Robert Branford (speedway rider) explained

Robert Branford
Nationality:Australian
Birth Date:23 November 1993
Birth Place:Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
Career1:Great Britain
Years2:2010–2011
Career2:Buxton Hitmen
Years3:2011, 2012
Career3:Redcar Bears
Years4:2012
Career4:Berwick Bandits
Years5:2013
Career5:Coventry Storm
Years6:2013
Career6:Leicester Lions
Years7:2015
Career7:Edinburgh Monarchs
Years8:2016
Career8:Rye House Raiders
Indivyear1:2013
Indivhonour1:British Under-21 Champion
Indivyear2:2014
Indivhonour2:Jack Young Solo Cup winner
Indivyear3:2014
Indivhonour3:Chum Taylor Cup winner
Indivyear4:2015
Indivhonour4:Victorian State Under-21 Champion
Teamyear1:2010
Teamhonour1:National Trophy
Teamyear2:2010
Teamhonour2:Knockout Cup
Teamyear3:2010
Teamhonour3:National League
Teamyear4:2016
Teamhonour4:National League Fours

Robert Peter Branford (born 23 November 1993) is an Australian former motorcycle speedway rider.[1]

Career

Born in Adelaide, South Australia, he is the son of former Australian rider Darrell Branford.[2] Following in his father's footsteps, Robert took up speedway at the age of ten at the Sidewinders Speedway in Adelaide, and twice finished third in the South Australian Under-16 Championship.[3]

In 2010, he began his British speedway career with Buxton Hitmen in the National League, riding as part of the team that won the National Trophy, the National League Knock-Out Cup, and National League Championship that season.

In late 2010, he was signed by Premier League Redcar Bears on a full transfer, and rode for both Redcar and Buxton in 2011.[4] He averaged 2.82 for the Bears in 2011, and the following season only made a handful of Premier League level appearances for Redcar and Berwick Bandits, suffering a knee injury late in the season.[5]

In 2013, he signed for National League Coventry Storm after an injury to Oliver Greenwood, and was a surprise winner of the British Under-21 Championship in April, qualifying for the competition as he holds a British passport, which he qualified for via his Barnsley-born mother.[6] [7] [8] [9]

He was subsequently signed by Leicester Lions to ride in the Premier League, initially sharing the number seven position with Lewis Blackbird, but taking the position full-time after Blackbird was allowed to join Scunthorpe Scorpions.[10] He lost his place in July to Storm teammate James Sarjeant.[11]

On 26 January 2014, Branford won the Jack Young Solo Cup at his home track, the Gillman Speedway in Adelaide.[12] Branford also finished second in the Gillman Solo Championship in 2010 (behind Sam Martin), and again in 2013 when he finished second in the final to Shane Parker. Branford also won the Chum Taylor Cup at the Pinjar Park Speedway in Perth and later won the Victorian Under-21 Championship held in Albury–Wodonga.

In 2016, he was part of the Rye House Raiders team that won the National League Fours, held on 14 August 2016 at Brandon Stadium.[13]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022 . British Speedway . 30 June 2023.
  2. "Rider Index", speedwaygb.co. Retrieved 4 May 2013
  3. "Queensland junior shines interstate", Motorcycling Queensland, 14 November 2007. Retrieved 4 May 2013
  4. "Robert Branford agrees deal with Buxton", BBC, 10 March 2011. Retrieved 4 May 2013
  5. Rowe, David (2013) "Coventry Storm rider Robert Branford wins British Under-21 title", Coventry Telegraph, 25 April 2013. Retrieved 7 May 2013
  6. "Double Change for Storm", coventrybees.co, 20 April 2013. Retrieved 4 May 2013
  7. "Branford Crowned British U21 Champion", speedway365.com, 23 April 2013. Retrieved 4 May 2013
  8. "Speedway: Robert Branford takes British Under-21 crown", skysports.com, 24 April 2013. Retrieved 4 May 2013
  9. Oakes, Peter (2010) "Bring It On", Speedway Star, 30 October 2010, pp. 24–25
  10. "Speedway: Leicester Lions sign Robert Branford", Leicester Mercury, 2 May 2013. Retrieved 4 May 2013
  11. "Sarjeant Joins Lions", speedwaygb.co, 1 August 2013. Retrieved 1 August 2013
  12. http://www.gillmanspeedway.com/news/robert-branford-winner-of-the-jack-young-cup/ Robert Branford wins 2014 Jack Young Cup
  13. Web site: 2016 National League Fours final . British Speedway . 10 July 2023.