Edward Jancarz

Edward Jancarz

Born	(1946-08-20)20 August 1946 Gorzów Wielkopolski, Poland
Died	11 January 1992(1992-01-11) (aged 45)
Nationality	Polish
Career history
Poland
1965-1985	Gorzów
Great Britain
1977-1982	Wimbledon
Individual honours
1975, 1983	Polish Champion
1975	Continental Final Champion
1977	Internationale
1969, 1972, 1975	Poland Golden Helmet Winner
1967	Poland Silver Helmet Winner
Team honours
1969	World Team Cup winner
1969, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1983	Polish League Champion
1979	Gauntlet Gold Cup

Edward 'Ed' Jancarz (20 August 1946 – 11 January 1992) was a Polish international speedway rider.^[1] He earned 76 international caps for the Poland speedway team.^[2]

Career

Jancarz rode in the UK for the Wimbledon Dons between 1977–1982 winning the Internationale at Wimbledon in his first season, and in Poland for Stal Gorzów. He participated in ten Speedway World Championship finals, his highest placing being in his first final when he finished on the rostrum in third place after a run-off with Russian rider Gennady Kurilenko. He was also a member of the Polish World Team Cup winning team of 1969. He won the prestigious Embassy Internationale, at Wimbledon in 1977. After his riding career ended he was a speedway coach. He was trainer in Stal Gorzów, KKŻ Krosno and Poland national speedway team.

Death

On 11 January 1992 he was fatally stabbed by his second wife, Katarzyna, during a domestic dispute after she confronted him about his alcoholism.^[3] He was 45 years old.

Since his death the Edward Jancarz Memorial has been a semi-annual meeting at the speedway that carries his name, the Edward Jancarz Stadium in Gorzów Wielkopolski. To date, 2010 World Champion Tomasz Gollob is the only Polish rider to win the memorial, having done so in 1998 and 1999

Edward Jancarz was the first speedway rider in the World to have a monument dedicated to them. The Monument of Edward Jancarz was built in 2005 and is in the city centre of Gorzów Wielkopolski.

World Final Appearances

Individual World Championship

• 1968 - Gothenburg, Ullevi - 3rd - 11pts + 3pts
• 1969 - London, Wembley Stadium - 6th - 9pts
• 1973 - Chorzów, Silesian Stadium - 11th - 6pts
• 1974 - Gothenburg, Ullevi - Reserve - 1pt
• 1975 - London, Wembley Stadium - 12th - 4pts
• 1976 - Chorzów, Silesian Stadium - 12th - 5pts
• 1977 - Gothenburg, Ullevi - 13th - 4pts
• 1979 - Chorzów, Silesian Stadium - 9th - 7pts
• 1981 - London, Wembley Stadium - 12th - 5pts
• 1982 - Los Angeles, Memorial Coliseum - 10th - 7pts

World Pairs Championship

• 1974 - Manchester, Hyde Road (with Zenon Plech) - 5th - 18pts (6)
• 1975 - Wrocław, Olympic Stadium (with Piotr Bruzda) - 2nd - 23pts (15)
• 1976 - Eskilstuna, Snälltorpet (with Zenon Plech) - 7th - 10pts (7)
• 1978 - Chorzów, Silesian Stadium (with Bolesław Proch) - 5th - 15pts (13)
• 1979 - Vojens, Speedway Center (with Zenon Plech) - 3rd - 20pts (13)
• 1980 - Krsko, Matija Gubec Stadium (with Zenon Plech) - 2nd - 22pts (15)
• 1981 - Chorzów, Silesian Stadium (with Zenon Plech) - 3rd - 21pts (6)

World Team Cup

• 1968 - London, Wembley Stadium (with Edmund Migoś / Paweł Waloszek / Andrzej Wyglenda / Henryk Glücklich) - 3rd - 19pts (6)
• 1969 - Rybnik, Rybnik Municipal Stadium (with Andrzej Wyglenda / Stanisław Tkocz / Henryk Glucklich / Andrzej Pogorzelski) - Winner - 31pts (11)
• 1971 - Wroclaw, Olympic Stadium (with Paweł Waloszek / Henryk Glücklich / Antoni Woryna / Andrzej Wyglenda) - 3rd - 19pts (4)
• 1973 - London, Wembley Stadium (with Paweł Waloszek / Zenon Plech / Jerzy Szczakiel) - 4th - 8pts (2)
• 1975 - Norden, Motodrom Halbemond (with Henryk Glucklich / Zenon Plech / Marek Cieślak / Jerzy Rembas) - 4th - 9pts (1)
• 1976 - London, White City Stadium (with Zenon Plech / Marek Cieślak]/ Jerzy Rembas / Bolesław Proch) - 2nd - 28pts (9)
• 1977 - Wrocław, Olympic Stadium (with Jerzy Rembas / Bogusław Nowak / Marek Cieślak / Ryszard Fabiszewski) - 2nd - 25pts (10)
• 1978 - Landshut, Ellermühle Stadium (with Zenon Plech / Marek Cieślak / Jerzy Rembas / Andrzej Huszcza) - 3rd - 16+3pts (6+3)
• 1980 - Wrocław, Olympic Stadium (with Zenon Plech / Roman Jankowski / Andrzej Huszcza / Jerzy Rembas) - 3rd - 15pt (3)

See also

• Edward Jancarz Memorial
• Poland national speedway team

References