Hauzinger joins Newcastle.

Newcastle Diamonds announce the signing of 23-year-old Austrian Manuel Hauzinger, the Diamonds first Austrian rider. Hauzinger is an Isle of Wight asset and come in on a 3.14 average, well underneath the 4.68 available for the last space in the Diamonds' top five.

Hauzinger has plenty of potential for improving his average which covers his 14 matches in the number 2 race jacket for the Isle of Wight early in 2005.

Only 6 of those appearances were home meeting at Smallbrook and he was a heat winner in the last 4 of those, but a troublesome back injury forced him home for treatment at the end of May.

He won the Austrian-Croation title in 2004 and was so keen overnight to return his signed Newcastle contract that he woke Darryl Illingworth when triggering Darryl's fax machine.

Darryl Illingworth said: "The Isle of Wight gave us a good report about Manuel's ability and we certainly think he is on a false average at the moment.

He's very enthusiastic about signing for us and Josef Franc also mentioned that Manuel had done well in Sweden will the reputation being a hard and competitive rider."
Manuel Hauzinger added: "I am very pleased to join Newcastle and I will fight for every point on track."