Ekstraliga (speedway)

The Speedway Ekstraliga (English: Polish Extraleague, Polish: Ekstraliga żużlowa) is the top division of motorcycle speedway in Poland. It has been called the "richest and most popular speedway league in the world",[1] and attracts riders from all over the world. The Ekstraliga has the highest average attendances for any sport in Poland.[1]

Ekstraliga żużlowa

Tomasz Chrzanowski (blue helmet), Robert Kościecha (white helmet)
Sportspeedway
Founded2000
CEOLeague Commissioner:
Wojciech Stępniewski
No. of teams8
CountryPoland
Most recent
champion(s)		Unia Leszno x 6 times
TV partner(s)England: Premier Sports Poland: Eleven Sports PL and nSport+
Official websiteOfficial site

With the fall of communism in Poland in the 1990s and the resultant sharp increase in the value of the Złoty, the sport began to attract a wider range of star riders from other countries. The first of these was Denmark’s Hans Nielsen.[1]

In 2000, the First Division was renamed Ekstraliga, and the number of teams was reduced.[1] Since 2012 the official sponsor of Ekstraliga is the Polish energy company ENEA, which signed the financial contract for three consecutive seasons through 2014. The top division tournaments are named Enea Ekstraliga respectively.[2]

Further information: Speedway in Poland

2020 PGE Ekstraliga

Teams
CityClubCurrent team nameSeasons in EkstraligaApp
LesznoUnia LesznoFogo Unia Leszno2000-2021
WrocławWTS WrocławBetard Sparta Wrocław2000-2021
ToruńKS ToruńGet Well Toruń2000-1920
CzęstochowaWłókniarz CzęstochowaforBET Włókniarz Częstochowa2000-14, 2017-2019
Zielona GóraZKŻ Zielona GóraStelmet Falubaz Zielona Góra2001, 2003-05, 2007-2019
Gorzów Wlkp.Stal Gorzów Wlkp.truly.work Stal Gorzów2000-02, 2008-2016
TarnówUnia TarnówUnia Tarnów2004-08, 2010-16, 201813
BydgoszczPolonia BydgoszczZOOleszcz Polonia Bydgoszcz2000-07, 2009-10, 2012-1312
GdańskWybrzeże GdańskZdunek Wybrzeże Gdańsk2000, 2002-03, 2005, 2009, 2012, 20147
RzeszówStal RzeszówStal Rzeszów2006-08, 2011-13, 20157
GrudziądzGKM GrudziądzMRGARDEN GKM Grudziądz2015-206
RybnikRKM RybnikPGG ROW Rybnik2004, 2006, 2016-17, 20205
PiłaPolonia PiłaEuro Finnance Polonia Piła2000-034
LublinMotor Lublin (speedway team)Speed Car Motor Lublin2019-20202
GnieznoStart GnieznoCar Gwarant Start Gniezno20131

Ekstraliga Champions
Year Winners Runner-up 3rd place
2000 Polonia Bydgoszcz Ludwik-Polonia Piła Pergo Gorzów Wlkp.
2001 Apator-Adriana Toruń Atlas Wrocław Bractwo-Polonia Bydgoszcz
2002 Point S-Polonia Bydgoszcz Unia Leszno Atlas Wrocław
2003 Top Secret-Włókniarz Częstochowa Apator-Adriana Toruń Plusssz-Polonia Bydgoszcz
2004 Unia Tarnów Atlas Wrocław Złomrex-Włókniarz Częstochowa
2005 Unia Tarnów Budlex-Polonia Bydgoszcz Złomrex-Włókniarz Częstochowa
2006 Atlas Wrocław Złomrex-Włókniarz Częstochowa Budlex-Polonia Bydgoszcz
2007 Unia Leszno Unibax Toruń Atlas Wrocław
2008 Unibax Toruń Unia Leszno ZKŻ Kronopol Zielona Góra
2009 Falubaz Zielona Góra Unibax Toruń Cognor-Włókniarz Częstochowa
2010 Unia Leszno Falubaz Zielona Góra Unibax Toruń
2011 Stelmet Falubaz Zielona Góra Unia Leszno Caelum Stal Gorzów Wlkp.
2012 Azoty Tauron Tarnów Stal Gorzów Wielkopolski Unibax Toruń
2013 Stelmet Falubaz Zielona Góra Unibax Toruń Unia Tarnów
2014 Stal Gorzów Wielkopolski Fogo Unia Leszno Grupa Azoty Unia Tarnów
2015 Fogo Unia Leszno Betard Sparta Wrocław Unia Tarnów
2016 Stal Gorzów Wielkopolski Unibax Toruń Stelmet Falubaz Zielona Góra
2017 Fogo Unia Leszno Betard Sparta Wrocław Stal Gorzów Wielkopolski
2018 Fogo Unia Leszno Stal Gorzów Wielkopolski Betard Sparta Wrocław
2019 Fogo Unia Leszno Betard Sparta Wrocław ForBet-Włókniarz Częstochowa

See also
  1. Kevin Meynell & Marcin Babnis (7 July 2004), History of Polish Speedway. Main competitions. Rules. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  2. Poważny inwestor wchodzi do Speedway Ekstraligi! PrzegladSportowy.pl 01-12-2011. Ringier Axel Springer.
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