Puma23 27 Posted April 9, 2017 1st round: http://sportowefakty.wp.pl/zuzel/679153/im-wloch-franchetti-najlepszy-pech-covattiego-i-wielkiej-nadziei-wloskiego-zuzla Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iris123 20,922 Posted April 9, 2017 1st round: http://sportowefakty.wp.pl/zuzel/679153/im-wloch-franchetti-najlepszy-pech-covattiego-i-wielkiej-nadziei-wloskiego-zuzla Good to see the Bulgarians still getting races in and keeping the sport alive.Seem to have missed out that Dennis Helfer is German? http://www.helfer-speedway.de/ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bavarian 765 Posted April 9, 2017 I see from these results of the Italian Championship round, that Italian Speedway is down to ten active riders (inclusive of the Argentinean Nico Covatti). Some have switched codes and are now racing in the Italian Flat Track Championships. And the speedway riders situation is even worse in the other southeastern European nations, such as Austria, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, and Bulgaria. There were only four Slovenian riders in the opening round of their national championship, and there is now only one rider in Croatia (Jurica Pavlic). Teh Alarm bells must ring! How long can it continue like that? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kreso 15 Posted April 10, 2017 I see from these results of the Italian Championship round, that Italian Speedway is down to ten active riders (inclusive of the Argentinean Nico Covatti). Some have switched codes and are now racing in the Italian Flat Track Championships. And the speedway riders situation is even worse in the other southeastern European nations, such as Austria, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, and Bulgaria. There were only four Slovenian riders in the opening round of their national championship, and there is now only one rider in Croatia (Jurica Pavlic). Teh Alarm bells must ring! How long can it continue like that? Bad injuries in last few years caused that we have only 4 riders. Matija Duh died on track in Argentina in 2013, Samo Kukavica was in a coma for a month after crash in Ljubljana in 2014, Maks Gregoric was also in coma for almost a month after crash in Italy 2015. A few riders stoped riding because of money and now we are here, with only 4 riders, but on Saturday we will get a fifth one, a young rider from Ljubljana. Also in Krsko last year started speedway shool and I hope at least two of them will race this year. But yes, I agree, it doesn't look good. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iris123 20,922 Posted April 10, 2017 Even worse for Croatia.I didn't realise that they were down to only the one rider!!!About 10 years ago now since i watched Croatia compete in the Euro U19 team championship and they managed to put together a team,whereas France struggled.Then Dino Kovacic was highly rated.Now France are fairly strong and set up their own league and despite having the great facility at Gorican you are saying only Pavlic is left riding!!!! Very worrying 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HenryW 1,178 Posted April 10, 2017 Even worse for Croatia.I didn't realise that they were down to only the one rider!!!About 10 years ago now since i watched Croatia compete in the Euro U19 team championship and they managed to put together a team,whereas France struggled.Then Dino Kovacic was highly rated.Now France are fairly strong and set up their own league and despite having the great facility at Gorican you are saying only Pavlic is left riding!!!! Very worryingIf I'm remembering right, Kovacic had to retire through injury. I think it was a wrist injury which wouldn't heal properly. He was looking a decent prospect until that happened. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
f-s-p 832 Posted April 10, 2017 We are down to about 20 500cc riders and only a few 85cc over here in Finland... About half a dozen from that are also on 250cc. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iris123 20,922 Posted April 10, 2017 (edited) We are down to about 20 500cc riders and only a few 85cc over here in Finland... About half a dozen from that are also on 250cc. As i posted last season,even Denmark seem to have dropped by about 50% in the 80cc group over the past few seasons,which must be a big worry if that isn't just a one year blip,but a trend that keeps going I remember a bit over 10 years ago and there were qualifiers before some of the German junior quaifiers,because there were so many riders.20 odd riders wanting to get into the 16 for the main meeting.At least in the north.Now i don't think they even hold qualifiers north and south Edited April 10, 2017 by iris123 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
