Leicester’s Erik Riss is looking forward to his first season in the Premiership with Leicester.
The World Long-track Champion has spent the last two seasons racing in the middle tier of British Speedway with the Edinburgh Monarchs and in his first year with the Scottish club the twenty-one year old helped them win three major trophies.
The offer of a team place by Leicester though came as a complete surprise. “Yes I was actually surprised when I was asked if I would be interested in riding for Leicester. I tried to find a Premiership club at the end of last season and pretty much spoke to every club. I also tried to speak to Leicester but was unlucky to receive an answer due to the changes that the club was going through at the time. So to be honest I didn’t really have any hope and thought no more about it. Then when I received an enquiry it didn’t take me very long to make my mind up because I knew that if someone offered me a team place I would take it” said Erik.
Since his debut for Edinburgh two years ago the Lions youngest team member has adjusted well to the demands of British tracks and last season Riss increased his match average by over one and a half points per meeting for the Monarchs team. “I don´t have problems adjusting myself to new countries, clubs, people or tracks. I am confident that I will adjust quickly to a higher tempo of racing” added Riss who will continue his friendship with Kevin Wölbert as the two raced together for Edinburgh. “It’s a cool thing to have a familiar face in the pits. Over the last two years we have become friends and were both stoked to hear that we will both be at Leicester this season.”
Riss will begin the season partnering Danny Ayres at reserve when the Watling JCB Lions face the Swindon Robins at Beaumont Park in their opening Premiership match of the season on Saturday 1st April.
“As a team we will try to win every meeting, but the only thing I can do is give everything I can, and win as many races, as possible. I don´t put any pressure on myself. When I am on the track, I feel free, because I love racing my bike. Sometimes your plans work and sometimes not, that´s called life. I always give everything I have got.”
Picture: RON MacNEILL
