Lukas Dryml

Career Statistics

Born: 16^th April 1981

Nationality: Czech

Appearances for Country: 14

Points for Country: 115

Start of season average: 5.70

Eastbourne Career Statistics

Appearances: 29

Points: 189

Average: 6.06

The last 9 years - Elite League Career Averages

Profile

One of the biggest collections of Czech flags in the country must surely be held on Britain’s south coast!  For Eastbourne fans turned out in force along the backstraight to support their new, former Grand Prix hero Lukáš Dryml throughout the 2009 season.  In a move criticised in some quarters as a retrograde step, but praised by others for its injection of experience into the squad, Dryml proved his doubters wrong by coming to master the Arlingon Stadium and recording solid home scores.

 At the height of his international career, Dryml was leading the World Speedway Championship, topping the standings after two rounds of the 2003 Grand Prix Series with an impressive 38 points. With two further quarter final appearances under his belt, Dryml sat in third place in the standings after round four, and was looking good for a prestigious World Championship podium and medal. Disaster struck in the Slovenian Grand Prix, however, when he was sucked into the backstraight safety fence in an elimination heat, the collision also seeing Britain’s Mark Loram, at the time an Eastbourne rider, hit the deck. He was subsequently forced to withdraw from the series, slipping down to an eventual twelfth place finish. Despite recording four podium finishes in two years, Dryml has never quite hit that form again in the intervening years, despite occasional glimpses of class on the world scene. His superb performance in the 2007 Grand Prix Challenge served as a precursor to a disappointing 2008 Grand Prix season, Lukáš reaching a peak of nine points in the first round. Nevertheless, with 34 Grand Prix appearances to his name at the age of 28, the Czech has an impressive wealth of experience upon which to call.

 And many felt he looked in some way back towards his best in 2009, after a short and disappointing spell with Peterborough in 2008 some measure of consistency was once again found on smaller tracks.  Moreover, the former World Under 21 Champion returned to international form with a third win in the Czech National Championship.  Yet, he remains some way off his best average figures; statistically, last season was his worst full season since his 2000 League debut with Oxford.  This year must therefore be made or break: if he wants to make it back into the World Championship, and to renew his reputation as an Elite League heatleader, the 28-year-old must take advantage of his first back-to-back full season with the same club since the early days with Oxford, and impress for the Eagles in 2010.

Alex Raby