2011 Elite League speedway season

It was a great season for the Poole Pirates, who won the Elite League, the Pairs Championship and the Knockout Cup. Claiming a clean sweep of honours. Throughout the 2010 season, it was rumoured that the Ipswich Witches would prefer to compete in the Premier League from 2011 onwards. Although they survived the promotion/relegation battle with the Newcastle Diamonds, it was decided that they would swap divisions with the Birmingham Brummies.{{cite news |title=British Speedway AGM - Key Points |url=http://www.speedwaygb.com/news.php?extend.9586|publisher=BSPA |date=2010-11-21 |access-date=2010-11-21}} On 27 November 2010, The BSPA announced that both Coventry Bees and Peterborough Panthers would not be riding in the top flight after they failed to declare their intent to compete in the 2011 competition.{{cite news |title=British Speedway Statement |url=http://www.speedwaygb.com/news.php?extend.9620.2|publisher=BSPA |date=2010-11-27 |access-date=2010-11-29}} This then led to the King's Lynn Stars being promoted from the Premier League due to the Elite League needing a minimum of 8 teams.{{cite news |title=Kings Lynn Join The Elite |url=http://www.speedwaygb.com/news.php?extend.9628|publisher=BSPA |date=2010-11-29 |access-date=2010-11-29}} On 15 March 2011 it was announced that both the Coventry Bees and Peterborough Panthers would be part of the 2011 Elite League after all.{{cite news| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/9425796.stm

| title = Peterborough and Coventry allowed back in Elite League| date = 15 March 2011 | work = BBC Sport| publisher = BBC| access-date = 15 March 2011}}

Poole Pirates made up for the previous season's disappointment by winning the league and cup double. The Australian quartet of Darcy Ward, Chris Holder, Davey Watt and Jason Doyle were supported well by Swedes Thomas H. Jonasson and Dennis Andersson as the Poole team deservedly won the title after finishing top of the regular season table for the second consecutive year.{{cite web |url=https://wwosbackup.proboards.com/thread/4943/poole|title=Speedway riders, history and results|website=wwosbackup|access-date=1 August 2021}} The Australian domination also extended to the league averages, which were topped by Chris Holder and the Elite League Riders' Championship won by Rory Schlein of Belle Vue.

M = Meetings; D = Draws; L = Losses; F = Race points for; A = Race points against; +/- = Race points difference; Pts = Total Points

{{#invoke:sports results|main

|matches_style=FBR|solid_cell=grey

|team1=BV|team2=BIR|team3=COV|team4=EAS|team5=KL|team6=LH

|team7=PET|team8=PP|team9=SWI|team10=WOL

|name_BV=Belle Vue Aces

|match_BV_BIR=50–42

|match_BV_COV=45–45

|match_BV_EAS=44–45

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|match_BV_LH=43–47

|match_BV_PET=53–40

|match_BV_PP=44–46

|match_BV_SWI=62–30

|match_BV_WOL=47–43

|name_BIR=Birmingham Brummies

|match_BIR_BV=43–47

|match_BIR_COV=51–39

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|match_BIR_KL=52–38

|match_BIR_LH=52–40

|match_BIR_PET=49–44

|match_BIR_PP=42–48

|match_BIR_SWI=48–42

|match_BIR_WOL=48–47

|name_COV=Coventry Bees

|match_COV_BV=56–38

|match_COV_BIR=48–45

|match_COV_EAS=46–39

|match_COV_KL=49–44

|match_COV_LH=58–34

|match_COV_PET=54–38

|match_COV_PP=49–42

|match_COV_SWI=42–48

|match_COV_WOL=50–43

|name_EAS=Eastbourne Eagles

|match_EAS_BV=54–39

|match_EAS_BIR=66–24

|match_EAS_COV=53–40

|match_EAS_KL=45–48

|match_EAS_LH=50–43

|match_EAS_PET=55–41

|match_EAS_PP=57–39

|match_EAS_SWI=59–34

|match_EAS_WOL=57–38

|name_KL=King's Lynn Stars

|match_KL_BV=48–42

|match_KL_BIR=50–43

|match_KL_COV=50–40

|match_KL_EAS=43–46

|match_KL_LH=65–30

|match_KL_PET=55–41

|match_KL_PP=50–43

|match_KL_SWI=58–37

|match_KL_WOL=50–43

|name_LH=Lakeside Hammers

|match_LH_BV=48–45

|match_LH_BIR=61–31

|match_LH_COV=42–30

|match_LH_EAS=44–46

|match_LH_KL=61–32

|match_LH_PET=55–41

|match_LH_PP=48–42

|match_LH_SWI=56–38

|match_LH_WOL=48–45

|name_PET=Peterborough Panthers

|match_PET_BV=50–24

|match_PET_BIR=50–37

|match_PET_COV=46–44

|match_PET_EAS=52–38

|match_PET_KL=48–45

|match_PET_LH=50–42

|match_PET_PP=49–44

|match_PET_SWI=63–27

|match_PET_WOL=59–34

|name_PP=Poole Pirates

|match_PP_BV=47–42

|match_PP_BIR=48–42

|match_PP_COV=55–31

|match_PP_EAS=55–39

|match_PP_KL=58–36

|match_PP_LH=58–36

|match_PP_PET=55–35

|match_PP_SWI=50–42

|match_PP_WOL=56–36

|name_SWI=Swindon Robins

|match_SWI_BV=41–49

|match_SWI_BIR=42–51

|match_SWI_COV=50–40

|match_SWI_EAS=51–41

|match_SWI_KL=42–48

|match_SWI_LH=43–47

|match_SWI_PET=47–43

|match_SWI_PP=49–43

|match_SWI_WOL=50–45

|name_WOL=Wolverhampton Wolves

|match_WOL_BV=56–36

|match_WOL_BIR=46–43

|match_WOL_COV=48–42

|match_WOL_EAS=46–44

|match_WOL_KL=47–43

|match_WOL_LH=53–42

|match_WOL_PET=51–38

|match_WOL_PP=42–51

|match_WOL_SWI=48–42

|update=complete|source={{cite web|url=https://www.speedwaygbarchive.co.uk/archives11|publisher=British Speedway |title=2011 fixtures & results |access-date=28 May 2024}}

}}

{{#invoke:sports results|main

|matches_style=FBR|solid_cell=grey

|team1=BV|team2=BIR|team3=COV|team4=EAS|team5=KL|team6=LH

|team7=PET|team8=PP|team9=SWI|team10=WOL

|name_BV=Belle Vue Aces

|match_BV_BIR=45–44

|match_BV_COV=n/a

|match_BV_EAS=n/a

|match_BV_KL=47–43

|match_BV_LH=58–35

|match_BV_PET=n/a

|match_BV_PP=44–46

|match_BV_SWI=n/a

|match_BV_WOL=45–45

|name_BIR=Birmingham Brummies

|match_BIR_BV=52–43

|match_BIR_COV=48–42

|match_BIR_EAS=n/a

|match_BIR_KL=n/a

|match_BIR_LH=38–54

|match_BIR_PET=50–43

|match_BIR_PP=n/a

|match_BIR_SWI=n/a

|match_BIR_WOL=57–36

|name_COV=Coventry Bees

|match_COV_BV=41–49

|match_COV_BIR=n/a

|match_COV_EAS=51–42

|match_COV_KL=45–45

|match_COV_LH=n/a

|match_COV_PET=49–41

|match_COV_PP=n/a

|match_COV_SWI=56–37

|match_COV_WOL=n/a

|name_EAS=Eastbourne Eagles

|match_EAS_BV=n/a

|match_EAS_BIR=n/a

|match_EAS_COV=53–40

|match_EAS_KL=46–44

|match_EAS_LH=n/a

|match_EAS_PET=n/a

|match_EAS_PP=57–35

|match_EAS_SWI=59–34

|match_EAS_WOL=63–29

|name_KL=King's Lynn Stars

|match_KL_BV=48–42

|match_KL_BIR=n/a

|match_KL_COV=44–48

|match_KL_EAS=50–42

|match_KL_LH=n/a

|match_KL_PET=47–43

|match_KL_PP=n/a

|match_KL_SWI=48–45

|match_KL_WOL=n/a

|name_LH=Lakeside Hammers

|match_LH_BV=48–41

|match_LH_BIR=51–42

|match_LH_COV=n/a

|match_LH_EAS=n/a

|match_LH_KL=n/a

|match_LH_PET=66–26

|match_LH_PP=40–38

|match_LH_SWI=n/a

|match_LH_WOL=47–46

|name_PET=Peterborough Panthers

|match_PET_BV=n/a

|match_PET_BIR=53–41

|match_PET_COV=54–40

|match_PET_EAS=n/a

|match_PET_KL=46–44

|match_PET_LH=53–40

|match_PET_PP=n/a

|match_PET_SWI=54–36

|match_PET_WOL=n/a

|name_PP=Poole Pirates

|match_PP_BV=45–48

|match_PP_BIR=n/a

|match_PP_COV=n/a

|match_PP_EAS=54–40

|match_PP_KL=n/a

|match_PP_LH=44–43

|match_PP_PET=n/a

|match_PP_SWI=53–41

|match_PP_WOL=54–42

|name_SWI=Swindon Robins

|match_SWI_BV=n/a

|match_SWI_BIR=n/a

|match_SWI_COV=43–47

|match_SWI_EAS=46–44

|match_SWI_KL=43–47

|match_SWI_LH=n/a

|match_SWI_PET=49–43

|match_SWI_PP=43–50

|match_SWI_WOL=n/a

|name_WOL=Wolverhampton Wolves

|match_WOL_BV=52–41

|match_WOL_BIR=48–45

|match_WOL_COV=n/a

|match_WOL_EAS=49–41

|match_WOL_KL=n/a

|match_WOL_LH=47–43

|match_WOL_PET=n/a

|match_WOL_PP=45–44

|match_WOL_SWI=n/a

|update=complete|source={{cite web|url=https://www.speedwaygbarchive.co.uk/archives11|publisher=British Speedway |title=2011 fixtures & results |access-date=28 May 2024}}

}}

Leg 1

{{footballbox

|date =19 September 2011

|time =

|team1 =King's Lynn Stars

|score =48 – 45

|team2 =Poole Pirates

|stadium =Norfolk Arena

}}

{{footballbox

|date =19 September 2011

|time =

|team1 =Lakeside Hammers

|score =47 – 46

|team2 =Eastbourne Eagles

|stadium =Arena Essex Raceway

}}

Leg 2

{{footballbox

|date =26 September 2011

|time =

|team1 =Poole Pirates

|score =63 – 27

|report =

|team2 =King's Lynn Stars

|stadium =Poole Stadium

}}

{{footballbox

|date =26 September 2011

|time =

|team1 =Eastbourne Eagles

|score = 53 - 39

|report =

|team2 =Lakeside Hammers

|stadium =Arlington Stadium

}}

First leg

{{footballbox

|date =3 October 2011

|team1 =Eastbourne Eagles
Cameron Woodward 14
Bjarne Pedersen 9
Simon Gustafsson 8
Joonas Kylmäkorpi 8
Lewis Bridger 5
Timo Lahti 5

|score = 49 - 41

|report = {{cite web|url=http://www.speedwaygb.co.uk/news.php?extend.13437|title=POOLE: EASTBOURNE 49 PIRATES 41 (EL GRAND FINAL, 1ST LEG)|website=Speedway GB|access-date=20 June 2021}}

|team2 =Poole Pirates
Chris Holder 12
Darcy Ward 10
Davey Watt 9
Kevin Wölbert 5
Dennis Andersson 3
Ricky Wells 2
Thomas H. Jonasson 0

|stadium = Arlington Stadium

}}

Second leg

{{footballbox

|date = 10 October 2011

|team1 =Poole Pirates
Darcy Ward 14
Chris Holder 11
Thomas H. Jonasson 11
Davey Watt 6
Kevin Wölbert 5
Dennis Andersson 5
Ricky Wells 5

|score = 57 - 36

|report = {{cite web|url=http://www.speedwaygb.co.uk/news.php?extend.13538|title=

EASTBOURNE: POOLE 57 EAGLES 36 (EL GRAND FINAL, 2ND LEG)|website=Speedway GB|access-date=20 June 2021}}

|team2 =Eastbourne Eagles
Cameron Woodward 14
Simon Gustafsson 8
Joonas Kylmäkorpi 5
Lewis Bridger 4
Bjarne Pedersen 4
Timo Lahti 1

|stadium =Poole Stadium

}}

Poole Pirates were declared Elite League Champions, on winning on aggregate 98-85.

The 2011 Elite League Knockout Cup was the 73rd edition of the Knockout Cup for tier one teams. Poole Pirates were the winners of the competition for the second successive year.{{cite web|url=http://edinburghspeedway.blogspot.com/2014/04/elite-league-ko-cup-2011.html|title=2011 Elite League Knockout Cup|publisher=Speedway archive}}

First round

Quarter-finals

Semi-finals

First leg

{{footballbox

|date = 20 October 2011

|team1 =Belle Vue Aces
Rory Schlein 12
Chris Harris 9
Ricky Kling 8
Charlie Gjedde 7
Patrick Hougaard 4
Craig Cook 4
Linus Eklöf 3

|score = 47 - 45

|report = {{cite web|url=http://www.speedwaygb.co.uk/news.php?extend.13635|title=POOLE: BELLE VUE 47 PIRATES 45 (KOC FINAL, 1ST LEG)|website=Speedway GB|access-date=22 June 2021}}

|team2 =Poole Pirates
Kevin Wölbert 13
Darcy Ward 10
Chris Holder 9
Dennis Andersson 7
Davey Watt 4
Ricky Wells 2

|stadium =Belle Vue Stadium

}}

Second leg

{{footballbox

|date = 20 October 2011

|team1 =Poole Pirates
Chris Holder 13
Dennis Andersson 13
Darcy Ward 12
Kevin Wölbert 9
Davey Watt 7
Ricky Wells 3

|score = 57 - 39

|report = {{cite web|url=http://www.speedwaygb.co.uk/news.php?extend.13648|title=POOLE: PIRATES 57 BELLE VUE 39 (KOC FINAL, 2ND LEG)|website=Speedway GB|access-date=22 June 2021}}

|team2 =Belle Vue Aces
Rory Schlein 11
Chris Harris 8
Charlie Gjedde 6
Ricky Kling 6
Patrick Hougaard 4
Linus Eklöf 4
Craig Cook 0

|stadium =Poole Stadium

}}

The Poole Pirates were declared Knockout Cup Champions, winning on aggregate 102-86.

Rory Schlein won the Riders' Championship. The final was held at Abbey Stadium on 15 October.{{cite web |url=https://wwosbackup.proboards.com/thread/4702/2011-elite-league-riders-championship |title=Elite League Riders' Championship |website=WWOS Backup |access-date=9 June 2023}}{{cite web |url=http://www.birmingham-speedway.com/_mobile/news.php?extend.1256 |title=SCHLEIN WINS ELRC |website=Birmingham Speedway |access-date=9 June 2023}}

• f=fell, exc=excluded, ret=retired

The Elite League Pairs Championship was held at the King's Lynn Stadium on 27 April and was won by Poole Pirates.{{cite web |url=https://speedwayupdates.proboards.com/thread/9096/elite-league-pairs-kings-april |title=2011 Elite League Pairs |website=Speedway Updates |access-date=20 May 2023}}

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-end}}

Semi finals

• Belle Vue 5 Peterborough 4 - Pedersen, Harris, Schlein, Batchelor
• Poole 5 Wolves 4 - Lindgren, Ward, Holder, Proctor

Final

• Poole 7 Belle Vue 2 - Ward, Holder, Harris, Schlein

Belle Vue

{{div col|colwidth=22em}}

• {{player||AUS|Rory Schlein}} 9.10
• {{player||ENG|Chris Harris}} 8.56
• {{player||DEN|Charlie Gjedde}} 7.70
• {{player||DEN|Patrick Hougaard}} 6.48
• {{player||ENG|Craig Cook}} 5.70
• {{player||ENG|Jordan Frampton}} 5.60
• {{player||SWE|Ricky Kling}} 5.22
• {{player||AUS|Kozza Smith}} 4.65
• {{player||POL|Łukasz Jankowski}} 4.48
• {{player||POL|Tomasz Piszcz}} 3.30
• {{player||POL|Dawid Stachyra}} 2.00

{{div col end}}

Birmingham

{{div col|colwidth=22em}}

• {{player||ENG|Ben Barker}} 7.65
• {{player||POL|Krzysztof Kasprzak}} 7.46
• {{player||ENG|Danny King}} 6.84
• {{player||SWE|Daniel Nermark}} 6.52
• {{player||DEN|Ulrich Østergaard}} 6.16
• {{player||DEN|Claus Vissing}} 5.73
• {{player||CZE|Aleš Dryml}} 5.39
• {{player||ENG|James Wright}} 5.33
• {{player||GER|Kevin Wölbert}} 5.10

{{div col end}}

Coventry

{{div col|colwidth=22em}}

• {{player||ENG|Edward Kennett}} 8.77
• {{player||RUS|Emil Sayfutdinov}} 8.28
• {{player||POL|Przemyslaw Pawlicki}} 7.96
• {{player||USA|Ryan Fisher}} 6.95
• {{player||DEN|Kenni Larsen}} 6.76
• {{player||AUS|Nick Morris}} 6.06
• {{player||ENG|Josh Auty}} 5.57
• {{player||AUS|Travis McGowan}} 4.21
• {{player||AUS|Richard Sweetman}} 3.88

{{div col end}}

Eastbourne

{{div col|colwidth=22em}}

• {{player||DEN|Bjarne Pedersen}} 8.61
• {{player||FIN|Joonas Kylmäkorpi}} 7.92
• {{player||ENG|Lewis Bridger}} 7.75
• {{player||CZE|Lukáš Dryml}} 7.69
• {{player||SWE|Simon Gustafsson}} 7.22
• {{player||AUS|Cameron Woodward}} 7.19
• {{player||FIN|Timo Lahti}} 3.06

{{div col end}}

King's Lynn

{{div col|colwidth=22em}}

• {{player||DEN|Kenneth Bjerre}} 9.22
• {{player||DEN|Mads Korneliussen}} 8.03
• {{player||DEN|Niels Kristian Iversen}} 7.88
• {{player||ENG|Oliver Allen}} 7.30
• {{player||DEN|Lasse Bjerre}} 6.11
• {{player||AUS|Sam Masters}} 4.48
• {{player||CZE|Filip Šitera}} 4.04
• {{player||CZE|Tomáš Topinka}} 4.00

{{div col end}}

Lakeside

{{div col|colwidth=22em}}

• {{player||ENG|Lee Richardson}} 8.46
• {{player||SWE|Jonas Davidsson}} 7.52
• {{player||POL|Piotr Swiderski}} 7.48
• {{player||AUS|Adam Shields}} 7.26
• {{player||ENG|Stuart Robson}} 6.99
• {{player||SWE|Kim Nilsson}} 6.52
• {{player||SWE|Peter Ljung}} 6.35
• {{player||FIN|Kauko Nieminen}} 6.02
• {{player||ENG|Robert Mear}} 5.67
• {{player||CAN|Kyle Legault}} 4.21

{{div col end}}

Peterborough

{{div col|colwidth=22em}}

• {{player||DEN|Nicki Pedersen}} 9.20
• {{player||AUS|Troy Batchelor}} 8.84
• {{player||SWE|Linus Sundström}} 7.83
• {{player||POL|Krzysztof Buczkowski}} 6.82
• {{player||POL|Norbert Kościuch}} 6.02
• {{player||POL|Kacper Gomólski}} 4.47
• {{player||AUS|Dakota North}} 4.00
• {{player||ENG|Richard Lawson}} 3.87

{{div col end}}

Poole

{{div col|colwidth=22em}}

• {{player||AUS|Darcy Ward}} 10.05
• {{player||AUS|Chris Holder}} 9.99
• {{player||AUS|Davey Watt}} 7.93
• {{player||SWE|Thomas H. Jonasson}} 7.14
• {{player||AUS|Jason Doyle}} 6.41
• {{player||SWE|Dennis Andersson}} 6.23
• {{player||GER|Kevin Wölbert}} 6.10
• {{player||RUS|Renat Gafurov}} 5.62
• {{player||GER|Christian Hefenbrock}} 4.84
• {{player||ENG|Kyle Newman}} 1.74

{{div col end}}

Swindon

{{div col|colwidth=22em}}

• {{player||ENG|Scott Nicholls}} 7.78
• {{player||DEN|Nicolai Klindt}} 7.02
• {{player||ENG|Simon Stead}} 6.86
• {{player||POL|Maciej Janowski}} 6.72
• {{player||DEN|Jesper B. Monberg}} 6.19
• {{player||AUS|Cory Gathercole}} 4.89
• {{player||RUS|Sergei Darkin}} 3.63
• {{player||AUS|Justin Sedgmen}} 2.83

{{div col end}}

Wolverhampton

{{div col|colwidth=22em}}

• {{player||SWE|Freddie Lindgren}} 9.66
• {{player||SWE|Peter Karlsson}} 8.78
• {{player||ENG|Tai Woffinden}} 8.34
• {{player||AUS|Ty Proctor}} 5.76
• {{player||SWE|Ludvig Lindgren}} 4.56
• {{player||USA|Ricky Wells}} 4.43

{{div col end}}

• List of United Kingdom Speedway League Champions
• Knockout Cup (speedway)

{{Reflist}}

{{Speedway Elite League}}

{{Speedway in the United Kingdom}}

{{United Kingdom Speedway Seasons}}

Category:SGB Premiership

Elite League

Speedway