Joshua Pickering (born 30 November 1996) is an Australian motorcycle speedway rider.[1][2]
| Born | 30 November 1996 Heddon Greta, New South Wales, Australia |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Australian |
| Career history | |
| Great Britain | |
| 2017–2024 | Edinburgh |
| 2021, 2023–2025 | Sheffield |
| 2022–2023 | King's Lynn |
| Poland | |
| 2023–2024 | Gniezno |
| 2025 | Leszno |
| Denmark | |
| 2023 | Region Varde |
| Individual honours | |
| 2024 | Championship Riders' Champion |
| Team honours | |
| 2023 | SGB Premiership |
| 2024 | Premiership Knockout Cup |
Career
editHe began his British speedway career riding for Edinburgh in 2017.[3][4] He began his championship average at the assessed 5.00[5] and completed the season with the fifth-highest average of 4.62.[6] By the end of the 2019 season, despite a mid-season injury at Birmingham,[7] his average for the Monarchs was past his assessed average and had reached 6.98.[8] Pickering, however, criticized the Championship league structure as unfair on riders from other countries due to its reduction in their number of matches completed by each team.[9]
While still riding for the Monarchs in the Championship in mid-2021, the Sheffield Tigers signed Pickering for their Premiership team. Co-promoter Damien Bates remarked at the time, "[I]t’s a surprise he’s not had a Premiership place before," replacing then-team member Justin Sedgmen.[10]
Pickering signed for the King's Lynn Stars ahead of the 2022 Premiership Season.[11] During the 2022 season, he rode for the King's Lynn in the SGB Premiership 2022 and for Edinburgh in the SGB Championship 2022.[12]
In 2023, he re-signed for King's Lynn for the SGB Premiership 2023 and remained the team captain but suffered injuries and later switched to Sheffield.[13] The switch proved successful as he helped Sheffield win the league title.[14] He also re-signed for Edinburgh for the SGB Championship 2023.[15]
In 2024, he re-signed for Sheffield and Edinburgh respectively,[16] winning the Knockout Cup with the Tigers.[17]
References
edit- ^ "Speedway riders, history and results". wwosbackup. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
- ^ "Ultimate Rider Index, 1929-2022" (PDF). British Speedway. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
- ^ "Pickering, Joshua (Josh)". British Speedway. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
- ^ "Josh Pickering". Edinburgh Speedway. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
- ^ "2017 SGBC Team Declarations and Green Sheets Issue 1" (PDF). SpeedwayGB Archive. 24 March 2017. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
- ^ "2017 SGB Chamionship [sic] League Green Sheets - Final Issue" (PDF). SpeedwayGB Archive. 28 September 2017. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
- ^ "Blow for Edinburgh Monarchs woe after Josh Pickering injury update". www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
- ^ "2019 SGBC Team Declarations and Green Sheets – Issue 34 Final Averages" (PDF). SpeedwayGB Archive. 30 October 2019. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
- ^ "Edinburgh Monarchs' Josh Pickering hits out speedway's Championship format". www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
- ^ "Tigers Pick Up Pickering". British Speedway. 9 July 2021. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
- ^ "Stars Pick Josh". SpeedwayGB Archive. 21 January 2022. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
- ^ "British Speedway rider profile". British Speedway. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
- ^ "KK back as Stars complete". British Speedway. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
- ^ "Tigers champions in Grand Final drama". British Speedway. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
- ^ "Pickering back for Monarchs". British Speedway. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
- ^ "Tigers up to five". British Speedway. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
- ^ "Speedway: Sheffield battle back to draw at Ipswich and lift KO Cup". The Star. Retrieved 5 October 2024.