Chris Neath
NationalityBritish (English)
Birth date29 January 1982 (age 44)
Birth placeWorcester, Worcestershire England
Career 1Great Britain
Years 21998–2001
Career 2Newport
Years 32002–2003
Career 3Swindon
Years 42004–2012
Career 4Rye House
Years 52002, 2003, 2004, 2008
Career 5Wolverhampton
Years 62007, 2010
Career 6Lakeside
Years 72007
Career 7Reading
Years 82009
Career 8Poole
Career 10Sweden
Years 112001
Career 11Norbaggarna
Teamyear 12002
Teamhonour 1Elite League (tier 1) champion
Teamyear 22005, 2007
Teamhonour 2Premier League (tier 2) champion
Teamyear 31999, 2005
Teamhonour 3Premier Trophy (tier 2) winner
Teamyear 42003
Teamhonour 4Fours (tier 2) winner
Teamyear 51999
Teamhonour 5Conference League (tier 3) champion

Christopher Maurice Neath (born 29 January 1982)[1] is a former motorcycle speedway rider from England.[2] He earned one international cap for the Great Britain national speedway team.[3]

Career

Neath began riding when competing in youth grasstrack competitions, winning numerous ACU Championship titles, British, National and Best Pairs.[citation needed]

He first began riding league speedway for the Newport Mavericks during the 1998 Speedway Conference League.[4][5] The following season, he captained the Mavericks to the league title, in addition to riding for the Newport Wasps senior team in the Premier League and winning the Premier Trophy with them.[6] In 2001, Neath also ventured to Sweden riding to a 10.68 point average for Norbaggarna.[7]

In 2002, Neath moved to Premier league rivals, the Swindon Robins. He spent two seasons at Swindon and at this time he was also 'doubling up' with the club that owned his contract, the Wolverhampton Wolves. This was quite a successful time for Neath. He won the Elite League title with Wolves in 2002 and the Premier League Four Team Championship with the Robins in 2003.[8]

Neath moved to the Rye House Rockets in 2004 and helped them complete and League and Premier Trophy double in 2005.[9] The following season in 2006, he suffered several injuries but was captain of the 2007 side that won the Premier League title.[10] Neath continued to captain the Rockets for several years.[11]

In 2008, having been a ten-year asset of the Wolverhampton Wolves Neath was awarded a testimonial meeting held at the Rye House Speedway, where he finished in third place behind Fredrik Lindgren and Tai Woffinden. He represented Great Britain racing at Under-19, Under-21 and senior level.

An injury in the opening match of the 2012 season saw him out of speedway for the rest of the season and he subsequently retired.[12]

References

  1. ^ Oakes, P.(2004). British Speedway Who's Who. ISBN 0-948882-81-6
  2. ^ "2008 Rider index". British Speedway. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  3. ^ "ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022". British Speedway. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
  4. ^ "Neath relishes Hayley return". South Wales Argus. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  5. ^ "1998 fixtures". Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
  6. ^ Bamford, Reg (2004). Speedway Yearbook. Tempus Publishing, Stroud. ISBN 978-0-7524-2955-7.
  7. ^ "2001". Speedway.org. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
  8. ^ "2003 season fixtures and results". Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
  9. ^ "Chris Neath". WWOS backup. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
  10. ^ "Year by Year". Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
  11. ^ "Rockets captain Chris Neath focuses on league". BBC Sport. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  12. ^ "Chris Neath update". Rye House Speedway. Retrieved 24 December 2023.