Ricky Kling

{{Infobox Speedway rider

| name = Ricky Kling

| image = Ricky Kling Oxford 2007 speedway.jpg

| caption =

| nationality = Swedish

| birth_date = {{birth-date and age|2 June 1987}}

| birth_place = Virserum, Sweden

| death_date =

| death_place =

| career1 = Sweden

| career2 = Dackarna

| years2 = 2007, 2010, 2021

| career3 = Lejonen

| years3 = 2008-2009

| career4 = Vargarna

| years4 = 2014

| career5 = Vetlanda

| years5 = 2016

| career6 = Great Britain

| years7 = 2007

| career7 = Oxford Cheetahs

| years8 = 2007-2008

| career8 = Lakeside Hammers

| years9 = 2009-2010

| career9 = Eastbourne Eagles

| years10 = 2011

| career10 = Belle Vue Aces

| years11 = 2012

| career11 = Poole Pirates

| years12 = 2013

| career12 = Plymouth Devils

| career13 = Poland

| career14 = Ostrow

| years14 = 2006

| career15 = Zielona Góra

| years15 = 2007-2008

| career16 = Rybnik

| years16 = 2009

| career17 = Opole

| years17 = 2010-2011

| career18 = Denmark

| years19 = 2008, 2010

| career19 = Slangerup

| years20 = 2014

| career20 = Region Varde

| SGP No =

| SGP starts =

| SGP podium =

| SGP finals =

| SGP win =

| indivyear1 = 2008

| indivhonour1 = Swedish U21 champion

| teamyear1 =

| teamhonour1 =

}}

Ricky Anders Kling (born 2 June 1987 in Virserum, Sweden) is a Swedish speedway rider.{{cite web |url=https://www.eurosport.com/speedway/ricky-kling_prs118751/person.shtml |title=Ricky Kling |website=Eurosport |access-date=27 January 2023}} He has won the Swedish Championships as part of Vargarna twice.{{Cite news |date=10 October 2013 |title=Kling in i Vargarna |work=Folkbladet |pages=20 |language=Swedish}}

Career

Kling had a very promising junior career, and was considered a great promise.{{Cite news |last=Wiis |first=Kenny |date=2 May 2015 |title=Kling fylld av harmoni |url=https://vt.se/nyheter/harmonisk/artikel/kling-fylld-av-harmoni/jdgz8y1j |access-date=9 August 2024 |work=Västerviks Tidningen |language=Swedish}} He initially struggled to establish himself as a professional rider, but managed to establish himself after a few struggling years.

Kling made his British League debut in 2007 with Oxford, but when they closed mid-season, he then joined Lakeside Hammers.{{cite web |url=https://britishspeedway.co.uk/docs/Rider_Index_2008.pdf |title=2008 Rider index |website=British Speedway |access-date=17 March 2023}} He stayed with the Hammers for the 2008 Elite League speedway season, which was the same year in which he won the Swedish U21 title.{{cite web |url=http://www.historyspeedway.nstrefa.pl/mindmszwecji.php |title=HISTORYCZNE ZESTAWIENIE WYNIKÓW 1958-2016 |website=Speedway History|access-date=27 January 2023}}

File:2007 Ricky Kling Oxford motorcycle speedway.jpg

Due to building constraints, he was forced to look elsewhere for the 2009 Elite League speedway season and joined the Eastbourne Eagles for two seasons.{{cite web |url=http://www.eagles.elite-eagles.co.uk/2010/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=61&Itemid=182 |title=Eastbourne Eagles: Ricky Kling |access-date=13 June 2010}}{{cite web |url=https://www.theargus.co.uk/sport/8110320.kling-beats-the-chaos-with-long-drive/ | title=Kling beats the chaos with long drive |website=The Argus | date=21 April 2010 |access-date=1 August 2024}}

He the joined the Belle Vue Aces for the 2011 season{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/motorsport/14167498 | title=Swindon Robins call up Belle Vue rider Ricky Kling | work=BBC Sport | date=15 July 2011 |access-date=1 August 2024}} and then Poole Pirates for the 2012 season.{{cite web |url=https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/sport/9432885.pirates-kling-committed-to-improve-average/ | title=Pirates: Kling committed to improve average |website=Bournemouth Echo | date=22 December 2011 |access-date=1 August 2024}} His final season in Britain was during the 2013 Premier League speedway season when he rode for the Plymouth Devils.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/speedway/22727322 |title=Plymouth Devils sign Danish World Cup rider Mikkel Bech Jensen |work=BBC Sport |date=31 May 2013 |access-date=27 January 2023}}

In 2021, Kling made a one season comeback riding for Dackarna in the Elitserien.{{cite news |last1=Edgren |first1=Karl |title=Ricky Kling gör comeback i Dackarna |work=Barometern |date=17 August 2021 |page=21 |language=Swedish}}