BRITISH SPEEDWAY: EDINBURGH MONARCHS… ANOTHER LOFTUS DONS THE BLUE AND GOLD
By Neil McGlade
Edinburgh Evening News.
For those who attend the 2026 speedway season opener between the Edinburgh Monarchs and Berwick Bandits this evening, (local time) interest after heat 15 focuses on Anika Loftus.
At this writing she was scheduled Anika Loftus to appear at the Armadale circuit as she ramps up her preparations ahead of the National Development League (NDL) getting underway next month.
She will of course be the second Loftus to don the Monarchs Blue and Gold, following in younger brother Jordy’s footsteps who made the move over from Australia’s Gold Coast last year.
Jordy, 17, will once again line up at reserve for the Monarchs in the Championship this year, but will also be the Monarchs Academy’s new No.1 for the NDL campaign.
And he will be joined in the septet by sibling Anika, who is the only female rider competing in British speedway this season. It’s a milestone moment for the 18-year-old, but also the club as it will be the first time a brother and sister have lined up in the same team.
Academy team boss Scott Wilson had no hesitation in offering a team spot to Anika, who has been racing motorbikes since she was seven-years-old.
Both Anika and Jordy have been joined in Scotland by mum and dad, Miranda and James. The family have set up home in the tiny hamlet of Cobbinshaw, a 20-minute drive from Armadale Stadium.
Having landed in the UK just over a fortnight ago, the last couple of weeks have been about acclimatising to the slightly cooler temperatures than what she’s accustomed to.
Australian Anika will take to the track tonight at Armadale, following on from last week’s press and practice. Picture: Jack Cupido
“It has been very cold, but I’m getting used to it,” Anika quipped. “We have been to the shops to buy a couple more jumpers but It’s a nice change from the weather in Australia, that’s for sure.
“We’re all over here as a family which is awesome. It’s been a wild ride already, so we’re just taking it as it comes. Now that we’re here, I’m loving it, I just can’t wait to get more track time.”
More track time she will get this evening after the main meeting has finished. The Academy’s first match of the season is on Friday, May 1 when reigning NDL champions the Oxford Chargers are the visitors to West Lothian.
Anika admits she is counting down the days to her debut, but was glad to get a taste of Armadale for the first time last Friday at press and practice.
“It was good getting back on the bike last weekend because I didn’t do a lot of riding last year as I dedicated my time to school and uni,” she explained. “When I first went out I just rode around a little bit, the bankings are quite high compared to the tracks in Australia that are flatter. Armadale is tight and tricky, so I wanted to make sure I was able to turn the bike. I think it’s a great track and I just want to master it. Hopefully the more tracks I get on, the better I get.
“It was great to meet my new team-mates as well. The guys were so welcoming so that was nice. They were helping me with my setup which I really appreciated because I’ve never ridden a British track before.
“The next morning we all went out for breakfast and had some team bonding which was great. Scott has put together a really strong team, you only have to look at the top five, they are great riders. I’m going to try my best to contribute as much as I can but, at the end of the day, I just want to improve as a rider and do my best for the team.
“When I got the call from Scott asking me to sign, it was around midnight. So I didn’t get much sleep after as I was so excited! It’s a dream come true, and to also ride internationally with my brother is incredible. We’ve been riding together since we were little so to make it to a professional level is just amazing.
“Our home track in Brisbane recently closed so it was pretty sad as Jordy and I had been racing there since we were about 10. It was hard to say goodbye.”
In 2024 Germany’s Celina Liebmann became the first female rider to join a professional club in the history of British speedway when she put pen to paper with the Workington Comets. Anika revealed she wants to be a source of inspiration for the next generation of girls who are keen to take to the shale.
“To be the first Australian female to race in the British league is an incredibly proud moment,” she said. “It really promotes women in sport and breaks down that barrier. I am just so grateful to Edinburgh for giving me that opportunity. I spoke to Celina about racing for Workington and she was telling me how much she loved it.
“I met a lot of the Monarchs fans last Friday at the season launch event, which was lovely. I had some photos taken with the younger girls which was super cool. To know that I am inspiring them warms my heart and to be the best person I can be.
“I do feel the pressure and that I’ve been talked up a fair bit. But I can only do my best. As I said I wasn’t on the bike too much last year, so it’s about learning and progressing. I am a bit nervous about going out to practice as I’ll have all eyes on me, but I just need to focus on myself.”
Anika has been in demand since arriving on these shores last month. A radio appearance on BBC Scotland’s Off the Ball with Stuart Cosgrove and Tam Cowan proved to be quite the ice-breaker.
“It was a great experience,” she laughed. “They [Stuart and Tam] were really lovely and I actually was able to understand them quite well! They were slowing down I think a little for me. There was a lot of football chat, but I didn’t realise until after how big it was to be on a show like that, so it was awesome.”
