Ice Speedway racer Peter Koij was killed in a racing accident on the evening of Wednesday March 30th 2011. The 48 year old Swedish rider was racing in the International meeting in Västerås, but suffered a punctured front tyre on the second lap of his first heat and hit the fence at high speed. He waved to the crowd as he was carried from the track on a stretcher but it was annouced at the end of the meeting that Peter had sadly died from his injuries. According to the obituary in Speedway Star, his tragic death is the first fatality on the ice in Sweden since Sven Renlund was killed at Ornskoldsvik in 1970.
Peter Koij had qualified for his first World Individual Ice Racing Grand Prix series this winter and finished 15th overall. Earlier in the month Peter had reached the B final of the indoors International at Rattvik and the A final of the Lelles Ice Trophy at Sandviken. The final round of the Swedish Elite league due to be held at Vasteras on thursday March 31st was cancelled in the wake of Peters's death and will not be re-staged.
The ice racing fraternity has lost one of its most enthusiastic and loyal friends. Our thoughts go to his relatives and family. He will be missed and never forgotten.
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