Edward 'Ed' Jancarz (20 August 1946 – 11 January 1992) was a Polish international speedway rider.[1] He earned 76 international caps for the Poland speedway team.[2]

Edward Jancarz
Born(1946-08-20)20 August 1946
Gorzów Wielkopolski, Poland
Died11 January 1992(1992-01-11) (aged 45)
NationalityPolish
Career history
Poland
1965-1985Gorzów
Great Britain
1977-1982Wimbledon
Individual honours
1968World individual championship bronze
1975, 1983Polish Champion
1975Continental Final Champion
1977Internationale
1969, 1972, 1975Poland Golden Helmet Winner
1967Poland Silver Helmet Winner
Team honours
1969World Team Cup winner
1969, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1983Polish League Champion
1979Gauntlet Gold Cup

Career

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Jancarz participated in ten Speedway World Championship finals, his highest placing being in his first final in 1968, when he finished on the rostrum in third place after a run-off with Russian rider Gennady Kurilenko. He was also a member of the Polish World Team Cup winning team of 1969.

Jancarz reached the final of the Speedway World Pairs Championship in the 1975 Speedway World Pairs Championship at the Olympic Stadium in Wrocław, winning a silver medal riding with Piotr Bruzda.[3]

Jancarz rode in the UK for the Wimbledon Dons between 1977–1982,[4] winning the Internationale at Wimbledon in his first season, and in Poland for Stal Gorzów. He won the prestigious Embassy Internationale, at Wimbledon in 1977.

After his riding career ended he was a speedway coach. He was trainer in Stal Gorzów, KKŻ Krosno and Poland national speedway team.

Death

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Jancarz' Monument

On 11 January 1992 he was fatally stabbed by his second wife, Katarzyna, during a domestic dispute after she confronted him about his alcoholism.[5] He was 45 years old.

Since his death the Edward Jancarz Memorial has been a semi-annual meeting at the speedway that carries his name, the Edward Jancarz Stadium in Gorzów Wielkopolski. To date, 2010 World Champion Tomasz Gollob is the only Polish rider to win the memorial, having done so in 1998 and 1999

Edward Jancarz was the first speedway rider in the World to have a monument dedicated to them. The Monument of Edward Jancarz was built in 2005 and is in the city centre of Gorzów Wielkopolski.

World Final Appearances

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Individual World Championship

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World Pairs Championship

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World Team Cup

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Bamford, R. & Shailes, G. (2002). A History of the World Speedway Championship. Stroud: Tempus Publishing. ISBN 0-7524-2402-5
  2. ^ "Ultimate Rider Index, 1929-2022" (PDF). British Speedway. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
  3. ^ "Another world title for Mich". Reading Evening Post. 16 June 1975. Retrieved 8 September 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  4. ^ "Crack Poles at Smallmead". Bracknell Times. 17 March 1977. Retrieved 8 September 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  5. ^ "Wyniszczył go alkohol, a żona zabiła nożem! Skończył w kałuży krwi".