Andersen's fitness battle for World Cup defence (From Bournemouth Echo)

Andersen's fitness battle for World Cup defence

7:00am Thursday 9th July 2009

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INJURED Pirates star Hans Andersen is facing a race against time to help Denmark defend their World Team Cup title.

Poole Castle Cover’s new pin up boy was violently flung over the fence after colliding with Emil Sayfutdinov in a Swedish League match on Tuesday.

Andersen sat out the Dorset club’s 59-33 home Elite League triumph over Ipswich last night with an injury to his left arm.

Miraculously, he didn’t suffer any broken bones in a horrendous spill that can be viewed on YouTube by typing in ‘Dackarna vs Piraterna Hans Andersen’.

The Dane was leading heat 16 for his Swedish team Dackarna at Piraterna as he headed into the third turn.

But as Sayfutdinov tried to go round the outside of Andersen, he leant too far over into the Danes’ handlebars, their two bikes collided, flinging the Russian into the safety fence and catapulting Andersen over it.

Andreas Jonsson was also caught up in the carnage, falling heavily after trying to lay it down to avoid Andersen and Sayfutdinov’s machines, with only Jonas Davidsson avoiding the crash.

Andersen, included in the Denmark team due to get the World Cup underway against Russia, Sweden and the Czech Republic at Vojens on Saturday, told the Echo last night: “I’m just completely battered and bruised.

“But it’s been confirmed that no bones have been broken.

“I have a problem with my left hand. I took a big knock to the hand and I hardly have any movement in my fingers.

“It was a big crash and I fell over the fence, so at the moment I just have to sit back and give it time.

“I’ll wait and see what happens. I’ll see my physio and go from there because my whole body is battered and bruised.

“I’ll be devastated if I have to miss the World Cup because it means so much to all of us Danish boys.”

Pirates used rider replacement for Andersen last night, even though were eligible to bring in a guest because he is their number one rider.

With Ipswich weakened by the enforced absence of their new top man, Scott Nicholls, Poole leapfrogged the Witches to climb off the foot of the table with a maximum ‘three-point’ home haul.

Bjarne Pedersen banged in a sparkling 16 paid 18 point maximum and Chris Holder got 16 paid 17.

Pirates have a 12-day gap until their next match in the league at Lakeside on Monday, July 20, so they will be hoping that if Andersen does have to sit out the World Cup, he’ll be fit enough to return for them at the Arena-Essex Raceway.

Poole may be without a home league meeting next Wednesday, but there will still be action at Wimborne Road on the same night, as Buccaneers host Plymouth in the National League instead.

Three Bournemouth riders line up in the Great Britain versus Australasia Under-21 Test match at Weymouth tomorrow.

Jerran Hart and one of either Mark Baseby or Aaron Baseby have been called up by GB, and New Zealander Andrew Aldridge represents Australasia.

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