Chris Louis
{{Short description|British motorcycle speedway rider}}
{{For|those of a similar name|Chris Lewis (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2012}}
{{Infobox Speedway rider
| image = Chris Louis.jpg
| caption = Chris Louis. U-21 WC 1990, Lvov.
| name= Chris Louis
| nationality = British (English)
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1969|7|9|df=y}}
| birth_place = Ipswich, England
| career1 = Great Britain
| years2 = 1988
| career2 = Hackney
| years3 = 1989–2002, 2004–2008
| career3 = Ipswich
| career4 = Sweden
| years5 = 1994–1996, 2001
| career5 = Bysarna
| years6 = 1998–1999
| career6 =Örnarna
|
| indivyear1 = 1990
| indivhonour1 = World Under-21 Champion
| indivyear2 = 1998, 2000
| indivhonour2 = British Champion
| teamyear1 = 2000
| teamhonour1 = European Club Champion
| teamyear2 = 1998
| teamhonour2 = Elite League Champion
| teamyear3 = 1998
| teamhonour3 = Elite League KO Cup Winner
| teamyear4 = 1998
| teamhonour4 = Craven Shield Winner
| teamyear5 = 1991
| teamhonour5 = Elite League Four Team Champion
| teamyear6 = 1988
| teamhonour6 = National League Champion
| teamyear7 = 1988
| teamhonour7 = National League KO Cup Winner
}}
Christopher Louis (born 9 July 1969)Oakes, P.(2004). British Speedway Who's Who. {{ISBN|0-948882-81-6}} is a former international motorcycle speedway rider from England, who primarily rode for the Ipswich Witches. He earned 41 international caps for the England national speedway team and 3 caps for the Great Britain team.{{cite web |url=https://britishspeedway.co.uk/docs/Ultimate_Index_1929-2022.pdf |title=ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022 |website=British Speedway |access-date=21 December 2023}} He is the son of former Great Britain International John Louis.{{cite book|last=Montague|first=Trevor|title=The A-Z of Sport|year=2004|page=523|publisher=Little, Brown|isbn=0-316-72645-1}}{{cite web |url=https://britishspeedway.co.uk/docs/Rider_Index_2008.pdf |title=2008 Rider index |website=British Speedway |access-date=28 March 2023}}
Career
Louis is former schoolboy grasstrack champion. He started his professional career at Hackney before moving to Ipswich in 1989 where he rode to the end of his riding career. He has missed a couple of seasons due to injury. He became the World Under-21 Champion after winning the 1990 Individual Speedway Junior World Championship.{{cite news |title=Tigers stalk team trophy |work=Daily Record |date=14 September 1990 |access-date=9 March 2024|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003741/19900914/044/0044 | via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}
Chris Louis made history in 1993 when he became the first son of a former World Finalist to also qualify for the World Final when he finished in third place in Pocking, Germany. Louis tied with former champion Hans Nielsen of Denmark in 11 points, only 1 point behind winner Sam Ermolenko of the United States. In a run-off to decide overall second place, Nielsen defeated Chris Louis who had to settle for third in his World Final debut.
Louis also qualified for the 1994 World Final in Vojens, Denmark but was unable to repeat his 1993 form and finished a disappointing 12th scoring only six points.
Chris Louis qualified for the new Speedway Grand Prix series which replaced the former World Final in 1995. He finished a career best 7th in the 1995 SGP with a best finish of third in 1995 Speedway Grand Prix of Poland. In 1996, he was extremely unfortunate not to be crowned the Premier League Riders Champion, after an engine failure denied him when he was leading on the last lap of the final.{{cite news |title=American ace survives late drama |work=Huddersfield Daily Examiner |date=21 October 1996 |access-date=7 June 2023 |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000901/19961021/015/0015 | via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}
He continued to take part in the SGP series as a regular rider until 2000, with his best finishes being second placings in the 1998 Danish and Swedish GP's and the 1999 British GP. He rode in selected events in 2001 before making his last appearance as wild card in 2004.
During his career, Chris won trophies in the UK, Poland, Sweden and Germany, and in 1998 and 2000 he followed his father's footsteps by becoming British Speedway Champion (John Louis won in 1975). Chris Louis remained an ever present for Ipswich for 19 seasons, from 1989 to 2008, with the exception of missing the 2003 season with a back injury.{{cite web |url=https://www.ipswichstar.co.uk/sport/21988551.louis-mulls-speedway-future/ |title=Louis mulls over speedway future |website=Ipswich Star |access-date=15 September 2023}}
Louis maintained his relationship with Ipswich becoming both their team manager and promoter but he stepped down as team manager in 2014.{{cite web |url=https://www.ipswichstar.co.uk/sport/22085719.updated-chris-louis-explains-stepped-ipswich-witches-team-manager/ |title=UPDATED: Chris Louis explains why he stepped down as Ipswich Witches’ team manager |website=Ipswich Star |access-date=25 November 2022}} He remained as promoter leading into the SGB Premiership 2025 season.{{cite web |url=https://britishspeedway.co.uk/premiership/positive-vibes-for-witches/ |title=Positive vibes for Ipswich |website=British Speedway |access-date=25 November 2022}}
World Final appearances
- 1993 – {{flagicon|GER}} Pocking, Rottalstadion – 3rd – 11pts + 2pts
- 1994 – {{flagicon|DEN}} Vojens, Speedway Center – 12th – 6pts
Speedway Grand Prix results
| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;" | ||||
| Year | Position | Points | Best finish | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 7th | 77 | 3rd | 3rd Polish GP |
| 1996 | 8th | 54 | 5th | Best finish in German GP |
| 1997 | 9th | 59 | 5th | Best finish in Danish GP |
| 1998 | 5th | 59 | 2nd | 2nd in Denmark and Sweden |
| 1999 | 12th | 50 | 2nd | 2nd in British GP |
| 2000 | 10th | 60 | 3rd | Best finish in Czech Republic and Poland |
| 2001 | 27th | 6 | 19th | Best finish in German GP |
| 2004 | 32nd | 4 |