The Scotland pair of Lee Kemp and Kyle Holland achieved a third place finish in the World Junior Cycle Speedway Pairs Event at Exeter last Saturday (1st August).
Lee Kemp who rides for Wednesfield, based in Wolverhamption, has previously competed for Scotland at a Speedway world championships, having raced in the USA in 2011. For Kyle Holland, who rides for Sheffield, it was his first experience of the World Championships.
With five countries entered in the competition, the Scottish pairing had to ride against each country once. As each country has two riders, each heat has four riders competing around the 70-90m track. The first rider over the line after the four lap race takes four points for their team, the next three points, then two points and finally one point. With races lasting about 44seconds, it is fast, thrilling and exciting wheel to wheel racing!
After riding all of the heats, the Scottish pairing finished tied on 16 points with Australia and Wales. In order to decide the bronze medal, there would be a three-man run off, with one rider nominated from each country, with the first man over the line taking the bronze medal home for their team.
Lee Kemp was the nominated Scottish rider to take to the start line, and led out the race from tapes to the flag, claiming Scotland their first rostrum finish by Scotland at the World Cycle Speedway Championships since 2003.
In the Senior Championships, the Scotland pairing finished 5th place.
The competition continues this weekend for Lee Kemp, as he has qualified for the semi-final of the World Individual Junior Cycle Speedway Championships on Saturday, with the final being held at his home course on Sunday.
