Elite League Best Pairs

[iris123 20,979]

It is always a risk you take going to a meeting when the weather is dodgy.I travelled up to Vojens last year only for the meeting to be cancelled.Wasn't the best of weather on the way up but once i got about 5 miles from Vojens everything was soaking.Same thing a few years ago.I travelled all the way over near the Dutch border for a meeting in reasonably good weather,only to find the meeting had been called of days before.Only myself to blame.But then again i didn't bother to travel up to Vojens a couple of years back for an 80cc test between Denmark and Sweden.Saw the photos and the meeting was held in terrible conditions.That is a lesson learnt.The youngsters are more likely to ride in bad conditions.Same as at last years Danish 80cc Final.Meeting was delayed by 45 minutes because they had forgotten to get a Doctor.And then had to ring around(on a sunday)and find one.Just as the meeting started the heavens opened up.But the kids got on with it.But like some have said,it is best to cancel unless you just want to watch riders struggle and play follow the leader

 

Danish 80cc Final

[Bagpuss 10,780]

In my opinion the right decision was made, to be honest I was suprised that they were prepared to give it a go after the first lot of rain which was fairly heavy and lasted for a good twenty minutes. I wouldn't take too much notice of Buster's rant, he always speaks from the heart rather than with his head and I expect his opinion will be much less damning once he has calmed down. We have seen it many times before when he has worked hard to make a wet track raceable to no avail. And at the end of the day the referee has the final say regardless of what pressure he is or isn't put under

 

I too was at Poole for the ELRC a couple of years ago and for me last night's track looked a lot wetter. And I don't think the watering of the track last night made much difference, at that time the sun and wind were both strong and the tractor only did one fairly swift lap anyhow.

 

Feel sorry for those people who travelled long distances but unfortunately that is the risk of being a speedway fan. As SS says heavy showers were forecast and we got one. Hopefully a new date can be sorted when all the big boys can be there

[colincooke 0]

Such a shame this was off.I Was still looking forward to it despite Scott & AJ having to pull out, who knows they may be fit for the restaging whenever that may be. That said the right decision, the rain came exactly when nobody wanted it & racing would have been very limited.

That apart the company on the bus there & back was once again second to none, cheers you guys(& gals).

[HAR 0]

It was a pity the meeting was cancelled last night, but it was probably the right decision, as I said in an earlier posting, too early in the season/year. I was at the ELRC last August and the first few heats were awful, not a good advert for speedway, especially when it's shown on Sky.

 

This is maybe the time for a revamp of the EL Best Pairs. Could the competition not start at say lunch time(ish) for the two best riders from each Elite Team (the 'Best Pairs'), basically as it is now, but when the 2008 averages are out. Then, in the late afternoon/evening the Elite Best Reserves. It would give the 'big boys' time to get their part of the meeting over and leave the track sooner and quicker for their other commitments, rather than late in the evening when all the fans are leaving as well.

 

The competition would then have four riders from each Elite team represented and I'm sure more fans would want to travel to watch it. Obviously the entrance fee would have to go up, but if the competion was well staged and properly respected and represented by the Elite teams, I think it would be a great day.

 

Just a thought!

 

[Trees 2,814]

Given that the Polish meetings start today at 4.30 (so I've been told) perhaps yesterday's meeting could have started earlier in the day too, for the benefit of the riders .................... it would have gone ahead then on that beautiful track, owwwwww it was looking so good, the racing would have been ace, the track record would have been in jeopardy!

 

Hindsight and all that

[Triple.H. 1,986]

Is it possible to have an "Elite reserve"?

[Sandie 53]

Given that the Polish meetings start today at 4.30 (so I've been told) perhaps yesterday's meeting could have started earlier in the day too, for the benefit of the riders .................... it would have gone ahead then on that beautiful track, owwwwww it was looking so good, the racing would have been ace, the track record would have been in jeopardy!

 

Hindsight and all that

I understand where you are coming from trees but hindsight is wonderful thing.

 

Those riders riding in Poland - for most of them the time wouldnt have mattered. They would have just been sitting in a hotel room last night and waiting for their flights at first light this morning.

So 4.30pm or 7pm would have made no difference.

 

 

[leanne1706 0]

some pictures HERE

Just have to say, Rosco has THE cheesiest grin I have ever seen!

 

Those riders riding in Poland - for most of them the time wouldnt have mattered. They would have just been sitting in a hotel room last night and waiting for their flights at first light this morning.

So 4.30pm or 7pm would have made no difference.

Took the words right out of my mouth, Sandie. I guess if they knew in advance this meeting was a lunchtime one they could've arranged an evening flight, but then you run the risk of not getting to the airport in time if the meeting over-runs etc etc. These boys fly out and race in the same day, it's not unusual for them...

 

From an utterly selfish point of view I am pleased this was called off, but purely because I couldn't make this date It is a shame for all those riders that were willing to ride (and there were some, I know that!), especially those that were looking forward to getting the chance that they wouldn't have had were circumstances different, and for all the fans, traveling and local ones. Lets hope the restaging is organised soon and the sun is shining for it.

[posh panther 50]

Is it possible to have an "Elite reserve"?

the elite is full of reserves!

[posh panther 50]

Couldnt believe they were watering the track when i got there at 6.30!!!right decision to call it off though.will this definately get restaged at Lynn and is it likely to be midweek when i cant make it?

[bradmeister 0]

I personally was gutted it was off, as id bunked work to go! But as others have said it was the best decision to call it off. I also wanna point out JC saying goodbye to everyone as they were leaving and wishing them a safe journey, fairly common gesture but the amount of Kings Lynn and Chapman family bashing there has been on here, it would have been much easier for him to slump off to the bar.

[NOBBY 3]

I bet there are quite a few 'inside speedway' who are glad it was postponed, as I thought the crowd was very poor....abysmal even !!! I have seen more at a Stars Premier League meeting. If I can attend the re-staging of the event then I hope that more fans turn up as without a vast improvement a good atmosphere on the terraces will be non existant and the event will surely be in doubt for the future. For God sake re-arrange it for shorts and t-shirt time of year and get some proper barbies fired up with decent grub....not what was on offer in the usual places yesterday.

[London Witch 57]

That was one of the coldest I've ever been for a meeting and even before the rain started I was actually beginning to regret travelling.

 

 

Off we went down the A120 towards Stansted Airport at a relaxed speed, which became very relaxed as we neared the junction with the M11 as an accident had closed the southbound carriageway and was causing those wanting the northbound M11 difficulty getting to the slip road. We moved about a mile in one hour and decided as we got to the Stansted roundabout to turn back and race (at a legal speed !!) across country via Bury St. Edmonds, Swatham etc and up to Kings Lynn that way...

 

Nobby we were watching the fun and games on the southbound M11 as we sped up Northwards. Between Harlow and Stansted the police were actually getting drivers to do a u'turn and travel back north on the southbound carriageway and back up the slip road at Stansted. The tailbacks were all the way to Duxford!

 

Edited to include Nobbys quote

Edited April 6, 2008 by London Witch

[Canadian Star 6]

I think that Jonathon Chapman has, overall,tried very hard to revamp these shared event meetings and certainly has done more than most in trying to make speedway an interesting package for the media.

For all of his efforts he has had nothing but criticism and back bighting from many fans and most of his fellow "promoters" (i use the term loosely), who would rather sit back do nothing and tell him, "i knew it wouldn't work".

That being said, it seems in England, as in fact over here, strangely enough, we are currently experiencing exceptionally cold spring weather. That does very little to entice people out to watch what would have been a great meeting, given the fact that the weather is so unreliable this early in the season. There may well be many good reasons as to why they feel the need to spread the meetings out over the season, or have to start so early in the year, but i can't help but think how much better it would be in June, July or August.

Maybe there aren't enough dates when all the big boys can make it, and dry weather is not guaranteed at any time of the season, it just seems like we are trying to do something good with the odds very much stacked against us.

Out of interest has it been confirmed officially that Johnnie's had enough of being race director, i couldn't blame him if he has, also any news on the Leicester project ?

[stevehone 3,429]

Out of interest has it been confirmed officially that Johnnie's had enough of being race director

 

it's not a case of having enough of it, but with some internal politics i think you'll find he didn't have much of a choice.

 

and yes, it's confirmed.