Kent SLYDE Kings’ teen titan Anders Rowe has made Speedway history by getting signed up as a no. 8 rider in the sport’s top division despite being still only 15 years of age!
The youngster who made such a huge impact with some eye-catching displays in his debut competitive campaign with the Central Park Stadium-based Kings in 2017, has been rewarded with recognition by the sport’s Premiership champions the Swindon Robins.
Looking for a back up young British rider to be on standby should anything happen to their reserve riders, the Wiltshire club have opted for young Rowe – and it’s not just an honour but a dream come true for the teen.
“Coming from Swindon, I’ve been around the Robins club for many years in the pits with my father, top engine-tuner Del and having second half rides, so it’s great to have been given this opportunity to be involved with the club”.
It’s the Travel Plus National League though, where young Anders will be plying his regular racing trade and he looks back on a job well done in his first senior year’s racing,
“It was a learning curve in many ways last season. It went really well, it was a good confidence boost to get a full season’s racing behind me, moving up from reserve and I’ll be starting this year in the main body of the Kent team. I intend to take it in my stride and hopefully do even better”.
At just 15, Rowe is actually too young to ride in the sport’s top tier but that’ll change when he hits the magic 16 mark on May 9th. – and his home town club are leading the way in the top tier in encouraging youth,
“It is a real confidence booster for a team like Swindon who are the champions of England remember, to put their courage in to you and put their support in you along the way, not every team would do that for youngsters.”
Mixing with the best is something which the Kent management in turn will want to see rubbing off on young Anders,
“I spend a lot of time with Nick Morris [Swindon’s Australian World Cup rider] and the others and it really helps to pull me along and improve.”
Local fans will get their first chance to see the confident Rowe in action this Sunday (25/3) when he joins all his Kent SLYDE Kings team mates in a practice session in front of press and supporters alike at the Iwade Training track just outside Sittingbourne – that’s a 2pm start time; with the day carrying on at 6pm back at Central Park Stadium when the teen starlet will be able to be questioned along with his team mates and the management about the forthcoming season in the Fan’s Forum. Free admission to both events.
And it won’t be long until the words need to be translated into actions, with opening home meetings against the division’s big boys Eastbourne and Birmingham on respectively Good Friday (30/3; 1pm start time) and Easter Monday (2/4; tapes up at 3.30pm).
Picture supplied by Elizabeth Leslie.