Klindt makes immediate impact for Scorpions

25-YEAR-OLD DANE Nicolai Klindt made a fine 2014 debut for the FluidAir Power Scunthorpe Scorpions against Glasgow at the Eddie Wright Raceway last night (Friday), scoring paid 13 in the 57-36 victory and ending up as joint highest-scorer alongside Ryan Douglas.

Klindt is a familiar face at Scunthorpe, having spent a two-month spell at the club in the second half of the 2013 season. He proved a worthy addition then, and last night showed he looks even sharper this season.

He is initially in for the Scorpions as a 28-day injury replacement for Anders Mellgren, but promoter Rob Godfrey has already indicated he would like the Dane to stay longer than that. Klindt had a brief spell at Elite League Swindon at the start of the season.

Klindt is ambitious. A former World Cup star, he does nothing to hide his desire to be riding in the top circles of the sport.

On Thursday evening, he was very close to winning the opening round of the Danish championship at Holstebro, despite only receiving a late call-up to the meeting in place of the injured Kenneth Bjerre.

Klindt says: “I’m really pumped about the result in Denmark. I was leading the final for more than three-and-a-half laps, but the bike just died on the final corner.

“I think I had an ignition problem and Niels-Kristian Iversen pipped me. I went into the meeting was no pressure on me at all, I just went along to enjoy it and I finished second. But it could have been first!

“I’m now in the Grand Prix qualifiers; my round is on June 7 (the date the Scorpions were due at Workington, before that meeting was moved).

“The way that the Danish Championship works is that there are two meetings to decide who becomes Danish Champion, but only the first round determines who goes through to the international stages of the GP qualifiers.

“I’m now in a healthy position to do well in the Danish Championship as well; I’ve got 11 points to take forward into the second round.”

Moving forward 24 hours, came Nicolai’s first meeting of 2014 for the Scorpions; that paid 13 score against Glasgow.

He remarks: “I had a really good meeting, only dropping two points to opposing riders.

“In my first race, I couldn’t get over from the outside gate. I was up with their rider (Mark Lemon) in the closing stages, but couldn’t get past him before the line.

“I tried to change some things with my bike in Heat 15, to see if we could make the bike hook more to the inside. It worked in a way, but Kevin (Wolbert) just had the run on me on the outside.

“In between that, all was good. And overall it was a great team performance from Scunthorpe.

“I enjoy riding for Scunthorpe. The track is great, and the management, Rob and Gail (Godfrey), are superb. I feel welcome here, and I’m really happy to be back.”