surprise to me at all how close it was.
“I felt we needed to win at Leicester. I hope it was a great Final for everyone watching, and we are buzzing to come out on the right end of it.”
Leicester manager Stewart Dickson was full of praise for both teams after his side narrowly missed out on championship glory. Despite being runners-up for a second consecutive season, the Lions showed grit and determination throughout, pushing Ipswich all the way to Heat 15.
“You will always look back at certain things over the two meetings, but I’m very proud of the team that we stuck at it and we kind of took it to Heat 15,” said Dickson.
“We were seven points down on the night and we showed great energy and determination to come back, and you can say ‘what if this never happened,’ like when we were away on a 5-1 in the first race which would have been a perfect start and one you dream of!
“Last year we deserved to lose; this year, I think it was there for us if we wanted it, and we never grabbed it, which will make it difficult over the next couple of days.
“But that’s sport, and we’re not losers, we’re runners-up, and well done to Ipswich. They will get the plaudits and rightly so — they will celebrate and enjoy their night — but I’m very proud of my team for getting to the Final two years running.
“I was desperate not to roll over and lose 55-35 tonight, and the guys kept it going and did their best. We’ve had a good season, it just could have been a great season!”
While Leicester were left to reflect on what might have been, the night belonged to Ipswich — a club and community that have waited nearly three decades to see their team stand at the summit of British Speedway once again.
As fireworks lit up the Suffolk sky and the crowd roared in celebration, the Witches’ long wait was finally over — Ipswich are champions of the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership.
The full scorecard is bel0w:
ipswich_09.10.25_resFeature Image courtesy of Ipswich Speedway
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