Danish ace back for the Lynn Stars

KIng’s Lynn favourite Niels-Kristian Iversen is racing back into the team line-up for the 2024 season.

And the Stars are also delighted to confirm GB youngster Anders Rowe, who made such a positive impression during his stint with the club this year, will return to take the Rising Star berth.

Danish ace Iversen, now 41, spent many of his best top-flight years at the Adrian Flux Arena with an unbroken spell in Stars colours from 2011-16, and has also been involved in two subsequent campaigns.

The former Grand Prix winner rode for the club’s A47 rivals Peterborough in 2023 and ended the season in vintage form with a string of high scores.

Team manager Rob Lyon said: “Niels does have quite an attractive average (6.64), and I know we always say that about certain riders, but he did finish the season so strongly this year.

“I think what turned it was he’d been at No.1 and No.5 for a lot of the year and struggled by his standards, he couldn’t get set-up right or settled in properly, and we actually had heart-to-talks with him around two-thirds of the way through the season.

“He stuck at it and when he moved to No.2, when we had quality in other areas, it took the pressure off him, and we realised what a hell of a No.2 he is!

“In reality, he’s better than that, but he will come into the team effectively as a second-string/third heat-leader, and I think he’s more than capable of being a solid performer in that position.

“Niels isn’t a No.1 anymore and he knows that – but he certainly offers a lot in the middle of the team. He’s got good connections with King’s Lynn in the past, and probably for the first time in my dealings with him, he was the one who approached us and said he wanted to come back next year.”

Meanwhile 21-year-old Rowe joined the Stars in late June and raced in twelve Sports Insure Premiership fixtures, firmly establishing himself as a Rising Star who could have a major impact on meetings.

This was clearly shown with a stunning 13+1 haul in the Stars’ dramatic home win over Belle Vue in August, and another paid double-figure haul in the narrow defeat to Ipswich.

Lyon said: “The Rising Star situation is slightly different in that you have the option to retain the rider you had in the previous year, and Anders was a no-brainer in lots of ways.

“He had some terrific meetings at King’s Lynn towards the end of the year, and I really see him as a rider who has a future in the sport.

“I think it gives us a solid start at reserve and as long as he can have an injury-free season I think he’ll be fine, and he’ll contribute greatly to our performances.”

The Stars are finalising arrangements elsewhere in their team and expect to make further announcements this week. All signings remain subject to approval.