Örnarna

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Örnarna
Club information
Track addressGrevby Motorstadion
Mariestad
CountrySweden
Founded1949
LeagueAllsvenskan
Club facts
ColoursBlue and white
Major team honours
Team champions1992, 1993, 1994, 1996
Second tier champions1958, 1963, 1969, 1976, 2001, 2004, 2010, 2011

Örnarna (lit. 'the Eagles') is a motorcycle speedway team from Mariestad in Sweden, representing Mariestads MK, who compete in the Allsvenskan.[1][2][3] Their home track is at the Grevby Motorstadion which is located to the north of Mariestad.[4]

History[edit]

1949–1969[edit]

Örnarna was founded in 1949. The club's debut season in the Swedish league was during the 1950 season, where they competed in division 2B.[5] However, the club did not compete for the next seven years. When they returned for the 1958 Swedish speedway season they won their first honours after finishing top of division 2.[6] The club remained in division 2 and repeated the success in 1963, which resulted to promotion to the highest division for the first time. The club signed Bengt Svensson and Per-Tage Svensson but struggled in division 1, before being relegated in 1967.[7] In 1969, they once again won division 2.[8]

1970–1979[edit]

The club spent the 1970s largely in division 1 (led by Karl-Erik Claesson and Börje Klingberg) but experienced limited success. In 1985, the club signed Peter Karlsson and in 1987, they finished second in division 1, their highest ever placing at the time. Peter Karlsson, together with Niklas Karlsson and Kelvin Tatum then helped the team finish runner up again in 1989.[9]

1990–1999[edit]

Peter Karlsson, club legend

The title still eluded the club in 1990 after another second place finish. Peter Karlsson's younger brother Mikael Karlsson and Niklas Klingberg began to improve their averages and after signing American Rick Miller and Christer Rohlén, they finally won the Elitserien for the first time during the 1992 Swedish speedway season.[10][11] They then proceeded to win three more Swedish Speedway Team Championships in 1993, 1994 and 1996.[12]

2000–present[edit]

The millennium started badly and without the Karlsson brothers the club were relegated. The team then spent the majority of the next two decades in the Allsvenskan, with the exception of 2018 to 2021, when they dropped out of league. The club have since returned to the Allsvenskan, and finished 4th during the 2022 Swedish Speedway season.[13]

Season summary[edit]

Main article: Swedish Speedway Team Championship

Teams[edit]

2022 team[edit]

Notable riders[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Serieföreningen Svensk Speedways".
  2. ^ "Ornarna Mariestad". Sport We Fakty. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  3. ^ "Speedway Around The Globe – Sweden". Speedway Star page 38-39. 23 July 2022.
  4. ^ "Grevby Motor Stadium". Mariestadstidningen. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  5. ^ "1950". Speedway.org. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
  6. ^ "1958 season". Speedway.org. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
  7. ^ "Vargarna 1967". formula2.se. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
  8. ^ "1969". Speedway.org. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
  9. ^ "1989 season". Speedway.org. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
  10. ^ "HISTORICAL RESULTS 1948–2015". Speedway History. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
  11. ^ "Statistik". Elit Speedway Sverige. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
  12. ^ "Swedish Bauhaus Elite League". Speedway Fan Site. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
  13. ^ "Allsvenskan tables and final". Every Sport. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
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