After fighting his way through the Qualifying Round to the main 2025 FIM Ice Speedway World Championship powered by Anlas, Kineo and HKC Koopmann, dynamic Dutchman Jasper Iwema will line up at Inzell in Germany this coming weekend (15-16 March) for the first points-scoring events of the season feeling positive, despite carrying a recent injury.
“Last weekend I raced in Poland and I started really well and was leading the first Heat, but then I had a big crash and another rider’s spiked tyre hit me so I needed to get stitched up,” he said. “I still feel a bit of pain, but I have confidence for this weekend and I’m really looking forward to it.”
The Assen-born racer took a year out in 2023 to star in a Dutch reality television show and the thirty-five-year-old admits to struggling with race rust last year. He was still fast enough to make the cut for the main championship via the 2024 Qualifying Round, although when points were on the line, he struggled to make his presence felt with his best results a pair of tenth-placed finishes that saw him end the season in twelfth.
“I said I thought it would be tough and I was correct but I must say it was anyway a great season and for 2025 I want to be in the top five. I feel good on the bike, well-prepared and ready to shine in Dutch colours.”
Ending the 2024 season in twelfth meant he once again found himself competing in the Qualifying Round that was held at the start of last month at Örnsköldsvik in Sweden. Scoring points in all five of his Heat races ensured he made the cut for the Finals in fifth, although he was not entirely happy with his form.
“The main goal was qualifying – that’s what mattered and that’s what I did so looking from that perspective I’m happy with my result, though I know my performance could have been better. I struggled a little bit with the ice conditions, but as I said before the goal was to qualify and I got that done.”
Iwema works for a sports promotion company and is involved in a mixture of events including running, cycling and triathlon, although he still found time for pre-season preparations in Sweden.
A supremely talented and versatile rider who has also competed in the FIM Moto2™, Moto3™ and MotoE™ Grand Prix series, Iwema has no regrets about his eleven-month stint in front of the Dutch television cameras that allowed him to promote Ice Speedway to a new audience and, at the same time, enjoy an unexpected romance.
“It was great to inspire new people to get to know Ice Speedway and, of course, I found love there. Since the programme I’ve been together with Wanda and she has been a great and important support in my career. So no really negative things – apart from missing out on a year of Ice Speedway.”
The racing from Inzell is scheduled to get under way tomorrow (15 March) at 17:00 local time with the first of twenty Heats with all the action streamed LIVE on FIM-MOTO.TV priced at €8.90 for a single event and €14.90 for a full season pass.