Theo Pijper (born 11 February 1980) is a Dutch motorcycle speedway rider.[1] He earned 2 caps for the Netherlands national speedway team.[2]
 | |
| Born | 11 February 1980 Dokkum, Netherlands |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Dutch |
| Career history | |
| Great Britain | |
| 2002-2007, 2012-2013 | Edinburgh |
| 2007 | Wolverhampton |
| 2007, 2018, 2022 | Berwick |
| 2008 | Swindon |
| 2008 | Mildenhall |
| 2011, 2014 | Glasgow |
| 2015, 2021 | Scunthorpe |
| 2018 | Redcar |
| Denmark | |
| 2019 | Esbjerg |
| Individual honours | |
| 2004, 2007 | European Grasstrack Championship |
| 2008 | French Speedway Champion |
| Team honours | |
| 2013, 2016 | World Longtrack Team Champion |
| 2003, 2011 | Premier League Champion |
| 2008 | Elite Shield |
| 2013 | Premier League Fours |
Career
editBorn in Dokkum, Netherlands, Pijper first rode a motorbike at the age of five.[1] He was a successful long track rider before starting his speedway career.[1] He made his debut in British speedway in 2002 with Edinburgh Monarchs, staying with the team until 2007 in a spell that included a Premier League title in 2003.[1] In 2004, he won the European Grasstrack Championship at Eenrum.[1]
In 2007, he moved up to the Elite League with Wolverhampton Wolves, but after losing his place in the team returned to the Monarchs for a short spell, later moving to Berwick Bandits.[1] He lost his team place once again, but later that season won the European Grasstrack Championship for a second time.[1] He joined Elite League team Swindon Robins in 2008, but lost his place in June, going on to a spell with Mildenhall Fen Tigers in the Premier League.[1][3]
He returned to British speedway in 2011 with Glasgow Tigers, with whom he won the Premier League in both 2011 and 2012, and also signed with Elite League Birmingham Brummies as their number eight.[1][4][5]
In 2012, he returned to the Edinburgh Monarchs team, and was part of the 2013 Premier League Four-Team Championship winning team.[6][7] In 2018 he signed to ride for the Redcar Bears.
After a season with Scunthorpe in 2021 he rejoined Berwick Bandits for the SGB Championship 2022.[8]
Pijper represented the Netherlands national long track team in the World Longtrack Championship from 2007 to 2022 and twice won the World championship titles at the 2013 Team Long Track World Championship in Folkestone, England and 2016 Team Long Track World Championship in Mariánské Lázně in the Czech Republic.
World Longtrack
editGrand Prix Years
edit- 1998 - 1 app (25th) 3pts
- 1999 - 2 app (14th) 23pts
- 2000 - 5 app (14th) 30pts
- 2001 - 4 app (6th) 45pts
- 2002 - 5 app (5th) 72pts
- 2003 - 6 app (6th) 64pts
- 2004 - 5 app (5th) 63pts
- 2005 - 3 app (7th) 40pts
- 2006 - 3 app (4th) 48pts
- 2007 - 3 app (7th) 36pts
- 2008 - 4 app (5th) 55pts
- 2009 - 5 app (6th) 75pts
- 2010 - 6 app (Second) 120pts
- 2001 - 6 app (4th) 96pts
- 2012 - 6 app (4th) 124pts
- 2013 - 6 app (14th) 52pts
- 2014 - 2 app (11th) 31pts
- 2015 - 4 app (4th) 61pts
- 2016 - 5 app (4th) 83pts
- 2017 - 5 app (6th) 63pts
- 2018 - 5 app (6th) 64pts
- 2019 - 5 app (6th) 66pts
- 2018 - 2 app (6th) 26pts
- 2021 - 2 app (Third) 24pts
- 2022 - 5 app (6th) 61pts
Grand-Prix podiums
edit
- 1999
Werlte (NS) - 2000 Did not compete
- 2001
Noordwolde (4th) 18pts - 2002 Berghaupten (5th) 19pts
- 2003
La Reole (6th) 16pts - 2004 Eenrum (Champion) 19pts
- 2005 Did not compete
- 2006 La Reole (Second) 18pts
- 2007
Folkestone (Champion) 16pts - 2008 Did not compete
- 2009 Berghaupten (6th) 13pts
- 2010 La Reole (Second) 12pts
- 2011 Skegness (10th) 10pts
- 2012 Semi-finalist
- 2013 Did not compete
- 2014 Did not compete
- 2015 Semi-finalist
Personal life
editHis son Ace Pijper is also a professional speedway rider.[1]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "British Speedway rider profile". British Speedway. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
- ^ "Ultimate rider index, 1929-2022" (PDF). British Speedway. Retrieved 2 September 2024.
- ^ "2008 Rider index" (PDF). British Speedway. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
- ^ "Theo Pijper backed to succeed on Birmingham bow". Birmingham Mail. 20 March 2011. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
- ^ "Brummies add Dutchman Theo Pijper to squad for 2011". BBC. 9 March 2011. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
- ^ Kinvig, David (2013) "Speedway: Theo Pijper is ready for the new season", The Scotsman, 20 February 2013. Retrieved 21 September 2013
- ^ Kinvig, David (2013) "Battered Pijper must count the true cost of speedway", The Scotsman, 24 June 2013. Retrieved 21 September 2013
- ^ "Piper back as a Bandit". Edinburgh Reporter. 25 November 2021. Retrieved 30 September 2022.