Experience proved to be key in today’s Qualifying Round for the 2026 FIM Ice Speedway World Championship powered by Anlas, Kineo and HKC Koopmann at Örnsköldsvik in Sweden where veterans Franz ‘Franky’ Zorn, Aki Ala-Riihimäki and Johann Weber filled the podium positions and booked their places in the Finals.
- Experience beats youth at Qualifying Round for FIM Ice Speedway World Championship
- Franky Zorn leads home Aki Ala-Riihimäki and Johann Weber in Örnsköldsvik
- Top eight make the cut for Finals in Inzell and Heerenveen
At fifty-nine years old, Ala-Riihimäki was the oldest rider in action at the immaculate Kallehov circuit and the evergreen Finn and fifty-five-year-old Zorn were inseparable following maximum scores in their first three Heat races before the Austrian legend – silver medallist in 2023 – fought his way clear to claim overall victory with a dominant maximum.
Weber – known affectionately as ‘Ice Hans’ to his many fans – was returning to top-flight racing following an extended lay-off for hand surgery and he claimed a very popular third ahead of home favourite Filip Jäger who, by complete contrast to the experienced German, is beginning just his third season of racing at the highest level.
With eight places up for grabs in this year’s three scheduled Finals – with the first two set for the weekend of 14-15 March at Inzell in Germany followed by the deciding Final at Heerenveen in the Netherlands on 11 April – the action was intense all the way through the twenty-Heat programme.
Ala-Riihimäki, Zorn and 2022 silver medal winner Weber opened their accounts with victories on the scenic outdoor circuit and they were joined at the top following the first block of racing by Germany’s Max Niedermaier – himself an FIM Ice Speedway World Championship runner-up in 2024 – while there was just a point each for pre-event favourites Lukáš Hutla and Luca Bauer.
Ala-Riihimäki, Zorn and Weber added further wins in the second block and Austrian Martin Posch collected his first maximum score of the afternoon, but Max Niedermaier failed to add to his total.
With their third victories of the afternoon, Ala-Riihimäki – who defeated Jäger – and Zorn, who beat Weber, maintained their one-hundred per cent records as they pulled clear of the chasing pack. Czech star Hutla – last year’s European champion – also added a win following an earlier suspected mechanical issue and there was a victory for Swedish-based Dutchman Leon Kramer.
With two blocks remaining to decide the eight qualifiers, Weber ensured his progression with his third win of the programme and Jäger’s first win of the afternoon virtually guaranteed his place in the Finals. The fourth block also featured the showdown between the unbeaten pairing of Zorn and Ala-Riihimäki with the Austrian taking a decisive win as FMNR track reserve Isak Dekkerhus separated the two event pace-setters before Max Niedermaier snatched a vital victory from Andrej Divis from the Czech Republic.
Heading into the concluding block with their Finals places assured, both Zorn and Ala-Riihimäki signed off with wins after Jäger made sure of qualifying with his second victory, but even crossing the line first in his final Heat was not good enough to lift brave Dutch teenager Sebastian Reitsma – who was carrying a painful shoulder injury – into the all-important top-eight.
A strong second behind Reitsma was good enough to ensure Kramer made the cut in fifth with Hutla, Max Niedermaierand Bauer also progressing to the Finals where they will meet the top five finishers from last season’s FIM Ice Speedway World Championship led by Sweden’s reigning champion Martin Harrahiltunen who has claimed gold for the last four consecutive seasons.
Global focus now shifts to the Max Aicher Arena in Inzell in Germany on 14-15 March and the Thialf Ice Stadium in Heerenveen in the Netherlands on 11 April for the three Finals that will decide the title.
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