Maciej Janowski

Polish speedway rider (born 1991)

Maciej Janowski

Born|  (1991-08-06) 6 August 1991 (age 33)
Wrocław, Poland
Nationality| Polish
Website| Official website
Career history
Poland
2007–2011, 2014–2024| Wrocław
2012–2013| Tarnów
Great Britain
2010–2011| Swindon
2012| King's Lynn
2013–2015| Poole
2024–2025| Oxford
Sweden
2009, 2014| Rospiggarna
2010–2013, 2024| Piraterna
2016–2019, 2021–2023| Dackarna
Speedway Grand Prix statistics
SGP Number| 71
Starts| 100
Finalist| 31 times
Winner| 8 times
Individual honours
2022| World Championship bronze
2015, 2020, 2024| Polish Champion
2011| World U-21 champion
Team honours
2013, 2017, 2023| World team championships winner
2022| European Team champion
2008, 2009, 2012| U21 World team winner
2023| Swedish Eliserien champion

Maciej Janowski (born 6 August 1991 in Wrocław, Poland[1]) is a Polish speedway rider who is a member of Poland national speedway team.[2]

## Career

[edit]

Janowski passed speedway licence test (Licencja "Ż") on 7 August 2007 at 16 years old; 5 days later he rode in his first meeting in Polish Ekstraliga (Wrocław vs Rzeszów 48:42). In his first heat, he beat Rzeszów' rider Andreas Messing from Sweden.[3] His fourth meeting was Tournament of Junior National Team Reservs (Turniej zaplecza kadry juniorów). In this meeting he was 4th.[1] He has won qualification to U-19 Bronze Helmet Final; Janowski was 13th (he was only 16 years old). With Atlas Wrocław he started in European Club Champions' Cup Final \- Janowski scored 5 points, but Atlas was last.

Janowski in Polish SGP.

In the 2008 season, he started in the Team U-19 European Championship Final. He was the best rider in the Polish team scoring 15 points despite th eteam finishing last), but Poland was last. In August of the same year, he won the Individual U-21 Polish Championship in Rybnik and was second in the Individual U-19 European Championship Final. In September, he was the best rider in the Poland team and he won Team U-21 World Champion title. He was second in the Polish Bronze Helmet Final and won the Polish Silver Helmet Final. At the 2008 Speedway Grand Prix of Germany in Bydgoszcz, Janowski was nominated as first track reserve at 2008 FIM Final Speedway Grand Prix. However, when Niels Kristian Iversen was injured, Janowski replaced him in GP event. He finished 15th and scored one point, after beating Martin Smolinski.

Weekly "Tygodnik Żużlowy" (Speedway Weekly) awarded him as Junior of the Year.[4] Speedway Chapter of Main Commission of Speedway Sport (part of the Polish Motor Union) awarded him and Przemysław Pawlicki for one of the best debuts in Polish speedway history.[5]

In 2009, he rode for Atlas Wrocław in Poland, Rospiggarna in Sweden and MSC Diedenberge in Germany.[6] In Sweden, he rode in nine matches and scored 4.52 point per match.[7] Janowski was unsuccessful in defending his Under-21 Polish Champion title, scoring 8 points and finished eighth. However, he did win the Bronze Helmet Final, at his home track in Wrocław, scoring a maximum 15 points. On 25 September he was second in Silver Helmet Final, losing to Grzegorz Zengota by two points.

On 11 July, Janowski competed in the Individual U-19 European Championship Final and won the silver medal after winning a run off with Martin Vaculík and Artem Laguta. The gold medal was won by Przemysław Pawlicki. Janowski and Pawlicki were the highest scorer for the Polish team in the Team U-19 European Championship Final on 23 August and Poland won U-19 European Champion title. On 5 September in Gorzów Wielkopolski he scored 13 points for Poland, and the team successfully defended their U-21 World Champion title at Under-21 Speedway World Cup. On 3 October will be started in Individual U-21 World Championship Final.

Like his Rospiggarna Hallstravik team-mate, Greg Hancock, Janowski moved to Piraterna Motala before the 2010 season.[7] On 18 August, it was announced that Janowski would join the Swindon Robins in the British Elite League for the remainder of the season. Maciej won the 2010 Polish Under-21 Championship, held in Toruń, scoring a 15-point maximum.[8] Maciej is also riding in the U21-World Cup and was 2nd beating the main rival Maksim Bogdanows in Pardubice.

In 2011, he became the World Under 21 champion[9] and the following season he raced for Kings Lynn Stars in the 2012 British speedway season, in the Elite League.

In 2013, He won the Speedway World Cup with Poland, scoring 12 points in the final. Also in 2013, he moved to Poole Pirates for the 2013 Elite League speedway season. He would stay for three seasons and helped Poole win three consecutive Elite League titles.[10]

A second World Cup winners medal came his way at the 2017 Speedway World Cup, he topped scored for Poland in the final, as the team finished eight points ahead of Sweden.

In 2022, Janowski won the bronze medal in the 2022 Speedway World Championship, after securing 106 points during the 2022 Speedway Grand Prix.[11] Also in 2022, he was a member of the Polish team that won the inaugural European Team Speedway Championship.[12]

In 2023, he was part of the Polish team that won the gold medal in the 2023 Speedway World Cup final, his last lap overtaking of Robert Lambert sealed the title for Poland and it was a third World Cup success for Janowski.[13] However his individual season ended with a disappointing 14th place finish in the 2023 Speedway Grand Prix.

He returned to ride in Britain after signing for the Oxford Spires and in Sweden for Piraterna for the 2024 season.[14]

## Family

[edit]

His parents are Piotr and Beata. He has two brothers Wojciech and Krzysztof.[1]

## Major results

[edit]

### World individual Championship

[edit]

* 2008 Speedway Grand Prix \- 29th
* 2012 Speedway Grand Prix \- 23rd
* 2014 Speedway Grand Prix \- 24th
* 2015 Speedway Grand Prix \- 7th
* 2016 Speedway Grand Prix \- 9th
* 2017 Speedway Grand Prix \- 4th
* 2018 Speedway Grand Prix \- 4th
* 2019 Speedway Grand Prix \- 6th
* 2020 Speedway Grand Prix \- 4th
* 2021 Speedway Grand Prix \- 5th
* 2022 Speedway Grand Prix \- 3rd
* 2023 Speedway Grand Prix \- 14th
* 2024 Speedway Grand Prix \- 14th

### Grand Prix wins

[edit]

* 1: 2015 Speedway Grand Prix of Latvia
* 2: 2016 Speedway Grand Prix of Denmark
* 3: 2017 Speedway Grand Prix of Denmark
* 4: 2017 Speedway Grand Prix of Great Britain
* 5: 2018 Speedway Grand Prix of Sweden
* 6: 2019 Speedway Grand Prix of Germany
* 7: 2020 Speedway Grand Prix of Poland (Wrocław)
* 8: 2021 Speedway Grand Prix of Czech Republic

### World team Championships

[edit]

* 2013 Speedway World Cup \- Winner
* 2015 Speedway World Cup \- 3rd
* 2017 Speedway World Cup \- Winner
* 2018 Speedway of Nations \- 3rd
* 2021 Speedway of Nations \- runner up
* 2022 Speedway of Nations \- 5th
* 2023 Speedway World Cup \- Winner

### World U-21 Championships

[edit]

* 2008 Team Speedway Junior World Championship \- Winner
* 2009 Individual Speedway Junior World Championship \- 5th
* 2009 Team Speedway Junior World Championship \- Winner
* 2010 Individual Speedway Junior World Championship \- 2nd
* 2011 Individual Speedway Junior World Championship \- Winner
* 2012 Individual Speedway Junior World Championship \- Winner

### European Championships

[edit]

* Individual U-19 European Championship
* 2008 \-  Stralsund \- Silver medal (12+3 pts)
* 2009 \-  Tarnów \- Silver medal (13+3 pts)
* Team U-19 European Championship
* 2008 \-  Rawicz \- 4th place (15 pts)
* 2009 \-  Holsted \- U-19 European Champion (15 pts)
* 2010 \-  Divišov \- U-19 European Champion (15 pts)
* European Club Champions' Cup
* 2007 \-  Miskolc \- Silver medal (6 pts) with Atlas Wrocław

### Domestic competitions

[edit]

* Individual Polish Championship
* 2013 \-  Tarnów \- 3rd place (10 pts)
* Team Polish Championship (League)
* 2007 \- Bronze medal (CMA 1.71 - Atlas Wrocław)
* 2008 \- 5th-6th place (with Atlas Wrocław)
* Individual U-21 Polish Championship
* 2008 \-  Rybnik \- Polish Champion (13+3 pts)
* 2010 \-  Toruń \- Polish Champion (15 pts)
* 2012 \-  Bydgoszcz \- Polish Champion (14 pts)
* Polish Pairs Speedway Junior Championship
* 2009 \-  Rybnik \- Bronze medal for Taczanów (18 pts)
* Polish Pairs Speedway Championship
* 2011 \-  Zielona Góra \- Polish Champion for WTS Wrocław
* 2013 \-  Gorzów Wielkopolski \- Polish Champion for Unia Tarnów
* Polish Golden Helmet
* 2013 \-  Rawicz \- Winner (13 pts)
* Polish Silver Helmet (U-21)
* 2008 \-  Rzeszów \- Winner (12 pts)
* 2009 \-  Częstochowa \- Runner-up (12+3 pts)
* Polish Bronze Helmet (U-19)
* 2008 \-  Gdańsk \- 2nd place (12 pts)
* 2009 \-  Wrocław \- Winner (15 pts)
* 2010 \-  Leszno \- 2nd place (14 pts)

## See also

[edit]

* Poland national speedway team
* List of Speedway Grand Prix riders

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c www.janowskiracing.com. Retrieved on 2008-07-04.
2. ^ "Ultimate rider index, 1929-2022" (PDF). British Speedway. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
3. ^ www.wts.pl. Retrieved on 2008-07-04.
4. ^ "Wyniki plebiscytu Tygodnika Żużlowego" (in Polish). SportoweFakty.pl. 15 February 2009. Retrieved 8 April 2009.
5. ^ "Kapituła Sportu Żużlowego" (in Polish). pzm.pl. 23 February 2009. Retrieved 8 April 2009.
6. ^ Świat Żużla, No 1 (77) / 2008, pages 20-21, 68, 74 ISSN 1429-3285
7. ^ a b "Janowski zawodnikiem Piraterny" (in Polish). SportoweFakty.pl. 2 November 2009. Retrieved 2 November 2009.
8. ^ "Janowski claims Polish Under 21 title". Swindon Advertiser. Retrieved 11 September 2024.
9. ^ "WORLD UNDER-21 - RESULT". Swindon Speedway. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
10. ^ "ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022" (PDF). British Speedway. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
11. ^ "2022 Speedway Grand Prix results". FIM. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
12. ^ "European Team Speedway Championship". FIM. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
13. ^ "POLAND WIN SPEEDWAY WORLD CUP AHEAD OF GREAT BRITAIN AS MACIEJ JANOWSKI BEATS ROBERT LAMBERT IN DECISIVE HEAT 20". Eurosport. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
14. ^ "Magic news for Spires". British Speedway. Retrieved 1 December 2023.