Cardiff Gp

[steve9 15]

anyone had any experience of the vip packages and if sowould you recommend

[SCB 0]

Well at one point there was a real danger of me sobering up but thanks to there being no delays in the meeting and a thoroughly bloody nice taxi driver I managed to get back to the pub in time to down 4 pints of Thatchers gold and take a bottle of Magners back to our room but yeah I probably would have felt a lot worse this morning if things had gone to plan!

Looking on the bright side, you were saved form spending the best part of a fiver on a pint! Sadly I was too drunk to realise it was a bad idea

[Humphrey Appleby 13,954]

 

When you think that this very same event was held years ago at Odsal, a fairly ramshackle stadium and with little in the way of presentation.

 

Or being held in the Munich Olympic Stadium the year before, compared to Riga this year?

[phillipsr 2,053]

anyone had any experience of the vip packages and if sowould you recommend

I did last year and no. Its ok but not worth the money and the pit walk is very very average

[Starman2006 2,354]

Anothert big highlight for me was meeting Reg Fearman. Had a long conversation with him, what a character!!

I bet you were thrilled to bits, shame middlo wasnt their...

[scunny1 436]

Fanzone on Wood Street a massive mistake, too small, no atmosphere- move it back to usual place next year please.

 

Stunter was great, just been out on my Beemer trying some moves-pillion not impressed!

 

Whole presentation was super slick and very impressive- early ish finish meant half hour wait for local train back to car 6 miles out of Cardiff , But back home just outside Scunthorpe for 01.15 hrs and never broke speed limits.

 

The other Scunny lad is turning out to be a very worthy World Champ and fantastic ambassador for our beloved sport- Well done Tai on and off track!!!

[PHILIPRISING 7,298]

THE fanzine will have to move next year as this year's location will not be available.

 

I am certainly not defending the cost of hotel rooms, etc, but genuinely do not believe that any other stadium in the UK is comparable to the Millennium as far as staging a speedway event of this magnitude is concerned.

 

Or being held in the Munich Olympic Stadium the year before, compared to Riga this year?

YET another unnecessary comment Humphrey. Not every GP can be held in a Millennium stadium. There has to be a balance, a mix of stadia and venues, and while the stadium in Riga may not (initially) be the best the city has plenty to offer.

[Starman2006 2,354]

THE fanzine will have to move next year as this year's location will not be available.

 

I am certainly not defending the cost of hotel rooms, etc, but genuinely do not believe that any other stadium in the UK is comparable to the Millennium as far as staging a speedway event of this magnitude is concerned.

I think i would agree with you Phil. But you have to keep investing, especially on the track, as that is the main stage so to speak. Speculate to accumulate and all that. Sadly, in this day and age given the hotels would make limited money over the year if they get a captive Audience they are going to take advantage.But end of the day its down to the fans, if they want to stay friday and or saturday they are going to have to pay. That said, as far as tickets are concerned , i do feel that BSI should dangle the odd carrot.

I don't know what the official attendance was, but it looked fairly good, but we really need to get the National papers more involved, and if Tai becomes World Champion again, what a good place to start...

Edited July 13, 2014 by Starman2006

[Mr Blobby 2,660]

Had a fantastic day yesterday sitting outside under the umbrellas having a few

 

the fanzone got given a big build up this year but i wasn't that impressed. it's better where it was before.

 

Onto the meeting thought it was okay the atmosphere was phenomenal as always. you wouldn't get a noise like that any where else IMO.

 

Anyone know what the official attendance was?

Edited July 13, 2014 by Mr Blobby

[R87 476]

The only spoiler yesterday was the Fanzone. Didn't even bother going into the mixer as there were far too many people in such a small area. When I met up with my sis a bit later she said that Monster tent stopped handing out drinks due to the over crowding.

Everything else was perfection. Why anyone would suggest that the British GP should move to Wembley or anywhere else in fact need to visit the doctor. Cardiff is simply the Monaco of speedway and is perfectly suited to any weather conditions thrown at it.

Wembley may be better in the sense of the nationals being more interested, but if you think Cardiff is expensive, then Wembley would be ridiculous

[fliss44 346]

First visit to Cardiff unaware of the restrictions of taking your own drink in so having 4 bottles of pop confiscated and having to buy overpriced drinks inside in stupid cups which someone kicked over as they squeezed past (not impressed) good job it wasn't beer. Atmosphere amazing, pity Woffy couldn't have won it but taking the lead in the Championship more impotent. Think that might be the last Cardiff GP for a couple of riders, Bjerre still in the GP Challenge but could struggle in that, Hampel may struggle to keep hold of a top 8 place, Harris just not consistent enough anymore same as AJ but he could put in a late challenge for the top 8 always seems to be better after the WC, cant see Batch challenging for a top 8 position.

Amazed how smooth it ran not one re-run no controversy was there any need for a ref. Greg must have thought he won the lottery when Darcy picked G1 never saw that coming. For a temporary track thought it held up well. Looking forward to next year now aware of the pop police wonder if they'll confiscate oranges or opal fruits.

 

Pack a bottle or two in a backpack/rucksack and get a female partner/wife to carry it through --- meanwhile as they are busy checking her bag they perhaps won't notice that you have some goodies in your coat/hoodie/trouser pockets! Has worked for me and him for the last few years!!

[Bostonian 188]

Watched the meeting back again today on TV and I don't think the TV gives out the atmosphere as loud as it was during the heats, maybe something to do with the commentators mic' s, I'm not to sure. Watching Tai's entrance again though was making the hairs stand up again, unbelievable atmosphere.

Walking back to catch the bus last night, we over heard a family chatting 'so what you going to tell mummy about your first speedway meeting?' The little boy replied 'ooh it was just brilliant, fab, just amazing, I loved it!' Think that made my night the most, and I'm sure he wasn't the only kid saying that night.

 

Fantastic stuff from everyone who was involved in making the GP what it was, thought the guy in the middle on the mic was superb as well, is he a regular at it for a club? Well done BSI and Cardiff stadium.. Bring on next year!

[PHILIPRISING 7,298]

I think i would agree with you Phil. But you have to keep investing, especially on the track, as that is the main stage so to speak. Speculate to accumulate and all that. Sadly, in this day and age given the hotels would make limited money over the year if they get a captive Audience they are going to take advantage.But end of the day its down to the fans, if they want to stay friday and or saturday they are going to have to pay. That said, as far as tickets are concerned , i do feel that BSI should dangle the odd carrot.

I don't know what the official attendance was, but it looked fairly good, but we really need to get the National papers more involved, and if Tai becomes World Champion again, what a good place to start...

NATIONAL newspapers by and large have no interest in speedway or motor sports generally, F1 being the exception. Staging a GP at Wembley would have no impact on that.

[Adder 94]

Agree with comments about the Fanzone.

 

I assumed the road was to be closed with the Fanzone more spread out. It was far too cramped shoehorned into a 20 meter wide pavement by the bus station.

 

Hope they move it back to St Mary's Street next year.

[jimmy jimmy 298]

That was the best Cardiff ever!! Anyone who says it is stagnating is so so wrong.

 

The noise for Tai was amazing, and he delivered !!!!!