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James 12345

Riga Gp Tickets 2014

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Which "experts" would those be. You yourself seemed pleased about what you saw, and things seemed to be in hand TILL the RAINS came. It happens, natural phenomenon, nobody's fault. What would 'your' experts have done differently and got this meeting on. Ouch.

The ones you had a go at ;)

 

Wouldn't it have been a good idea for BSI to actually arrange some coaches from Riga to Daugavplis?

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Spoke to the Referee at 11-00 this morning and he said no chance then. Only had a couple of showers since, had the track been fit, it would have still been on. Only spoke to one fan heading for Daugavpils, he reckons he can't get back by public transport until early Monday. From previous experience, I'd advise travelling by coach, It was quicker, more comfortable and cheaper when I made the trip a few years ago.

But what a lovely place to spend a weekend, the whole of Riga is buzzing, loads to see and do and It's all free. If ever a meeting was going to get called off, I'm glad It's this one and they made an early decision. Looking forward to meeting up with some friends downtown this evening. I certainly wouldn't be so cheerful had this been Vojens or somewhere horrible like that.

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Did anyone really think from day one there would be a GP there ? the stadium is /was a dump compared to other venues Riga makes Bydgoszcz look a modern stadium . Have to feel for the fans over there after all Davgaphivls ain't just up the road .

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SNAP - I remember the SGP in Germany (11Oct08) that was postponed - I had tickets for that farce + ferry + fuel + hotel etc. that one took 7 days to re-stage in Poland. This GP has been re-arranged in under 24 hrs - TV, track, licence, policing, hotels, track food outlets/bars stocked, ticketing, etc. etc. and the circus packed up and down the road 234Kms - (3.25 hrs away).

The 2008 Germany GP was never going to take place and neither was this one - A disgrace.

 

Have a look at MartinSmolinski pictures at https://www.flickr.com/photos/speed84/sets/72157646102752347/

 

 

 

I still don't think that's good enough for the people who have travelled out there to watch the meeting and can't make tomorrow's re-staging. Will the local promotion and/or BSI be refunding their travelling costs - anyone living outside Latvia, should be refunded the ticket value plus their travelling expenses.

 

Surely BSI had someone in regular contact with the local promotion, to check how things were progressing? If not, why not.

 

I accept things occasionally going wrong within British Speedway, because it is run on a shoestring.

 

On the other hand, the GPs are big business. They are international, attract fans from all over the globe, and have international television coverage. I don't think it's too much to expect these to be run professionally.

 

Given the amount of track equipment available, only heavy rain during the actual time of the meeting should be able to call a Grand Prix off. I've seen this at first hand, when I travelled to Malilla; it rained heavily leading up to start time, but using the equipment, they were able to get the meeting on. That's how it should be.

 

On this occasion, the track appears to be the main problem, otherwise the re-staging would be Riga tomorrow, not Daugavpils. The whole thing smacks of amateurism.

 

All the best

Rob

 

There was no refund of any monies (apart from the SGP ticket, minus the booking fee of course) when the Germany SGP was cancelled at the last minute 11th October 2008 - this was re-staged 7 days later in Poland.

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PHOTO taken yesterday? Very wet and gloomy in Riga now (18.00) and no way the meeting would have gone ahead this evening.

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IT was yesterday about the time they decided to dig out the inside line round bends one and two, which they did, turned the material over and re-laid it through the night. Sadly their efforts were only partial successful and this morning it was felt that the track still needed several hours of dry weather to allow it to bed in. That was never going to happen (and didn't) and the riders told Tony Olsson (FIM) and Paul Bellamy (BSI) that in view of the impending weather there was no chance that the track would be rideable either today or even tomorrow.

 

By early afternoon the track was under water after a deluge and there has been more rain since. People with much more knowledge of these things than me suggest that if the weather had been dry all week the track, much of which was solid, would have been okay but it was not to be.

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Big downpour recently but now lovely and sunny. If it were Malilla or Vojens or Terenzano or ... it would be all systems go!

 

Maybe if they had unblocked the drains earlier in the week it would have helped.

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Back in the hotel room In Riga. The whole saga had an air of inevitability about it from the get go. BSI have a lot to answer for here. Firstly blaming the rain is a cop out. Yes it rained heavily here but a re staging on Sunday would not have caused to much of an issue with anyone. We booked our break with that in mind, as I am sure many others have. Main question has to be how long have BSI been aware that a problem might be coming? I'll make the same comment with the Finnish GP that I'll make here. Why aren't these tracks tested well in advance of the staging date? It should be a requirement that tracks are ready well in advance for testing and verification by the BSI. To call off a GP on the morning of the meeting and then to re-stage it 141 miles away the next day is totally unacceptable. Many people have paid lots and lots of money to come here from many countries in Europe. To be subjected to this amateurish shambles reeks of incompetence and inefficiency. For Paul Bellamy to simply say our money will be refunded if you can;t make the re-staging is just not good enough. People will be out of pocket and will not get to see a Grand Prix which is the sole reason we are over here!! Had I known the GP was in Daugavpils I very much doubt I would have come over, and I am sure many others will be thinking likewise. BSI cannot be allowed to get away with this. Does anyone have an address for Paul Bellamy? I think a letter needs to be written and signed by several of us that made this trip but cannot get to the restaging. He cannot just make a one line comment and walk away. If we club together as supporters and let BSI know that people are angry, maybe we can make a difference and improve the Speedway GP for the future.

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I feel for you mate, genuinely... I just rely on the tv for my GP's but too have spent money like you have must be absolutely galling, I hope you get satisfactory replies when you do eventually locate the contact details for the people responsible.

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IT was yesterday about the time they decided to dig out the inside line round bends one and two, which they did, turned the material over and re-laid it through the night. Sadly their efforts were only partial successful and this morning it was felt that the track still needed several hours of dry weather to allow it to bed in. That was never going to happen (and didn't) and the riders told Tony Olsson (FIM) and Paul Bellamy (BSI) that in view of the impending weather there was no chance that the track would be rideable either today or even tomorrow.

 

By early afternoon the track was under water after a deluge and there has been more rain since. People with much more knowledge of these things than me suggest that if the weather had been dry all week the track, much of which was solid, would have been okay but it was not to be.

So it wasn't the rain then, it was digging it up yesterday. It's not good enough. Especially as fans are now asking on twitter how to get from Riga to Daugavplis and the GP feed is ignoring them. Why doesn't someone answer them and try and help then?

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