JWC: Rory Schlein Austria preview

Schlein looking for place in Speedway Junior World Championship decider

Rory Schlein will attempt to become the first Australian to win a place in a Speedway Junior World Championship decider since 2000 when he goes into semi-final battle in Austria on Saturday, July 24.

The bespectacled 19-year-old, who won the second of his Australian under 21 speedway titles with an undefeated run at Undera (Vic) in late January, will ride in semi-final one at Wiener Neustadt, with the top eight riders guaranteed a berth in the Polish-hosted September 11 final.

If Schlein, who rides in both the Premier and Elite Leagues in the UK for Edinburgh and Belle Vue respectively, makes it to the final hurdle in Poland, he will become the first Australian representative since Travis McGowan and Kevin Doolan finished 10 and 12th respectively in 2000.

Two Australians have won the junior title in its 16-year existence -- Leigh Adams in 1992 and Jason Crump three years later. Last year's winner was Polish wiz Jaroslaw Hampel, who has gone on to secure berths in two of the five world championship GP finals in 2004.

Meanwhile, the second semi-final of the junior title will be held at Vetlanda in Sweden, also on July 24, which features riders who have finished in the top five in the past two finals - Krzysztof Kasprzak, Fredrik Lindgren and Mataj Zagar.

-Motorcycling Australia