Piraterna are a Swedish motorcycle speedway team based in Motala, Sweden[1] The team are two times champions of Sweden.[2] and compete in the Elitserien[3][4]

Piraterna
Motala Arena in 2009
Club information
Track addressMotala Arena
CountrySweden
Founded1949
Team managerStefan Andersson
& Daniel Andersson
LeagueElitserien
WebsiteOfficial website
Club facts
NicknamePirates
Track size291 metres
Track record time55.9 seconds
Track record date7 June 2016
Track record holderJonas Davidsson
Major team honours
Team champions Gold2011, 2013

History

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1949 to 1951

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Piraterna made their league debut during the 1949 Swedish speedway season, finishing 8th in a ten team division.[5] The following season in 1950, the club won their first honours in the newly created division 2.[6] However after 1951, the club would not ride in the league system for 20 years.

1971 to 1999

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In 1971 the team returned to league action competing in division 3,[7] and two years later in 1973 gained promotion to division 2.[8] The club continued to race and despite a division 2 win in 1980 they never competed in the top division, which became the Elitserien in 1982.[9] The team then dropped out of the league in 1997 before returning in 1998 and winning division 2 in 1999.[10]

2000 to present

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Greg Hancock helped the club win their first Elitserien

Piraterna started the new millennium in the second tier known as the Allsvenskan and in 2003 led by Freddie Lindgren they finally achieved promotion to the Elitserien.[11] In 2006 and 2010, they achieved third place finishes.

In 2011, they had a new look squad that included former world champion Greg Hancock, polish rider Maciej Janowski, and two sets of brothers Piotr Pawlicki Jr., Przemysław Pawlicki, Jonas Davidsson and Daniel Davidsson. The club won their first Swedish Speedway Team Championship after winning the Elitserien title, beating Indianerna 93-87.[2][12] After a second place finish in 2012, they won a second title in 2013.[13]

In 2017, they were relegated but returned to the Elitserien in 2019.

Season summary

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Previous teams

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Notable riders

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References

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  1. ^ "Home". Piraterna Speedway. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  2. ^ a b "HISTORICAL RESULTS 1948-2015". Speedway History. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  3. ^ "Speedway Around The Globe - Sweden". Speedway Star. 23 July 2022. pp. 38–39.
  4. ^ "Piraterna Motala". Elit Speedway. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  5. ^ "Vargarna 1949". formula2.se. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  6. ^ "1950". Speedway.org. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  7. ^ "1971". Speedway.org. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  8. ^ "1973". Speedway.org. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  9. ^ "The elite series in speedway". Gislaved MotorKlubb. 15 December 2014. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  10. ^ "1999". Speedway.org. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  11. ^ "2003". Speedway.org. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  12. ^ "Pirathjälten: "Det är otroligt"". Sveriges Radio. 5 October 2011.
  13. ^ "Bauhaus Elite League winners". Speedway Fan Site. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  14. ^ "DACKARNA BAGS BEWLEY FOR 2023". FIM. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  15. ^ "PRZEDPELSKI SEALS PIRATES RETURN IN SWEDEN". FIM. Retrieved 2 February 2023.