Nikolai Krasnikov, a highly decorated motorcycle racer, has died in a car accident in Bashkiria. The collision involved his car and several trucks.
Krasnikov passed away at the scene before medical assistance could arrive. He was a prominent figure in motorsports, renowned for his achievements in Russian and international competitions, particularly in ice racing.
Born on February 4, 1985, in Shadrinsk, Kurgan region, Krasnikov achieved his sporting fame in Ufa. He began his motorsports journey at age 11. His father reportedly sold his car to purchase Nikolai’s first motorcycle, a Suzuki RM 125 cross-country bike. By 13, he specialized in ice racing. At 15, he participated in his first official competitions, winning the semi-final of the Russian Junior Championship in 2000.
Later in 2000, Krasnikov visited Ufa for the Russian Team Championship, representing his hometown’s aggregate plant. In 2001, he joined the Ufa team, recommended by Anatoly Sukhov, a Honored Coach of Russia in Speedway. That year, the Ufa team won the first stage of the major league, with Krasnikov, at only 16, becoming a champion of Russia in the 2001/2002 season alongside Sergei Kazakov and Ilya Drozdov.
In 2002, Krasnikov secured a silver medal at the European Championship. Coaches Vladimir Belonogov and Sergei Shutov are credited with playing a significant role in his development. Belonogov later joined Krasnikov’s team as a mechanic and coach, contributing to his nine world championship gold medals. His father, Oleg Krasnikov, also served as his coach and chassis mechanic since 2010.
Krasnikov twice won international ice speedway competitions for the prize of the Head of the Republic of Mordovia in 2007–2008. He believed that a master racer should perform equally well on any track and emphasized the importance of respecting opponents. His main rival in the national team was Vitaly Khomitsevich from Tolyatti.
In 2011, Krasnikov was entrusted with managing the motorsport federation of Bashkiria. In 2012, he stated that “Motorcycle racing is no more dangerous than life itself,” the same year he secured his 8th world champion title. He presented ambitious plans for the development of motorsport in Bashkiria.
In 2013, Krasnikov addressed the issue of teenagers racing motorcycles irresponsibly, suggesting the introduction of motorcycle patrols to identify offenders and conduct preventive conversations.
In June 2014, he organized a warm-up event in the center of Ufa. The following year, he achieved a record by becoming the Russian champion for the sixth time.
However, in the same year, Nikolai Krasnikov resigned from his position as head of the motorsport federation due to insufficient funding.
Despite the challenges, Nikolai Krasnikov remained active in sports. In 2016, he won the Gabdrakhman Kadyrov Memorial. In 2017, he became a two-time European champion.
Throughout his career, he achieved remarkable success, including 20 world champion titles (8 individual, 12 team), 2-time European champion and 7-time Russian champion.
In recent years, Nikolai Krasnikov worked at the Gastello sports school in Inors and served as the chairman of the board and head coach at the Gabdrakhman Kadyrov Center for Technical Sports. He also began participating in snowbike racing.
Nikolai Krasnikov is survived by his son and daughter.