Kacper Woryna Honours Family Legacy With Stunning Speedway GP debut Win In Landshut

Polish rider Kacper Woryna admits he still has a long way to go to match the legacy of his legendary grandfather, but his full-time Speedway GP debut couldn’t have started more emphatically after charging to victory at the FIM Speedway GP of Germany in Landshut on Saturday night.

The 29-year-old delivered an all-action performance to claim the win at the WWK Schwaiger & Partner FIM Speedway GP of Germany, Landshut, just months after earning his place on the sport’s biggest stage through the 2025 FIM SGP Challenge in Holsted, Denmark.

Woryna took the chequered flag in the final to deny Great Britain’s Dan Bewley, who had been dominant throughout the heats with five straight wins, from becoming the first rider since Leon Madsen in 2019 to go unbeaten across an entire Speedway GP night. Six-time world champion Bartosz Zmarzlik rounded out the podium in third, with fellow Brit Robert Lambert finishing fourth.

From an Australian perspective, it was a frustrating night, with Jason Doyle, Brady Kurtz and Jack Holder all falling short in the last chance qualifier and missing out on the main event.

It continues a remarkable run of form for Woryna, who made the off-season move to PGE Ekstraliga team Lublin and recently claimed victory in Poland’s prestigious Golden Helmet meeting in Opole. That success saw him follow in the footsteps of his grandfather Antoni Woryna, who won the same event twice in 1967 and 1971 and remains a pioneer of Polish speedway, becoming the nation’s first FIM Speedway World Championship medallist with bronze in 1966, before repeating the feat in 1970.

While proud of that family connection, Woryna is realistic about the challenge of matching it, explaining that “obviously, it’s really something special for me. I knew I was competing in Speedway GP 60 years after that first bronze medal happened, and it’s special.” He added, “My grandpa was a legend. You can’t really beat what he has achieved in speedway. I am not trying to compete with what he has achieved, but I have always said it is a privilege to have the same surname at least.”

Still, the connection runs deep. Woryna recalled that “I was five when he died. The only memory I have of him was when he took the side wheels off my mini bicycle when I was learning to cycle at three or four… that’s one memory that has stuck with me – he just took the side wheels off, and off I went.”

That early introduction to two wheels has now come full circle in the biggest way possible, with Woryna admitting he didn’t see a debut victory coming. “I can’t explain how it feels to win on my debut like that,” he said. “I didn’t expect it to happen when I got there in the morning. Obviously, we work for things like this to happen, but speedway is a really dynamic sport, and you have to expect the unexpected at all times. That was one thing I didn’t expect.”

His early-season form has been no accident, with Woryna pointing to the groundwork laid behind the scenes. “It has been really, really good. These are all the things we have worked for – not only during the winter, but last season,” he said. “For me, it has been a build-up over the past couple of years. With all the people that you don’t see behind the scenes, it’s all possible.”

Despite the breakthrough, Woryna remains grounded, adding, “This beginning of the season has been good for me. But it’s only the beginning, and there are months to go. I will definitely be working hard to keep it up. I will keep my head down and do my best.”

The Landshut victory also saw Woryna become the first rider in 2026 to wear the reintroduced Speedway GP Golden Race Jacket, a prize not seen since Australian great Jason Crump last held it during his 2009 title-winning campaign. Woryna took the moment in his stride, smiling, “I have always liked the colour gold. I wasn’t brave enough to have it on my race suit like Bartek. Maybe I can borrow some! I am pretty pleased with this.”

For runner-up Bewley, it was a night of mixed emotions. The British rider was unstoppable in the heats, collecting a perfect 15-point maximum and even charging from last to first in a remarkable heat 19 to underline his speed. While pleased to open his season with second place — matching his 18-point haul from Landshut in 2025 — he couldn’t hide his disappointment at missing out on a perfect night.

Reflecting on the performance, Bewley said, “I reminded myself of Batch Attack when he did something similar in Copenhagen. He was on fire that night and I felt about as good as him.” He added that despite the conditions, “the track was what it was. There was a bit of bouncing around and I enjoyed it, to be fair. It’s not a bad start to the year. Congrats to Kacper on his first win. I am looking forward to the next few meetings.”

Zmarzlik, meanwhile, was satisfied with a solid start to his title defence, finishing third and praising his fellow Lublin and Lejonen teammate. “I am happy. It is always nice to start the season on the podium and I am happy with third place,” he said, before adding, “Congrats to my friend Kacper because the first win is always the best moment. He will remember this day. He did the best job.”

With a breakthrough victory secured and momentum building, Woryna now turns his attention to the next challenge, with the FIM Speedway GP of Czech Republic in Prague set for May 23.