Sam Ermolenko
Encyclopedia
Guy Allen 'Sudden Sam' Ermolenko (born 23 November 1960 Maywood
, California
) is a former Speedway
rider. In 1993 he won the Speedway World Championship
in Pocking
, Germany
. He is the older brother of Charles 'Dukie' Ermolenko who also rode in the UK.
In 1985, Sam could not agree a deal to return to the UK so raced back home in California. He did however qualify for the World Final at Bradford's Odsal stadium and came within a whisker of winning the World Title, narrowly losing out after a run of with Danish duo Hans Nielsen and (eventual winner) Erik Gundersen
He rode for Sheffield in 1996, Belle Vue 1997 before returning to Wolverhampton in 1998. In 1999 he helped Hull in their short stint in the top league before returning to Wolves in 2000 and 2001. In 2002 he had another spell at Belle Vue and at the age of 42 he again rejoined parent club, Wolverhampton for the 2003 and 2004 season before spending his final season at Peterborough in 2005.
He was trainer/manager of Reading in 2006 and was involved in the bid to get Leicester Speedway back in the sport for the 2011 season.
Sam is the regular face of Sky Sports speedway coverage, doing both league and GP meetings.
He finished third in the World again in 1987 in Amsterdam (the first & only year when there was a two day world final - Sam was leading after day one) and fourth in 1988 World Final in Vojens, Denmark. Many tipped Sam for World title honours in 1989, however a horrific injury whilst racing long track meant that he would sit out the 1989 & 1990 world title races.
Sam did however lead the USA victory in the World team cup in 1990.
Bad luck and injury meant Sam missed out on individual world honours in 1991 & 1992. However he Captained Wolves to the British League title and was crowned British League Riders Champion in 1991 & won both the World Pairs & World Team cup as USA captain in 1992.
After his World final triumph, Sam was virtually unbeatable. He again led the USA to Pairs and Team cup glory. At the latter, he beat his old enemy Nielsen in a last heat decider on the Dane's home Coventry circuit. He was also unbeaten as the USA whitewashed England in a 3 match Test Series.
It also looked as though he would again lead Wolves to league title triumph however, cruelly, a broken leg put an abrupt end to his season and this combined with injuries to other key members of the side, meant Wolves narrowly missed out on winning the league to the Belle Vue Aces.
Sam did attempt to qualify back into the GP's in future years but unfortunately never made it. He did however continue to figure prominently in the British league.
Sam retired in after the 2005 season where he rode or the Peterborough Panthers.
In 2006 he staged a Farewell meeting at Wolverhampton's Monmore Green stadium. It was a fitting tribute to one of the sports greatest ever riders.
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in the UK as a trackside reporter and occasionally works inside the studio.
He also had a spell helping out the Reading Bulldogs off the track in 2006 when they finished runners-up in the Elite League.
He is now tuning engines for riders as well his Sky TV work and was the main well known name behind the rebirth of Leicester Speedway for 2011 but all that collapsed in September 2010 and has moved onto other projects and now nothing to do with the Leicester set up.
Maywood
Maywood may refer to:Places in the United States* Maywood, California* Maywood, Illinois** Maywood , a commuter railroad station* Maywood, New Jersey* Maywood, Nebraska* Maywood Beach, a former water park in northern MississippiOther...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
) is a former Speedway
Motorcycle speedway
Motorcycle speedway, usually referred to as speedway, is a motorcycle sport involving four and sometimes up to six riders competing over four anti-clockwise laps of an oval circuit. Speedway motorcycles use only one gear and have no brakes and racing takes place on a flat oval track usually...
rider. In 1993 he won the Speedway World Championship
Speedway World Championship
The World Championship of Speedway is an international competition between the highest ranked motorcycle speedway riders of the world. Today, it is organised as a series of Speedway Grand Prix events, where points are awarded according to performance in the event and tallied up at the end of each...
in Pocking
Pocking
Pocking is a town in the district of Passau, in Lower Bavaria, Germany. It is situated about 30 km south-west of Passau, close to the Austrian border.-History:...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. He is the older brother of Charles 'Dukie' Ermolenko who also rode in the UK.
Early career
After originally showing an interest in Motocross, Sam began riding in the Californian speedway circuit. As he wore red leathers, former World Champion Barry Briggs suggested the nickname of "The mad Russian" (Due to Sam's family roots) although it is believed this is not something Sam himself was keen on.Coming to Europe
After some liberal success in California, Sam moved over to the UK to race for the Poole Pirates for the 1983 British league season. He soon become a big hit with fans in Dorset and was welcomed back in 1984.In 1985, Sam could not agree a deal to return to the UK so raced back home in California. He did however qualify for the World Final at Bradford's Odsal stadium and came within a whisker of winning the World Title, narrowly losing out after a run of with Danish duo Hans Nielsen and (eventual winner) Erik Gundersen
Wolverhampton Wolves
In 1986 (and until 1995) Sam returned to the UK to ride for the Wolverhampton Wolves in the British league. It was at Wolves that Sam established himself as a genuine World Class rider.He rode for Sheffield in 1996, Belle Vue 1997 before returning to Wolverhampton in 1998. In 1999 he helped Hull in their short stint in the top league before returning to Wolves in 2000 and 2001. In 2002 he had another spell at Belle Vue and at the age of 42 he again rejoined parent club, Wolverhampton for the 2003 and 2004 season before spending his final season at Peterborough in 2005.
He was trainer/manager of Reading in 2006 and was involved in the bid to get Leicester Speedway back in the sport for the 2011 season.
Sam is the regular face of Sky Sports speedway coverage, doing both league and GP meetings.
He finished third in the World again in 1987 in Amsterdam (the first & only year when there was a two day world final - Sam was leading after day one) and fourth in 1988 World Final in Vojens, Denmark. Many tipped Sam for World title honours in 1989, however a horrific injury whilst racing long track meant that he would sit out the 1989 & 1990 world title races.
Sam did however lead the USA victory in the World team cup in 1990.
Bad luck and injury meant Sam missed out on individual world honours in 1991 & 1992. However he Captained Wolves to the British League title and was crowned British League Riders Champion in 1991 & won both the World Pairs & World Team cup as USA captain in 1992.
World Title year
The 1993 season was supposed to see the last of the 'one off' world finals before the Grand Prix was introduced (this was not the case and the GP system did not begin until 1995) Sam was again one of the pre season favourites. At the world final in Pocking, Germany, Sam had a fantastic start to the meeting winning his first three rides. In Heat 15 Sam met fellow title contender and three time World Champion Hans Nielsen. In the first staging of the race, Nielsen was adjudged to have knocked Sam off his machine and was excluded. In the re-run Sam shed a chain entering the first bend, however fellow American Billy Hamill ran into the back of him and the referee controversially ordered a re-run with the three remaining riders. Sam & many others felt he deserved this slice of luck after all the bad luck in previous world title attempts. Sam duly won the third staging of the race and after gaining an unbeaten 12 points from his 4 rides, Sam could afford the luxury of coming last in his final outing & still be crowned World Champion.After his World final triumph, Sam was virtually unbeatable. He again led the USA to Pairs and Team cup glory. At the latter, he beat his old enemy Nielsen in a last heat decider on the Dane's home Coventry circuit. He was also unbeaten as the USA whitewashed England in a 3 match Test Series.
It also looked as though he would again lead Wolves to league title triumph however, cruelly, a broken leg put an abrupt end to his season and this combined with injuries to other key members of the side, meant Wolves narrowly missed out on winning the league to the Belle Vue Aces.
Defending Champion
The 1994 season started late for Sam as he recovered from the previous seasons injuries. He did again qualify for the World Final (in Vojens) winning the Overseas title on route. However luck again deserted him and after a controversial exclusion in his opening ride, Sam scored only 6 points to finish way down the field. The season did finish on a high note though, as he led Wolves to a respectable third place finish in the league & won the British League riders Championship again.Grand Prix & later years
1995 saw the inaugural Grand Prix season. Sam started his first Grand Prix campaign slowly but after a stronger finish to the season, he finished third in the World. 1996 Was Sam's second and final year in the GP series, finishing 1 place below automatic qualifying place for the next years series. He did though once again win the British League Riders Championship in 1996, this time representing Sheffield Tigers.Sam did attempt to qualify back into the GP's in future years but unfortunately never made it. He did however continue to figure prominently in the British league.
Sam retired in after the 2005 season where he rode or the Peterborough Panthers.
In 2006 he staged a Farewell meeting at Wolverhampton's Monmore Green stadium. It was a fitting tribute to one of the sports greatest ever riders.
World Final Appearances
- 19851985 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1985 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*August 31, 1985 Bradford, Odsal Stadium...
-
BradfordBradfordBradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
, Odsal StadiumOdsal StadiumOdsal Stadium is a stadium situated in Odsal, Bradford in West Yorkshire, England. The venue is used for rugby league and has been the home ground of Bradford Bulls/Bradford Northern since 1934...
- 3rd - 13pts + 1pt - 19861986 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1986 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*August 30, 1986 Chorzów, Silesian Stadium...
-
ChorzówChorzówChorzów is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. Chorzów is one of the central districts of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - a metropolis with a population of 2 million...
, Silesian Stadium - 7th - 9pts - 19871987 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1987 Individual Speedway World Championship was contested for the one and only time over two days. The scores from both meetings were combined to produce the eventual winner.-Day 1:*September 5, 1987 Amsterdam, Olympic Stadium-Day 2:...
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AmsterdamAmsterdamAmsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, Olympic Stadium - 3rd - 24pts + 2pts - 19881988 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1988 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 3, 1988 Vojens, Vojens Speedway Center...
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VojensVojensVojens Municipality , was a municipality in the former South Jutland County on the Jutland peninsula in south Denmark. The municipality, which existed from 1970 to 2006, covered an area of 298 km², and had a total population of 16,792...
, Speedway Center - 4th - 12pts - 19911991 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1991 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*August 31, 1991 Göteborg, Ullevi...
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Göteborg, UlleviUlleviUllevi is a stadium in Gothenburg, Sweden. The stadium was built for the 1958 FIFA World Cup, but since then Ullevi has also hosted the 1995 World Championships in Athletics and the 2006 European Championships in Athletics, the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup finals in 1983 and 1990, the UEFA Euro 1992...
- 7th - 9pts - 19921992 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1992 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*August 29, 1992 Wrocław, Olympic Stadium...
- Wrocław, Olympic StadiumOlympic Stadium (Wroclaw)Olympic Stadium in Wrocław is a multi-purpose stadium in Wrocław, Poland. It is currently used mostly for football matches and speedway racing. It serves as the home stadium of Atlas Wrocław. The stadium has a capacity of 35,000 people and was opened in 1935. The stadium was supposed to be used...
- 8th - 7pts - 19931993 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1993 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*August 29, 1993 Pocking, Rottalstadion...
-
PockingPockingPocking is a town in the district of Passau, in Lower Bavaria, Germany. It is situated about 30 km south-west of Passau, close to the Austrian border.-History:...
, Rottalstadion - Winner - 12pts - 19941994 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1994 Individual Speedway World Championship.-Scandinavian Series:Riders from Scandinavia, i.e. Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland competed. The top 8 in Swedish Semi Finals advanced to the Swedish Final. The top 5 in the Swedish Final advanced to the Scandinavian Final. The Danish Final was...
- VojensVojensVojens Municipality , was a municipality in the former South Jutland County on the Jutland peninsula in south Denmark. The municipality, which existed from 1970 to 2006, covered an area of 298 km², and had a total population of 16,792...
, Speedway Center - 13th - 6pts
Speedway Grand Prix results
| Year | Position | Points | Best Finish | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 1995 Speedway Grand Prix The 1995 Speedway Grand Prix season was the first season in the Speedway Grand Prix era and was used to determine the Speedway World Champion. Grand Prix series was won by Hans Nielsen; it was his fourth World Champion title.- Event format :... |
3rd | 83 | 2nd | 2nd in Denmark and Great Britain |
| 1996 1996 Speedway Grand Prix The 1996 Speedway Grand Prix season was the second season in the Speedway Grand Prix era and was used to determine the Speedway World Champion. Grand Prix series was won by Billy Hamill; it was his first and only World Champion title.- Event format :... |
9th | 52 | 4th |
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Since retirement
Sam currently works for Sky SportsSky Sports
Sky Sports is the brand name for a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by the UK and Ireland's main satellite pay-TV company, British Sky Broadcasting. Sky Sports is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland...
in the UK as a trackside reporter and occasionally works inside the studio.
He also had a spell helping out the Reading Bulldogs off the track in 2006 when they finished runners-up in the Elite League.
He is now tuning engines for riders as well his Sky TV work and was the main well known name behind the rebirth of Leicester Speedway for 2011 but all that collapsed in September 2010 and has moved onto other projects and now nothing to do with the Leicester set up.