HOME INTERNATIONAL: Payne announces Junior Team

England Junior Team Manager Zac Payne has announced the 2022 England Junior Team for the Home International at Fife later next month. The full statement from Zac is below:

“Following a ruthless display last year recording a maximum 72 points it will be hard to match that again but our main focus will be securing the win and retaining the junior title. I will be sticking with my outlook as manager in wanting to give riders a chance to prove themselves at International level. Therefore four riders will be making their England debut in May.

Noah Woodhouse (Kesgrave).
Noah will captain this year’s team and is one of the most talented juniors in the country, he just keeps getting better and better every time I see him race. The 2021 Under 16 British Champion is a very busy man outside of Cycle Speedway where he plays rugby and also more recently has started track sprint (velodrome).

Charlie Parr (Kesgrave).
Last year we had one half of the Kesgrave Panthers podcast in the team, this year Charlie joins teammate and co-host Noah for the England line up. Winning the Junior Dash Trophies event earlier this year and also putting in a solid performance in the senior event too.

JJ Wildman (Exeter).
JJ and his family will most likely have the longest journey of their cycle speedway career come May travelling quite literally from one end of the country to the other. Apart from JJ’s amazing commitment and enthusiasm for the sport he has really grown as a rider in the last couple of years and has plenty of indoor and outdoor titles to prove this.

Ellis Richmond ((Wednesfield).
Ellis finished 3rd in the Under 16 final last year and is one of the top junior riders in his region. It’s always difficult seeing all the juniors race across the country, especially those who are not from the South West region but I hear very positive things about Eliis from Wednesfield Club members and senior riders.

Harry Radford (Bury).
Completing the line up this year is Harry who was also on the podium last year in the under 16 final finishing 2nd. Harry is the current National U-16 Boys 500 metres Time Trial Track champion and a natural when it comes to cycling. Harry competed in last year’s Home International representing the Ireland Select side and really impressed me.”