Australian Champion Rohan Tungate back for Oxford Spires

RIDER OF THE YEAR Rohan Tungate will return for a second season with the Oxford Spires in 2025.

Tungate enjoyed a highly successful 2024 season, in which he won his second Australian Championship in January and then spent the final two-thirds of the season for Spires in the tough No 1 berth reserved for the top averaged rider at each club.

The 34-year-old showed great form around his home circuit and came up trumps in a number of last-heat deciders at Cowley. Overall, he scored a total of 202 points from 21 appearances for Spires and recorded a calculated match average of 8.00.

On Friday evening at the end-of-season party at the DoubleTree by Hilton Oxford Belfry, it was revealed that the Oxford supporters had voted him as their rider of the year for the 2024 OXS Oxford Spires.

Tungate said: “It was an easy decision to return to Oxford in 2025, after a good year riding for the club this season. It’s the most enjoyable time I’ve had riding in England.

“A big thank you to everyone involved in the Oxford Speedway club and I can’t wait for next season.”

Oxford team manager Peter Schroeck said: “We’re delighted to have Rohan back with the Spires again in 2025. He did a very good job for us in 2024. We didn’t have to chase him much to come to Oxford – he really wanted to return to British Speedway and he’s as keen to ride for us again next season.

“There will be a few changes for him next season, such as his Polish team moving into the top league over there.

“He’s a quality rider, and that the fans voted for him as Rider Of The Year for the Spires shows that he is popular with them too.”

OXS Oxford Spires competed in 2024 ROWE Motor Oil Premiership – the first Oxford side to compete in British Speedway’s top tier since 2007. They finished a highly creditable fifth, just missing out on the play-offs.

Tungate joins Rising Star Luke Killeen as confirmed starters for the 2025 Spires.

PHOTO: Rohan Tungate receives his award as OXS Oxford Spires Rider Of The Year from promoter Jamie Courtney (pic: Steve Edmunds)