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GREAT Britain boss Alun Rossiter has handed world champion Tai Woffinden the captaincy ahead of the new season.Woffinden will replace Chris Harris in the role for this summer’s World Cup campaign which starts at King’s Lynn on July 26.And Rossiter admits it was a tough decision to stand Harris down from the role.He said: “I went for Tai because I feel he is ready for the role. It’s with no disrespect to Bomber in any way, I just feel the opportunity to have the world champion leading our country at this time is the right thing to do.“It’s a big year for Bomber, he is looking to regain some consistency in his league racing and he is also back in the Grand Prix which is going to be a lot on his plate and hopefully this will relieve some pressure on him.“I know he will disagree with those sentiments, but you also have to consider how Tai has matured, how he has developed his fitness and diet, the way he deals with sponsors and the media and this is something I believe he deserves.”Woffinden, meanwhile, is thrilled to be handed the captaincy.He said: “This is another very proud moment for me and a great way to start 2014.“I was born in Scunthorpe, my family are all British and when I came back to the UK after spending my childhood in Australia I was keen to represent my country.“I feel very proud and passionate and I know what it has meant to British Speedway to have a British world champion. Now I hope I can play my part in helping us as a nation have a much improved World Cup and help some of the younger riders come through and realise their potential.”
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THE Elite Riders’ Championship at Coventry will now take place on Friday March 21 – two days earlier than previously scheduled.The change has come about as the event will be televised live by Sky Sports at the commencement of their new five-year deal for exclusive live coverage of the sport.The ERC is set to feature World Champion Tai Woffinden with the Wolverhampton star going up against several star names in the first major event of the regular domestic season.
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SHEFFIELD have completed their team-building for the new Premier League season with the signings of Andre Compton and Simon Nielsen.The two riders have identical averages but the experienced Compton will start the campaign at reserve whilst Nielsen joins after spells with Leicester and Plymouth last year.Sheffield co-promoter David Hoggart said: “We welcome Simon to Sheffield Speedway and our new manager Joe Screen will be working closely with him.“Andre is a class act on his day and it’s a bonus for us to have him at reserve to start the season. There were occasions last season when he looked like the Andre of old, in his prime, and we are expecting big scores from him.”
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SUNDAY FEBRUARY 2:WINTER CRACKER: Peterborough - OFF
