ŻUŻEL/NEWS/PGEE: Krystian Plech: The promotion and the opportunity to experience emotions with the involvement of such stars is something beautiful for the fans

On April 4th at the Moto Arena in Łódź, the best riders of the PGE Ekstraliga will once again compete for victory in the MAXTO ITS IMME Zenon Plech Memorial. – We can be proud that PGE Ekstraliga is the league that offers a chance for the world’s best to compete – said Krystian Plech, son of the legendary speedway rider, in an interview for ekstraliga.pl. Tickets are available on the website biletynazuzel.pl.

• The upcoming MAXTO ITS IMME will be the fifth edition of the Zenon Plech Memorial.
• I personally believe it will be a very interesting competition – said Krystian Plech in an interview for ekstraliga.pl.
• ORLEN OIL MOTOR Lublin will try once again to defend the Polish Champion title, but last year has already shown that other teams want to challenge them. Although last season seemed interesting until the very end, this one promises to be even more – he noted regarding the inauguration of the PGE Ekstraliga and the METALKAS 2. Ekstraliga.
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The Individual International Ekstraliga Championships have, for five editions, been a tribute to the memory of Zenon Plech – a medalist of the world championships (including bronze in 1973 and silver in individual tournaments in 1979). For Krystian Plech and his family, this is a unique moment. – From the very beginning, when the first proposals to commemorate Dad came up, we wanted the event to have the proper rank and lineup. In the years when Dad was racing, he competed with the best in the world in what was then the best league in the world, the British league. Among great champions, and anyone who wanted to achieve international success wanted to race on the islands. This was also the case with Dad. Now we can be proud that it is the PGE Ekstraliga that provides the opportunity for competition among the best in the world, and the event in which its best riders will participate is a special honor for us. We thank the entire Ekstraliga Żużlowa team, led by President Wojciech Stępniewski, that we can once again honor Dad’s memory with such a distinguished lineup – Plech said in the interview for ekstraliga.pl.

The highest number of victories in the event’s history belongs to Bartosz Zmarzlik. The ORLEN OIL MOTOR Lublin rider has 6 wins to his name and will once again be one of the main favorites in this year’s edition. Last season, however, Zmarzlik finished 2nd in the individual classification of the PGE Ekstraliga, coming behind Artem Laguta. Will there be a breakthrough in Łódź, promising fierce competition in the league season as well?

– Indeed, the last editions were dominated by Bartosz, but remember that in the past other riders have also won the IMME Zenon Plech Memorial. Personally, I think these will be very exciting competitions. We will have precisely that confrontation that garnered significant media attention last season. The best in the PGE Ekstraliga, Artem, and the world’s best, Bartosz, in individual competitions, on a foreign track. But I wouldn’t write off the other riders. It’s the start of the season. I think many of them felt they had a chance for significant success last season, and such competitions are definitely an opportunity for them to confirm these words, including Robert Lambert or Martin Vaculik. Additionally, for me, such competitions offer a chance for those whom we won’t see in this season’s Grand Prix – Leon Madsen, Emil Sayfutdinov, or Patryk Dudek. They definitely want to show with such events that they belong to the world’s top. I personally wouldn’t be able to point out just one favorite to win the tournament – explained Krystian Plech.

The field of MAXTO ITS IMME Zenon Plech Memorial includes young riders who are making a strong presence on the international stage – Wiktor Przyjemski and Oskar Paluch. – This only shows that young riders also work hard and know how to race among the best. Certainly, for young riders like Wiktor and Oskar, it’s a reward for what they themselves have earned. It should also be additional motivation for them, as well as an opportunity for further learning. The more competitions they participate in with such stakes and stature, the more it will help them in future events. I believe that this will translate into their results on the international stage and, I deeply believe, will also benefit our National Team in the coming years. I think we should be happy that we have more young names – our interlocutor stressed.

Last year’s edition of the PGE Ekstraliga Championships in Łódź was watched by a full audience. It was also an event that opened the season at the Moto Arena. The tournament’s lineup and the local track, considered one of the best for several years, indicate that good attendance is expected again at the start of the speedway spring. – Last year’s decision to organize the event in a city that doesn’t often get the chance to see such names was reasonable and also necessary for the sport, in our opinion. The promotion and the opportunity to experience emotions with the involvement of such stars for Łódź fans is something beautiful, and this is what we should strive for in sports. Additionally, I believe that this is also a distinction for all those involved in the project of developing Łódź speedway – the magistrate, who invested in such a facility, and local activists who care about the discipline. It’s also a clear signal to other centers that speedway fans are hungry for such events and the world’s best names can appear in any city. Therefore, the current investments happening in Poland make it possible for such championships to appear in every part of our country, and I think that together with the Speedway Ekstraliga management, we will aim for IMME Zenon Plech Memorial to also be a promotion of our discipline – explained Krystian Plech.

A week after the MAXTO ITS IMME Zenon Plech Memorial, the PGE Ekstraliga and METALKAS 2. Ekstraliga inaugurations will take place. How does Krystian Plech see the upcoming competitions? – I think the upcoming season will be very interesting. ORLEN OIL MOTOR Lublin will try to defend their Polish Champion title once more, but last year has already shown that upcoming teams want to challenge them. BETARD SPARTA Wrocław will remain strong and certainly interesting with a new acquisition – Brady Kurtz. Personally, however, I think KS Toruń and STELMET FALUBAZ Zielona Góra will be quite influential in the competition. Both teams will be dangerous and could surprise at the end of the season. Meanwhile, in the METALKAS 2. Ekstraliga, we will once again see interesting matches. ABRAMCZYK POLONIA Bydgoszcz was close last year, and I think they really want it. FOGO UNIA Leszno wants to return to the PGE Ekstraliga quickly and seems to be a favorite, but in history, we’ve had cases like FALUBAZ, that sometimes it’s not that easy. I think other teams have also made interesting use of the situation in the market. Woffinden, Przedpełski are players who can provide a lot for the team from Rzeszów. Although last season in the second tier seemed exciting until the very end, this one promises to be even more. I guess we all already want the 2025 season to start – he said.

Ticket sales for the event (50 PLN regular, 25 PLN reduced, 150 PLN VIP) are ongoing and can be purchased on the website https://www.biletynazuzel.pl/.

Reduced tickets are intended for children and youth under the age of eighteen. Only they are entitled to this type of discount for the MAXTO ITS IMME Zenon Plech Memorial. School IDs or identity cards will be checked at the stadium entrance for those holding reduced tickets. The VIP ticket price includes a parking space and a program of the event.