DATE OF BIRTH: 14 June 1989, Crivitz, Parchim, Germany.
BRITISH CAREER: (2009-10) Edinburgh; (2011) Edinburgh, Birmingham, Poole.
MAJOR HONOUR: German Champion: 2008, 2011.
CLUB HONOURS: Play-Off winner: 2009 [Edinburgh]; League Championship winner: 2010 [Edinburgh], 2011 [Poole]; Knock-Out Cup winner: 2011 [Poole].
2011 STARTING AVERAGE: 7.96 (PL), 4.78 (EL).
ADDITIONAL INFO: Having attracted considerable attention in recent years, the talented Wölbert continued his progression up the speedway ladder when he finished sixth in the European Under-19 Championship at Stralsund in his home country on 30 August 2008.
Then, the following day, he further showcased his abilities by taking third spot in the German Under-21 Championship at Herxheim. However, the pinnacle of his career thus far occurred in Diedenbergen on 14 September, when he was crowned German Champion.
The meeting saw Wölbert notch 12 points to tie for first place with Richard Speiser and defending Champion Martin Smolinski but, in the title run-off, he jetted away and held off the pressing former Coventry rider for a fine success.
Prior to his excellent run on the individual front, Wölbert had also top-scored for Germany as they grabbed a highly creditable second-place behind Sweden in the European Under-19 Team Championship final at Rawicz, Poland, on 22 May.
After lining-up at Edinburgh for the aborted Scottish Open on 31 July 2009, the German subsequently joined the then-reigning Premier League Champions in August, replacing the injured Andrew Tully and also linking with compatriot Max Dilger, who had been acquired by the Monarchs a couple of weeks earlier.
His signing was to be one that re-ignited the season for the Scottish side, as he averaged almost 9 points per match (including bonus) and caused a sensation with his brilliant and daring racing. Regrettably, though, Wölbert was to miss Edinburgh’s trip to King’s Lynn for the second leg of the Knock-Out Cup final after receiving a hand injury during the Promotion Play-Off at Belle Vue on 26 October.
The injury occurred in the nominated heat, when the German’s clutch disintegrated on the first bend, causing him to fall heavily. He also missed out on the return leg against the Aces, but at least had enjoyed the satisfaction of helping the Monarchs to victory over King’s Lynn in the Play-Off final earlier in the month.
Immediately prior to his injury, the club had handed their fans an early Christmas present with the news that Wölbert was the first name on the Edinburgh team-sheet for 2010, the popular rider having agreed to return for a full term.
He endured a bumpy start to the new season, though, in the re-staging of the previous year’s Scottish Open at Armadale on 19 March, when he suffered a couple of heavy crashes. However, he was able to complete the meeting and subsequently declared himself fit for the Monarchs’ opening matches of the campaign. Then Wölbert injured his back in the Monarchs’ home match versus Glasgow in the Premier Trophy on 23 April.
After struggling through several further meetings, he eventually had it re-checked in Germany and underwent an operation to drain off the fluid. The advice was that he should take two weeks’ rest but, being a typical speedway rider, he was back in the saddle much sooner than that.
He was to be a key component of a powerful Edinburgh side that went on to clinch the League Championship, as he formed a powerful spearhead alongside Ryan Fisher and Matthew Wethers. Indeed, he scored a paid maximum (13+2 points) at Stoke on the night – 4 September – the Monarchs clinched the Premier League title and also rode brilliantly in a win at Glasgow the following day to net 13+1 points. A little later, he took a remarkable fourth place in the Czech Golden Helmet, which was probably the best result of his career thus far.
He ended the campaign with a real-time average of 8.53, having scored 301 points from thirty-four official matches. And, on 15 December, the Monarchs announced that Wölbert would remain on board in 2011 and that the rider had pledged to make the UK his top priority. Then, on 5 February, Birmingham revealed that they had snapped-up the German international for their debut Elite League campaign to share a ‘doubling-up’ role with James Wright.
The German was to average a shade over 5 points a match with the Brummies, but both him and Wright were to lose their shared position within the side in July, when the club decided to retain the services of Ulrich Østergaard for the remainder of the season. That followed the Dane’s excellent spell as cover whilst Aleš Dryml recovered from injury.
In September, Poole made a change to their squad ahead of the Elite League Play-Offs by drafting in the German international to replace Gary Havelock in a ‘doubling-up’ position alongside Jason Doyle.
FIM Speedway Grand Prix Record: Wölbert has signed on as a reserve for one Grand Prix, at Gelsenkirchen, Germany, for the 2008 FIM German Speedway GP, but the event was postponed and moved to Bydgoszcz, Poland and, as he was not named as a reserve for the re-staging, he is still waiting to make his SGP debut.
FIM Speedway World Cup Record: SWC tournaments: 1 Events: 1 – 18th on Germany’s list; 176th on SWC all-time list Points: 2 – 11th on Germany’s list; 150th on SWC all-time list Finals: 0 Gold medals: 0
WÖLBERT, Kevin
