Rafał Karczmarz is among the Poles who will appear in this year's finals of the Individual Junior World Championships. The rider emphasizes that the start in these competitions was one of his goals for this season and promises an ambitious fight for the highest possible place.
Rafał Karczmarz was promoted to the junior championship through the qualifying round in Krakow, which took place on 25 May. The Stal Gorzów’s pupil scored 13 points and eventually finished fourth, the last rewarded with a pass to the final cycle. He won three races and twice reached the finishing line in second place.
- The cast turned out to be really strong, promotion was not easy for us, but I was one hundred percent prepared for this competition. Two points escaped me because I first came across Gleb Chugunov, who is a strong man, and then Patrick Hansen, who in the second part of the competition folded very well. For me, the goal was set before the competition. I wanted to get promoted and that's what counted for me. In the middle of the competition it was crowded, so I had to watch and get all the valuable points - recalls the competitor.
At the end Rafał Karczmarz took part in the extra run, because he accumulated the same number of points as Wiktor Lampart and Patrick Hansen, and in addition the three of them had the same starting balance, that is, three three and two deuces on the account, as well as one victory and one loss in a duel with a direct rival.
- We had a certain promotion in three of them, so it only decided who would stand on the podium and on which level. Before the start of this race, I risked a bit of gear and it happened as it happened. I came third and did not fit on the podium, but I wanted to try something new on this track, which I did not try during the competition - says Rafał Karczmarz.
These types of elimination rounds usually allow players to go on a track where they do not start too often. Did Rafał Karczmarz notice any differences in the method of preparing the surface, compared to what he knows every day from PGE Ekstraliga matches?
- Track did not cause me any trouble. From the beginning I was riding well on him because he was perfectly prepared. I think the weather has done a very good job. A terrible downpour passed over the stadium and the organizers had to protect this track and then beat it. When they did, the surface became equal for everyone and made it difficult for anyone to ride. It was only to adjust and focus on the start - assesses the Pole.
So far Rafał Karczmarz had only one opportunity to appear in a single round of the Individual World Junior Championships, when in 2017 he got a wild card for the competition in Poznan. He scored four points there and was classified in thirteenth place. It is worth noting, however, that one race won by defeating prospective Australians, Jack Holder and Brady Kurtz, as well as Czech Eduard Krcmar. Now, for the first time, he will be a regular participant in the competition and will take part in all three final rounds.
- I take this very seriously, because it is a step forward for me. In the previous season, I had no way to qualify for the Junior World Championships due to injury. I know that I have been two years in the position of a youth and this is the time to fight for the highest laurels. I want to be 100% prepared in physical and hardware terms. This is a very important competition for me, so I will not let them go and I will not pass by with indifference - assures Rafał Karczmarz.
The presence of the best teenagers in the world is a great distinction, but also a great challenge. How best to prepare for starts, especially if you are a debutant? It turns out that the head and the right approach are crucial. In this respect Rafał Karczmarz can count on a lot of support from the club in Opole, whom he is a foster child.
- Now, in our joint work, we focus on making each of these finals equally important and responsible, so that Rafał can do his best in them. The finals of the Junior World Championships are really such a small Grand Prix for those riders, because it can always be the vestibule to this competition. The decisive factor is to approach each run in the same way and not to put on the pressure, that this is the final. Of course, we know that in addition to physical, hardware and mental preparation, the element of happiness is also needed. In fact, in each of these professions the disposition of the day and psychological attitude will be very important, that is what we are working on at the moment - Julia Chomska, a psychologist truly.work Steel Gorzów.
Rafał Karczmarz has recently gained some speedway experience. In the Polish league he became the basic junior of his team and the hope of the club in Gorzów, and on the international arena he is already a certain point of the youth representation of Poland. Will this translate into success in the Individual Junior World Championships?
The first round of the fight for the title of junior world champion - June 22, at 17:30, MOSIR Bystrzyca Stadium, Al. Zygmuntowskie 5 in Lublin. Buy your ticket now via www.eventim.pl and stationary at Empik and Media Markt stores. The prices of the tickets are as follows:
PLN 30 - normal ticket
20 PLN - concession ticket
PLN 150 - VIP ticket
70 PLN - ticket for the grandstand
PLN 10 - competition program
1 #41 Frederik Jakobsen (Denmark)
2 #201 Jan Kvech (Czech Republic)
3 #16 Viktor Trofymov (Poland)
4 #27 Jaimon Lidsey (Australia)
5 #99 Rafał Karczmarz (Poland)
6 #133 Maksym Drabik (Poland)
7 #256 Dominik Moser (Germany)
8 #115 Bartosz Smektała (Poland)
9 #117 Gleb Chugunov (Russia)
10 #124 Patrick Hansen (Denmark)
11 #98 Nick Skorja (Slovenia)
12 #2 Jonas Jeppesen (Denmark)
13 #4 Tim Sorensen (Denmark)
14 #47 Wiktor Lampart (Poland)
15 #505 Robert Lambert (Great Britain)
16 #415 Dominik Kubera (Poland)
17 #17 Kamil Nowacki (Poland)
18 #18 Mateusz Cierniak (Poland)
