TWENTY-ONE-year-old Jan Jaros is the rider who will complete the Ipswich Evening Star Witches 2006 speedway team.The Czech Republic youngster rode for King's Lynn in 2005 and helped the Norfolk side win the Premier League Knock-Out Cup and Young Shield.

By Elvin King

TWENTY-ONE-year-old Jan Jaros is the rider who will complete the Ipswich Evening Star Witches 2006 speedway team.

The Czech Republic youngster rode for King's Lynn in 2005 and helped the Norfolk side win the Premier League Knock-Out Cup and Young Shield.

He has been left out of Lynn's team plans for this season and fits conveniently into the Witches side at reserve.

Ipswich were seeking a rider with a three-point average. He finished last season with a 4.68 Premier League average, which comes inside the range when adjusted to Elite League levels.

Jaros, recommended by former Witch Sam Tesar and a Czech international, rode a couple of meetings for Belle Vue in July 2004, so has limited Elite League experience.

Born in Strakonice on November 11, 1984, he rode a couple of League Cup meetings for Lynn in 2003 and although named in their side the following year, a problem with averages saw him left out at the 11th hour.

Last season he rode a total of 33 meetings for the Stars, notching a paid 14 points against Workington and 12 against Exeter.

“Jan has great potential and with the right guidance he can prove a big asset for us,” said Witches rider/manager Chris Louis.

“He will be given every chance and we are sure he will come through.”

In naming the rest of the Ipswich side, Louis revealed that Robert Miskowiak narrowly pipped fellow Pole Mariusz Puszakowski for a second string berth at Foxhall Stadium.

Swede Kim Jansson stays in the team, while Danny King (Mildenhall) and Carl Wilkinson (Newport) will share the doubling up reserve position.

“It would have been a waste not to have gone with Robert for a second year,” said Louis.

“He always wanted to come back but there were problems over his Polish club giving permission.

“He has since transferred from Wroclaw to Leszno and they are happy for Robert to ride in England.

“Mariusz featured in our thoughts right up to this week and he would have been in if - as we expected - the combined points limit had been 41 points.

“When the promoters' conference dropped it to 40 points, we had plenty of head searching to do.”

Louis is happy with the side and proud that four English riders are included.

He added: “We all speak English and we can all up our averages.

“Every other side in the Elite League has one poten-tially weak rider in their top five.

“This is where we can gain as our top five are all solid scorers.

“Our reserves are good listeners and will learn quickly.

“With Hans Anderson's decision to leave us, we were not in a strong position at one time during the winter, but it has worked out well and I can't wait to get started.”

Loram replaces Andersen and Jaros comes in for Puszakowski from the Ipswich team that missed out on the play-offs by four points last campaign.

The Witches have practice sessions on March 8 and 9, with the first Foxhall Stadium meeting of the season set for Thursday, March 16, with opponents still to be confirmed.

Witches 2006 line-up

Chris Louis, Mark Loram, Piotr Protasiewcz, Robert Miskowiak, Kim Jansson, Danny King, Carl Wilkinson and Jan Jaros.