Troy Batchelor
{{short description|Australian speedway rider|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2014}}
{{Use Australian English|date=October 2014}}
{{Infobox Speedway rider
| name = Troy Batchelor
| image = Troy Batchelor.jpg
| caption = Troy Batchelor in 2018
| nationality = Australian
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1987|8|29|df=y}}
| birth_place = Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| career1 = Great Britain
| years2 = 2005–2006, 2016–2017
| career2 = King's Lynn Stars
| years3 = 2005
| career3 = Eastbourne Eagles
| years4 = 2006
| career4 = Coventry Bees
| years5 = 2007
| career5 = Poole Pirates
| years6 = 2008–2009, 2012–2015, 2018–2020
| career6 = Swindon Robins
| years7 = 2009, 2022
| career7 = Ipswich Witches
| years8 = 2010–2011
| career8 = Peterborough Panthers
| years9 = 2021
| career9 = Sheffield Tigers
| years10 = 2021
| career10 = Kent Royals
| years11 = 2022
| career11 = Oxford Cheetahs
| years12 = 2023
| career12 = Birmingham Brummies
| years13 = 2024–2025
| career13 = Workington Comets
| career16 = Poland
| years17 = 2007–2012
| career17 = Leszno
| years18 = 2013–2014
| career18 = Wrocław
| years19 = 2015–2016, 2018–2020
| career19 = Rybnik
| years20 = 2017
| career20 = Gdańsk
| years21 = 2020
| career21 = Bydgoszcz
| years22 = 2022
| career22 = Tarnów
| career27 = Sweden
| years28 = 2010–2011
| career28 = Lejonen
| years29 = 2012
| career29 = Hammarby
| years30 = 2013–2014
| career30 = Västervik
| years31 = 2019
| career31 = Vetlanda
| career32 = Denmark
| years33 = 2010–2011
| career33 = Holsted
| years34 = 2014–2015
| career34 = Fjelsted
| years35 = 2016–2018
| career35 = Region Varde
| indivyear1 = 2013
| indivhonour1 = Australian Champion
| indivyear2 = 2003, 2004
| indivhonour2 = Australian Long Track Champion
| indivyear3 = 2007
| indivhonour3 = Queensland State Champion
| indivyear4 = 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2017
| indivhonour4 = South Australian Champion
| indivyear5 = 2017
| indivhonour5 = Victorian State Champion
| indivyear6 = 2014
| indivhonour6 = Elite League Riders' Champion
| teamyear1 = 2012, 2019
| teamhonour1 = tier 1 League Champion
| teamyear2 = 2006
| teamhonour2 = tier 1 KO Cup Winner
| teamyear3 = 2008
| teamhonour3 = Elite Shield
| teamyear4 = 2022
| teamhonour4 = tier 1 Pairs winner
| teamyear5 = 2006
| teamhonour5 = tier 2 League Champion
| teamyear6 = 2005, 2006
| teamhonour6 = tier 2 KO Cup winner
| teamyear7 = 2005
| teamhonour7 = Young Shield
| teamyear8 = 2006
| teamhonour8 = Premier Trophy Winner
| teamyear9 = 2007
| teamhonour9 = Ekstraliga Champion
}}
Troy Matthew Batchelor (born 29 August 1987)Oakes, P.(2006). Speedway Star Almanac. {{ISBN|0-9552376-1-0}} is an Australian speedway rider.{{cite web |url=https://speedway.com.pl/riders/troy-batchelor/ |title=Troy Matthew Batchelor Australia |website=Polish Speedway Database |access-date=13 April 2023}}{{cite web |url=https://britishspeedway.co.uk/docs/Ultimate_Index_1929-2022.pdf |title=ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022 |website=British Speedway |access-date=28 June 2023}}
Career
= Australia =
Born in Brisbane, Queensland, Troy Batchelor enjoyed his first success when he won the 2001 Queensland and New South Wales Under-16 championships and followed this up by winning the 2003 Australian Under-16 Championship at the Bibra Lake Speedway in Perth. After graduating to the senior ranks following his 16th birthday, Batchelor won the Queensland State Championship in 2007 before he moved to Adelaide in South Australia where he has won the South Australian Championship at the Gillman Speedway six times (2008-2011, 2013, 2017). As of 2023, he sat third in the all-time SA title winners list behind joint record holders John Boulger and Jack Young. Boulger and Young each won nine SA titles during their respective careers.
In January 2008, he finished runner-up to Chris Holder in the Australian Solo Championship. In January 2013, he won the Australian Championship after having finished second in both 2008 and 2010."[http://www.speedway365.com/index.php/world-speedway-news/3523-aussie-title-for-batchelor Aussie Title for Batchelor] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130315181731/http://www.speedway365.com/index.php/world-speedway-news/3523-aussie-title-for-batchelor |date=15 March 2013 }}", speedway365.com, 12 January 2013. Retrieved 12 January 2013
Batchelor also won the Australian Long Track Championship in 2003 at the Bathurst Showground, and again in 2004 at the Wagga Wagga Showground. On 3 December 2016, Batchelor added the Victorian Championship to his resume when he won the championship at Undera Park, defeating the U/21 World champion Max Fricke in the final.
= UK and Europe =
Batchelor began his British speedway career in 2005 when he signed for King's Lynn Stars in the Premier League. In his first year, he won the Premier League Knockout Cup and the Premier Trophy, with King's Lynn defeating Rye House Rockets in both finals. The next season Batchelor was back at King's Lynn and was also Elite League team Coventry Bees number 8 rider. That year King's Lynn won a treble of the Premier League Championship, Premier Trophy and the Premier League Knockout Cup. He also helped Coventry win the Elite League Knockout Cup.{{cite web| title =Troy Batchelor profile| publisher =Swindon Speedway| year =2008| url =http://www.swindon-speedway.co.uk/index.php?module=htmlpages&func=display&pid=62| access-date =2008-03-23}}{{Dead link|date=July 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=no }}{{cite web |url=https://britishspeedway.co.uk/docs/Rider_Index_2008.pdf |title=2008 Rider index |website=British Speedway |access-date=17 February 2023}}
In 2007, Batchelor stepped up to the Elite League full-time with the Poole Pirates, whom he signed for on loan from King's Lynn. He also signed for Polish team Unia Leszno in the Ekstraliga and helped them win the 2007 Ekstraliga Championship. In 2008, Batchelor was on loan at Swindon Robins and continued with Unia Leszno in Poland. He also signed for Dackarna in the Swedish Elitserien.
Following two years with Peterborough Panthers in 2010 and 2011, he joined Swindon for the 2012 season and won the 2012 Elite League with the club.{{cite web |url=https://www.swindonweb.com/?m=490&s=1869&ss=0&c=11712&t=You+Muddy+Heroes%21%21 |title=You Muddy Heroes!! |website=Swindon Web |access-date=4 April 2024}}
He won the Elite League Riders' Championship, held at King's Lynn Stadium on 25 September 2014.{{cite web |url=https://wwosbackup.proboards.com/thread/7306/2014-elite-league-riders-championship |title=Elite League Riders' Championship |website=WWOS Backup |access-date=9 June 2023}}{{cite web |url=https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/sport/speedway/11497702.troy-batchelor-claims-elite-league-rider-crown-at-kings-lynn/ |title=Troy Batchelor claims Elite League Rider crown at King's Lynn |website=Swindon Advertiser |date=25 September 2014 |access-date=9 June 2023}}
In 2022, he joined Ipswich Witches from Sheffield Tigers for SGB Premiership 2022 season and won the Premiership Pairs.{{cite web |url=https://britishspeedway.co.uk/premiership/witches-win-premiership-pairs/ |title=Witches win Premiership Pairs |website=British Speedway |date=November 2022 |access-date=5 November 2022}}{{cite web |url=https://britishspeedway.co.uk/player/batchelor-troy-matthew/ |title=Batchelor, Troy |website=British Speedway |access-date=28 September 2022}} He also joined the Oxford Cheetahs for the SGB Championship 2022 season, with the Cheetahs were returning to action after a 14-year absence from British Speedway.{{cite web |url=https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/19708360.speedway-oxford-cheetahs-set-return-oxford-stadium/|title=Speedway and Oxford Cheetahs set to return to Oxford Stadium|website=Oxford Mail|date=11 November 2021 |access-date=18 November 2021}}{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/motorsport/59246564|title=Oxford Cheetahs: Speedway side set for British Championship return in 2022|work=BBC Sport |date=11 November 2021 |access-date=18 November 2021}} After riding for Birmingham in 2023, he joined the Workington Comets for the 2024 season.{{cite web |url=https://cumbriacrack.com/2024/01/01/workington-comets-sign-australian-international-troy-batchelor/ |title=Workington Comets sign Australian international Troy Batchelor |website=Cumbria Crack |access-date=1 January 2024}}
= International =
Batchelor made his Speedway Grand Prix debut in the Grand Prix of Poland II at the MotoArena Toruń in Poland in 2013. Riding as a substitute in the meeting, he finished in 12th place scoring 6 points.
For the 2014 Speedway Grand Prix, Batchelor became one of the top 15 Qualified Riders of the series. In his first full-time run at the World Championship, he finished in 9th place with 91 points scored. Batchelor scored his first podium when he finished second in the Danish Grand Prix at the Parken Stadium in Copenhagen.
Troy Batchelor has also represented Australia in the Speedway World Cup and numerous test matches.
World Final appearances
= World Cup =
- 2009 - {{flagicon|POL}} Leszno, Alfred Smoczyk Stadium - 2nd - 43pts (4)
- 2011 - {{flagicon|POL}} Gorzów Wielkopolski, Edward Jancarz Stadium - 2nd - 45pts (10)
- 2013 - {{flagicon|CZE}} Prague, Marketa Stadium - 3rd - 33pts (11)
- 2014 - {{flagicon|POL}} Bydgoszcz, Polonia Bydgoszcz Stadium - 3rd - 36pts (2)
- 2015 - {{flagicon|DEN}} Vojens, Speedway Center - 4th - 26pts (8)
= Individual Under-21 World Championship =
- 2006 - {{flagicon|ITA}} Terenzano, Pista Olimpia Terenzano - 17th - 2pts (Reserve)
- 2008 - {{flagicon|CZE}} Pardubice, Svítkov Stadion - 4th - 11pts
= Under-21 World Cup =
- 2008 - {{flagicon|DEN}} Holsted, Holsted Speedway Center - 4th - 33pts (7)
= World Longtrack Championship =
- 2004 (1 app) - 22nd - 5pts
Speedway Grand Prix results
| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;" |
| Year
! Position ! Points ! Best finish ! Notes |
|---|
| 2013
| align="center"|25th | align="center"|6 | 12th | Rode in season ending Poland II GP |
| 2014
| align="center"|9th | align="center"|91 | Second | Second in Danish GP |
| 2015
| align="center"|12th | align="center"|59 | Third | Third in Latvian Grand Prix |
References
{{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Batchelor, Troy}}
Category:Australian speedway riders
Category:21st-century Australian sportsmen
Category:Ipswich Witches riders
Category:King's Lynn Stars riders
Category:Australian expatriate speedway riders in England
Category:Oxford Cheetahs riders
Category:Sheffield Tigers riders
Category:Swindon Robins riders
Category:Peterborough Panthers riders
Category:Workington Comets riders
Category:Individual Speedway Long Track World Championship riders