EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Alexander Jacobsson Sundkvist – SMEDERNA

Eskilstuna Smederna return to the Bauhaus Elitserien after a one year break and will be looking to retain the championship title that they won three years in a row between 2017-2019.

But instead of simply investing the winnings in foreign riders, the club has been active in promoting new, young Swedes onto the track. Most notable so far is Alexander Woentin who will an U21 rider for the last time this year and be racing his first season in Poland with Tarnow as an U24 rider.

Another rider following up behind Woentin is Alexander Jacobsson Sundkvist who just turned 19 yrs this month. He has been racing in Sweden’s third league, called Division 1, since he was just 15 years old and made his Allsvenskan debut aged only 17 yrs for Team Rapid, also based in Eskilstuna. Understandably, the latter rates as one of his career highlights so far.

Division 1 was able to go ahead last year despite the pandemic, but Allsvenskan never started in Sweden at all. But Coronavirus was not the main problem for the young Swede, rather it was two serious crashes which took him out for much of the year. For example, the tumble at Målilla in the U21 Swedish Championships, won by Woentin, led to concussion.

But he is still able to see the positive, „It was really great to be part of the U21 championship even though it finished with a tough crash. I will do my best to be part of the competition in 2021 and get the best possible position I can,” he says with youthful determination.

Despite the injuries, he was still able to take part in 7 of the 11 matches that Smederna took part in Division 1. Jacobsson Sundkvist finished the season with a 1.242 average, one of the best in his four years in the league. That placed him in 23rd in the individual averages.

„For me, the best thing about the season was the end of the year when I came back to my normal racing after the two crashes,” he says. A fact that can been seen by his points in the last two races of the season in October. In the league you get to race five heats and the young Swede scored 8 and 9 points, a heat average of 1.6 and 1.8.

His team came third in the league behind winners Kumla Indianerna and second placed Gislaved/ Hagfors.

The Eskilstuna clubs see the potential in the 19 year old and are investing in his future in the coming year. They have signed him for all of their teams in each of the three Swedish leagues – Smederna (Elitserien), Team Rapid (Allsvenskan) and Smederna (Division 1).

Jakobsson Sundkvist will play an vital role in the Division 1 team, but with riders like Gleb Chugunov and Michael Jepsen Jensen in the Elitserien team, he is unlikely to get a start there.

However, this could be the year which sees him come in and race as a reserve for Team Rapid in the Allsvenskan. They will be lead by Swedes Linus Eklöf and Joel Kling would will be doubling up with Elitserien duties.

Jacobsson Sundkvist has enjoyed speedway all his life and still has the potential to be part of the sport for another 15 years. Fans may not get to see him this year becuase of the restrictions, but if all goes to plan, he is a name you will definitely see in Sweden and abroad in the years to come.