While the field for the 2015 World Driving Championship was announced as complete at the end of January, a last minute change has taken place.
"After the decision of Dutch driver Hugo Langeweg Jr. to no longer attend and drive in the World Driving Championships, the European Trotting Union (UET) extended an invitation to Finnish driver Mika Forss," Harness Racing Australia said in a statement. "Mika has accepted and will be the replacement driver for Hugo."
The 2015 World Driving Championship is being held in New South Wales, Australia, from February 21 to March 1. Jody Jamieson, Canada’s representative to the WDC will be competing for his third WDC title. Jamieson won the event in 2001 in Finland and Sweden and then in 2011 in the US. Tim Tetrick will make his first WDC appearance as the representative for the United States.
HRA also announced inaugural Australian Driving Champion, Peter McMullen as the travelling reserve driver to cover any scenario in which a driver in the Series is unable to take their place in any Heat.
Here is the complete competitor’s list: (driver's name and country listed)
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Guillermo Adrover - Spain
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Chris Alford - Australia
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Dexter Dunn - New Zealand
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MIka Forss - Finland
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Vidar Hop - Norway
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Jody Jamieson - Canada
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Tony le Beller - France
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Peter McMullen - Australia (Travelling Reserve)
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Knud Mönster - Denmark
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Pierre Vercruysse - France (Defending Champion)
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Tim Tetrick - United States of America
The 10 drivers will compete in 20 Heats across seven race meetings at six tracks in New South Wales. Here is a schedule of race dates, tracks and number of races:
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Saturday, February 21 - Tabcorp Park Menangle - Two (2) Heats
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Sunday, February 22 - Newcastle - Three (3) Heats
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Monday, February 23 - Goulburn - Three (3) Heats
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Tuesday, February 24 - Wagga - Four (4) Heats
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Wednesday, February 25 - Bathurst - Four (4) Heats
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Thursday, February 26 - Penrith - Three (3) Heats
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Sunday, March 1 - Tabcorp Park Menangle - One (1) Heat (Tab.com Inter Dominion Grand Final day)
Since 1970, the WDC has brought some of the world's best drivers together every second year in a unique test of driving skill and horsemanship. Norwegian driver Ulf Thoresen is the all-time leader with four Championships to his name (1973, 1977, 1979, 1981). The only other multiple winners are German, Heinz Wewering (1993, 1997), and Canadian, Jody Jamieson (2001, 2011) who is chasing a third win in the 2015 Championship.