7:00am Saturday 7th June 2008
By Phil Chard
BJARNE Pedersen is a firm backer of a proposed new European League.
Pirates' captain has told the Echo he would love to line up in the innovative competition if it got off the ground.
The Dane also believes his fellow top riders would want to compete in the event as well - including reigning world champion Nicki Pedersen.
Poole Castle Cover chief Matt Ford has been contacted by a mystery speedway contact to see whether his club would be willing to enter a European League.
The forward thinking Wimborne Road supremo confirmed earlier this week he would like Pirates to enter the pioneering project.
Pedersen said: "It looks like in a couple of years time, the number of meetings in British Elite League speedway will go down.
"Maybe it will fall from 50 to 30, so I think there wouldn't be a problem running a small European championship of some sort. I think it's a brilliant idea, and it's great Matt has said he would like Poole to be in it.
"There would need to be an agreement between clubs about who can ride for who, and I think from a fans' point of view it would be interesting for them to see Polish and Swedish teams racing in Britain.
"It would be good for everyone to see some new teams and some new riders.
"I'd really like to be involved in meetings like this. It's a great idea. It would be fantastic for the crowds and I think every top rider would be up for it.
"The door is still open in British speedway for Nicki Pedersen and riders like him to come back and race here regularly, whether it's in the British or a European league."
Ford said talk about a European League is still in its infancy, but it's believed only Swedish, British and Polish teams may be involved at the start of the exciting venture.
That means Bjarne, being a Dane, could, theoretically, line up for either one of his current clubs in the competition, Vastervik, Poole or Gdansk.
Bjarne, perhaps understandably, would not disclose where his loyalty might lie.
But he said: "The organisers would have to draw some rules up before the start so everyone involved knew where they would be.
"If it's Vastervik versus Poole in Sweden, those rules will help dictate which team I would be in. I can't see a problem if everything is set up correctly at the start."
Bjarne also believes with a reduction in British League fixtures, he could fit in regular appearances for his Swedish, Polish, British and Danish sides - he rides for his hometown club Hostelbro - and line up in the European League on top of his Grand Prix commitments.
He said: "If I'm down 20 meetings a year in England it's quite a lot of money to lose out on.
"At the end of the day we're all in business, so it would need to be made up and I would still need to have mechanics and bikes everywhere anyway.
"You still need to have the same equipment, so if Britain goes down to 30-35 meetings, I think a European League could work."
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