Karlsson targets speedy recovery

Peter Karlsson was a reluctant spectator at Lakeside on Monday night as the Parrys International Wolves clinched their Elite League play-off final spot.

The Swede arrived hot-foot from an intensive session at Ipswich with medical specialist Brian Simpson.

And he's targeting Monday night's final first leg at home to Swindon for his return – a goal he set himself the very night he suffered the injury.

"It's in the process of healing, obviously," said Karlsson. "This thing was just an attempt to speed it up a bit. Brian Simpson reckons that's what he can do. I had laser treatment and magnetic treatment. We'll see if it helps.

"I said to myself when we left Wolverhampton I want to be back in two weeks. So that was the goal."

Karlsson is merely the latest in a very long line of speedway riders who tend to confound medical opinion as to how long they should sit out.

"What the doctor says doesn't matter," emphasised the skipper. "It's what you believe. And what your body says.

"If you can steer the bike, you can ignore a lot of pain. You do, because you're pumped up."

Karlsson has pencilled in Saturday's practice session at the prestigious Golden Helmet meeting in Pardubice, Czech Republic to assess the state of affairs and may race in the meeting itself the following day.

But if he's in doubt he will take a practice spin in Sweden towards the end of this week first.

Wolves switched the team order at Lakeside to have Karlsson's rider-replacement outings in what team manager Peter Adams regarded as the optimum number three position.

But as the home team, Wolves must name their side five days in advance of Monday's fixture and will move back to their customary order with Karlsson – or rider-replacement – at number five.

"I'm very hopeful that Peter will pronounce himself fit at the weekend," said Adams. "Then we'll just revert to our normal line-up.

"We have to declare our team five days before the match, so I'm going to have to assume he's riding. So that will settle the RR position whatever happens."

* Wolves have secured extra car parking at nearby East Park for their leg of the final. The park is just across the road from the third and fourth turns at Monmore Green.

* Key Wolves man Adam Skornicki has been drafted into Friday night's Elite League Riders Championship at Coventry as a replacement for the injured Jason Crump.

* Wolves' Chris Kerr is among the field at Birmingham for tonight's Joe Thurley Memorial Cup (7.30pm).