Troy Batchelor

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Troy Batchelor
Troy Batchelor in 2018
Born (1987-08-29) 29 August 1987 (age 36)
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
NationalityAustralian
Career history
Great Britain
2005–2006, 2016–2017King's Lynn Stars
2005Eastbourne Eagles
2006Coventry Bees
2007Poole Pirates
2008–2009, 2012–2015, 2018–2020Swindon Robins
2009, 2022Ipswich Witches
2010–2011Peterborough Panthers
2021Sheffield Tigers
2021Kent Royals
2022Oxford Cheetahs
2023Birmingham Brummies
2024Workington Comets
Poland
2007–2012Leszno
2013–2014Wrocław
2015–2016, 2018–2020Rybnik
2017Gdańsk
2020Bydgoszcz
2022Tarnów
Sweden
2010–2011Lejonen
2012Hammarby
2013–2014Västervik
2019Vetlanda
Denmark
2010–2011Holsted
2014–2015Fjelsted
2016–2018Region Varde
Individual honours
2013Australian Champion
2003, 2004Australian Long Track Champion
2007Queensland State Champion
2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2017South Australian Champion
2017Victorian State Champion
2014Elite League Riders' Champion
Team honours
2012, 2019tier 1 League Champion
2006tier 1 KO Cup Winner
2008Elite Shield
2022tier 1 Pairs winner
2006tier 2 League Champion
2005, 2006tier 2 KO Cup winner
2005Young Shield
2006Premier Trophy Winner
2007Ekstraliga Champion

Troy Matthew Batchelor (born 29 August 1987)[1] is an Australian speedway rider.[2][3]

Career[edit]

Australia[edit]

Born in Brisbane, Queensland, Troy Batchelor enjoyed his first success when he won the 2001 Queensland and New South Wales Under-16 championships and followed this up by winning the 2003 Australian Under-16 Championship at the Bibra Lake Speedway in Perth. After graduating to the senior ranks following his 16th birthday, Batchelor won the Queensland State Championship in 2007 before he moved to Adelaide in South Australia where he has won the South Australian Championship at the Gillman Speedway six times (2008-2011, 2013, 2017). As of 2023, he sat third in the all-time SA title winners list behind joint record holders John Boulger and Jack Young. Boulger and Young each won nine SA titles during their respective careers.

In January 2008, he finished runner-up to Chris Holder in the Australian Solo Championship. In January 2013, he won the Australian Championship after having finished second in both 2008 and 2010.[4]

Batchelor also won the Australian Long Track Championship in 2003 at the Bathurst Showground, and again in 2004 at the Wagga Wagga Showground. On 3 December 2016, Batchelor added the Victorian Championship to his resume when he won the championship at Undera Park, defeating the U/21 World champion Max Fricke in the final.

UK and Europe[edit]

Batchelor began his British speedway career in 2005 when he signed for King's Lynn Stars in the Premier League. In his first year, he won the Premier League Knockout Cup and the Premier Trophy, with King's Lynn defeating Rye House Rockets in both finals. The next season Batchelor was back at King's Lynn and was also Elite League team Coventry Bees number 8 rider. That year King's Lynn won a treble of the Premier League Championship, Premier Trophy and the Premier League Knockout Cup. He also helped Coventry win the Elite League Knockout Cup.[5][6]

In 2007, Batchelor stepped up to the Elite League full-time with the Poole Pirates, whom he signed for on loan from King's Lynn. He also signed for Polish team Unia Leszno in the Ekstraliga and helped them win the 2007 Ekstraliga Championship.[5] In 2008, Batchelor was on loan at Swindon Robins and continued with Unia Leszno in Poland. He also signed for Dackarna in the Swedish Elitserien.

Following two years with Peterborough Panthers in 2010 and 2011, he joined Swindon for the 2012 season and won the 2012 Elite League with the club.[7]

Batchelor (front right) celebrating the league win with Swindon in 2012

He won the Elite League Riders' Championship, held at King's Lynn Stadium on 25 September 2014.[8][9]

In 2022, he joined Ipswich Witches from Sheffield Tigers for SGB Premiership 2022 season and won the Premiership Pairs.[10][11] He also joined the Oxford Cheetahs for the SGB Championship 2022 season, with the Cheetahs were returning to action after a 14-year absence from British Speedway.[12][13] After riding for Birmingham in 2023, he joined the Workington Comets for the 2024 season.[14]

International[edit]

Batchelor made his Speedway Grand Prix debut in the Grand Prix of Poland II at the MotoArena Toruń in Poland in 2013. Riding as a substitute in the meeting, he finished in 12th place scoring 6 points.

For the 2014 Speedway Grand Prix, Batchelor became one of the top 15 Qualified Riders of the series. In his first full-time run at the World Championship, he finished in 9th place with 91 points scored. Batchelor scored his first podium when he finished second in the Danish Grand Prix at the Parken Stadium in Copenhagen.

Troy Batchelor has also represented Australia in the Speedway World Cup and numerous test matches.

World Final appearances[edit]

World Cup[edit]

Individual Under-21 World Championship[edit]

Under-21 World Cup[edit]

World Longtrack Championship[edit]

  • 2004 (1 app) - 22nd - 5pts

Speedway Grand Prix results[edit]

Year Position Points Best finish Notes
2013 25th 6 12th Rode in season ending Poland II GP
2014 9th 91 Second Second in Danish GP
2015 12th 59 Third Third in Latvian Grand Prix

References[edit]

  1. ^ Oakes, P.(2006). Speedway Star Almanac. ISBN 0-9552376-1-0
  2. ^ "Troy Matthew Batchelor Australia". Polish Speedway Database. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  3. ^ "ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022" (PDF). British Speedway. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  4. ^ "Aussie Title for Batchelor Archived 15 March 2013 at the Wayback Machine", speedway365.com, 12 January 2013. Retrieved 12 January 2013
  5. ^ a b "Troy Batchelor profile". Swindon Speedway. 2008. Retrieved 23 March 2008.[permanent dead link]
  6. ^ "2008 Rider index" (PDF). British Speedway. Retrieved 17 February 2023.
  7. ^ "You Muddy Heroes!!". Swindon Web. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
  8. ^ "Elite League Riders' Championship". WWOS Backup. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  9. ^ "Troy Batchelor claims Elite League Rider crown at King's Lynn". Swindon Advertiser. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  10. ^ "Witches win Premiership Pairs". British Speedway. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  11. ^ "Batchelor, Troy". British Speedway. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  12. ^ "Speedway and Oxford Cheetahs set to return to Oxford Stadium". Oxford Mail. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  13. ^ "Oxford Cheetahs: Speedway side set for British Championship return in 2022". BBC Sport. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  14. ^ "Workington Comets sign Australian international Troy Batchelor". Cumbria Crack. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
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