This partnership marks a significant step toward mutual development and academic-athletic synergy. On Wednesday, March 4th, an official cooperation agreement was signed between the University of Zielona Góra (UZ) and the world-renowned speedway team, Stelmet Falubaz Zielona Góra. The letter of intent outlines, among other initiatives, the establishment of joint research laboratories and the conduct of advanced scientific studies. Future plans also include collaborative projects focused on developing and implementing product, process, and organizational innovations.
University authorities emphasize that there are numerous areas for synergy with the professional riders. "Firstly, we focus on scientific cooperation—specifically conducting research related to the athletes' physical activity. Secondly, we aim to develop mathematical models that allow riders to enhance their performance on the track. Since the majority of our students are fans of the local speedway teams, it is only natural for the University of Zielona Góra to partner with Falubaz," says Prof. Wojciech Strzyżewski, Rector of the University of Zielona Góra.
With the racing season approaching, the meeting at UZ served as a strategic introduction to this year’s inauguration. "This is a new opening for us. I hope this marks the beginning of a long-term partnership that extends far beyond a single season. We expect tangible results from these actions and look forward to seeing what we can achieve through our combined efforts. I am convinced that a technological revolution in this sport is on the horizon. During my visit to the UZ Institute of Mathematics, I saw how matrices can be applied in team sports. In our case, it will be even more straightforward. Considering the current advancements in technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI), why not apply them to speedway? No one else is doing this yet; perhaps we will succeed. There is more than enough expertise at UZ to start this process," comments Adam Goliński, President of the Zielona Góra Speedway Club (ZKŻ).
During the meeting, a detailed research plan developed by UZ scientists specifically for ZKŻ riders was presented. "Our team will be responsible for high-end physiological testing of the speedway riders. In Zielona Góra, this sport is a prestigious brand in its own right. Based on our research and analysis, we aim to provide motor preparation coaches and the club with insights on how to optimize the physical performance of young riders to achieve maximum efficiency on the track. Speedway remains a relatively unexplored niche in sports science, allowing our scientists a great deal of creativity. We will focus on the most critical factors: while strength is important, it is not the primary determinant. The key elements are simple and complex reaction times, balance, and the ability to react instantly to changing conditions through muscle tension adjustments. These are the areas we will be testing," explains Dr. Hab. Mariusz Naczk, UZ Professor and Vice-Rector for Development and Finance.
The signing of the letter of intent and the presentation of the research plan were not the only highlights of the event. UZ students had a unique opportunity to interact directly with the Stelmet Falubaz Zielona Góra riders. Questions from the audience covered topics such as the riders' most memorable matches, their motivations for starting a career in speedway, technical bike setups, the potential use of AI in the sport, and their physical training routines in the gym.
