This thread will cover news/results/opinion on Elite League Speedway for 2016. Please feel free to comment:
Lakeside have confirmed they will continue to compete at the Arena-Essex Raceway in the 2016 season. The Hammers’ future at Purfleet had been in doubt but they were able to announce good news to their supporters at a public meeting on Thursday
Hans Andersen has agreed to rejoin Poole as the reigning Elite League champions make their first move towards building their team for next season. The Danish star started his British career with the Pirates in 2001 and last rode for the Wimborne Road club in 2009, having spent the most recent campaigns with Swindon and then Coventry. He heads back to Dorset on a 6.45 average, and with a two-year contract option which will earn him a Testimonial campaign in 2017. Clever signing on that average.
Leicester have named Josh Auty and Paul Starke as their reserves for the 2016 Elite League season. Auty returns from this year after an injury-hit campaign which saw him limited to six appearances, whilst Starke (pictured) joins the Lions having been part of Poole’s title-winning team.
Swindon will welcome Charles Wright back to the club in 2016 after a successful first season at reserve for the Robins. Wright’s reserve colleague is set to be announced at a later date pending confirmation of rider availability
Coventry have confirmed the signing of Josh Bates - who will team up at reserve next season with James Sarjeant for the Brandon outfit. Sarjeant will be going into his third year as a top-flight reserve with the Bees, whilst former British Under-21 Champion Bates joins after spending the 2015 campaign with Wolverhampton.
Wolverhampton have moved for British Under-21 Champion Kyle Howarth as part of an all-new reserve combination for 2016. Howarth will be joined at Monmore Green by Max Clegg, who has experience of the circuit from his time with Cradley in the National League.
Poole have handed a return to Kyle Newman for the 2016 campaign where he will line-up with Adam Ellis at reserve. Newman will be entering his third, full successive season with the reigning Elite League Champions while Ellis replaces Paul Starke after impressing for Lakeside.
Steve Worrall will be returning to Belle Vue for a second consecutive season as one of their two reserves for the 2016 Elite League campaign
Leicester have confirmed Polish youngster Szymon Wozniak as a starter for their Elite League line-up next season. Wozniak was ever-present for the Lions in his debut British campaign, and he completed the year with the third-highest average in the team at home
Wolverhampton have snapped up experienced international racer Joonas Kylmakorpi as the first member of their top five for the 2016 season.
Chris Harris will be back to lead Coventry in the 2016 Elite League season. The Bees' skipper has put pen to paper on his new contract which will take him into his eleventh campaign with the club. Since joining the asset base at Brandon in 2004, Harris has ridden for the Bees in every season with the exception of loan spells at Belle Vue in 2011 and Birmingham in 2013.
2015 Poole skipper Maciej Janowski will not be starting the new season in the UK, although promoter Matt Ford has not ruled out a return for the Pole in the future.
Swindon have handed Aussie ace Justin Sedgmen a return to the club for the 2016 campaign. Sedgmen, 23, was given his Elite League bow by the club in 2010 before being given a full-time team spot in 2011. However, he largely struggled to make an impact in the top flight as a raw youngster as the Robins endured two seasons to forget. He has since earned two successive Premier League titles with Edinburgh and continued to fulfil his potential over the course of an impressive few years on an individual level.
Coventry have confirmed Great Britain international Danny King will return to the club next season. King helped the Bees to the Elite League play-offs in 2015 having spent the bulk of the previous four years with their local rivals Birmingham, and he also finished third in the British Final.
Elite League champions Poole have moved to hand Polish star Krzysztof Buczkowski a return to British speedway. Buczkowski, who had spent much of his career in this country with Peterborough, joins the Pirates on a 6.48 average having last ridden for Leicester in 2014.
Danish champion Niels-Kristian Iversen admits his chances of returning to the British Elite League for 2016 are “50/50” as he considers cutting his manic schedule down.
Aussie international Chris Holder has hinted that he’d be happy to return to Poole and Torun as he weighs up his options for 2016.
Swindon have snapped up all-action youngster Stefan Nielsen to fill the second reserve berth in their 2016 side.
Jason Doyle, one of the stars of Swindon's last Elite League title three years ago, is on his way back to the Robins for the 2016 season. Aussie ace Doyle has spent the past two seasons with Leicester but has now decided on a return to Wiltshire.