2004 Elite League speedway season

Season summary

In 2004, the league increased to ten teams, with the Arena Essex Hammers and the Swindon Robins moving up from the Premier League. The title was decided by a play-off between the top five teams. The team that finished top of the table were seeded directly to the final and the next four met in quarter and semi final rounds. The winner of these rounds qualified for the final.

Poole Pirates dominated the season again and completed the 'double double' meaning winning the league and cup for two consecutive seasons. This had not been achieved since Oxford Cheetahs during the 1985 and 1986 seasons. Poole retained the majority of their 2003 squad, five time World Champion Tony Rickardsson, Magnus Zetterström, Antonio Lindbäck and Bjarne Pedersen but Ryan Sullivan was brought in from Peterborough to replace Leigh Adams who moved to Swindon.

Rickardsson topped the league averages but only raced part of the season returning to Sweden to spend more time with his family. Arguably Leigh Adams was the star rider of the season helping new Elite League side Swindon to a respectable mid-table position.

Final table

*** Belle Vue v Peterborough not held

'A' Fixtures

'B' Fixtures

Play-offs

Quarter-final and Semi-final decided over one leg. Grand Final decided by aggregate scores over two legs.

Quarter-finals

• Wolverhampton Wolves 61-33 Oxford Silver Machine
• Ipswich Witches 55-39 Eastbourne Eagles

Semi-finals

• Wolverhampton Wolves 45-45 Ipswich Witches (Mikael Max beat Hans Andersen in run-off)

Final

First leg Mikael Max 13 Freddie Lindgren 9 David Howe 7 Sam Ermolenko 6 Adam Skórnicki 5 Chris Neath 1 Daniel Nermark R/R Antonio Lindbäck 12 Leigh Adams (guest) 11 Bjarne Pedersen 9 Matej Ferjan 6 Magnus Zetterström 6 Krzysztof Kasprzak 4 Daniel Davidsson 1 Second leg Bjarne Pedersen 12 Antonio Lindbäck 11 Ryan Sullivan 11 Matej Ferjan 8 Daniel Davidsson 8 Magnus Zetterström 7 Krzysztof Kasprzak 6 Freddie Lindgren 12 Mikael Max 7 Sam Ermolenko 7 Adam Skórnicki 2 David Howe 2 Magnus Karlsson 0 Daniel Nermark R/R

The Poole Pirates were declared League Champions, winning on aggregate 112-71.

Elite League Knockout Cup

The 2004 Elite League Knockout Cup was the 66th edition of the Knockout Cup for tier one teams. Poole Pirates were the winners of the competition. Poole had started the final second leg under protest because of the Ipswich team changes that included a late replacement rider Davey Watt, who Poole considered was ineligible.

First round

Quarter-finals

Semi-finals

Final

First leg Hans Andersen 11 Scott Nicholls 9 Chris Louis 8 Jesper B. Jensen 7 Danny Bird 6 Kim Jansson 4 Danny King 3 Antonio Lindbäck 8 Ryan Sullivan 8 Matej Ferjan 8 Krzysztof Kasprzak 8 Bjarne Pedersen 5 Magnus Zetterström 4 Daniel Davidsson 1

Second leg Antonio Lindbäck 13 Ryan Sullivan 11 Matej Ferjan 10 Krzysztof Kasprzak 7 Magnus Zetterström 7 Bjarne Pedersen 6 Daniel Davidsson 3 Hans Andersen 14 Scott Nicholls 11 Kim Jansson 7 Chris Louis 6 Jesper B. Jensen 1 Davey Watt 0 Danny King 0

The Poole Pirates were declared Knockout Cup Champions, winning on aggregate 99-87.

Riders' Championship

Bjarne Pedersen won the Riders' Championship. The final was held at Wimborne Road on 17 October.

Pairs

The Elite League Pairs Championship, sponsored by Suzuki, was held at the Abbey Stadium on 11 April and was won by Swindon Robins. Group A

Group B

Semi finals

• Swindon beat Eastbourne
• Belle Vue beat Peterborough 7–2

Final

• Swindon beat Belle Vue 5–4

Leading final averages

Rider & final averages

Arena Essex

• 9.87
• 6.67
• 6.57
• 6.18
• 6.06
• 6.02
• 5.82
• 5.66
• 4.44

Belle Vue

• 10.67
• 7.40
• 7.27
• 7.25
• 7.13
• 7.10
• 6.13
• 6.03
• 4.91
• 4.73
• 4.51
• 3.68
• 2.12
• 1.57
• 0.47

Coventry

• 9.07
• 7.11
• 6.68
• 6.49
• 6.00
• 5.85
• 5.67
• 4.76
• 2.29
• 1.05

Eastbourne

• 9.95
• 9.48
• 8.18
• 7.02
• 5.00
• 4.52
• 4.20
• 2.92
• 2.42
• 2.07

Ipswich

• 9.33
• 8.59
• 8.29
• 7.30
• 6.49
• 5.96
• 3.30
• 1.41

Oxford

• 9.83
• 6.74
• 6.60
• 6.25
• 6.25
• 5.96
• 5.20
• 4.91

Peterborough

• 8.62
• 7.86
• 6.86
• 6.55
• 5.40
• 4.55
• 4.00
• 2.21
• 2.00

Poole

• 10.89
• 8.77
• 8.66
• 8.63
• 7.65
• 6.29
• 5.86
• 5.43
• 4.80
• 4.72

Swindon

• 10.83
• 7.23
• 6.98
• 6.41
• 6.05
• 5.79
• 3.89
• 2.74

Wolverhampton

• 9.39
• 7.48
• 7.37
• 6.86
• 6.52
• 6.43
• 5.59
• 2.12

References

References

1. "Historic league tables". Speedway Archive.
2. "2004 league tables". Speedway GB.
3. "HISTORY ARCHIVE".
4. "Speedway riders, history and results".
5. "Rickardsson says farewell to Poole as he puts family first".
6. "2004 fixtures & results". Speedway Researcher.
7. "2004 Elite League Knockout Cup". Speedway archive.
8. "Andersen leads final push".
9. "Hans: Witches too good not to win".
10. "Elite League Riders' Championship".
11. "Speedway: It's home sweet home for Robins".