waytogo28 2,054 Posted June 24, 2017 So if Bunyan has lived in NZ for 15 years and has won 10 national championships,by my reckoning it was only 5 years after he went there at the most when he started riding in them.Surely Rory has been in the UK a lot longer? I don't like it and am no fan of his but it seems the more you find out,the less grounds for complaint there are.Like it or not,we are moving towards being in a similar situation to Germany and god help us,I hope it is a long way off,but even the likes of Argentina I think that that is inevitable because the BSPA - the "custodians of the sport " seem to see nothing much wrong with it. They seem happy to go down with the band playing, just as on the Titanic. Take for example a 1/3 empty NSS for the British Final, how can they ignore that as the crisis it is? 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Midland Red 2,383 Posted June 24, 2017 WHY have you latched onto Humphrey's rather childish habit of calling me Phillippe? Can you not think of something yourself? Childish habit? Is that something like starting every post in capital letters? You chose to dwell on the above, rather than respond to the points I raised about the state of UK speedway and how you might make your voice heard before the sport's final demise is confirmed - you have long had a standing in the speedway world, so why not put it to good use (and that doesn't mean complaining about Jason Bunyan's wildcards) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PHILIPRISING 7,298 Posted June 24, 2017 Childish habit? Is that something like starting every post in capital letters? You chose to dwell on the above, rather than respond to the points I raised about the state of UK speedway and how you might make your voice heard before the sport's final demise is confirmed - you have long had a standing in the speedway world, so why not put it to good use (and that doesn't mean complaining about Jason Bunyan's wildcards) THERE are a number of reasons why I am not making my voice heard - not that anyone takes any notice anyway - but they are personal and certainly not for discussion on here. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bagpuss 10,779 Posted June 24, 2017 I agree and talking to friends I didn't find any of them happy with Schlein riding in our British Championship Final, the fact that our best hope in years (Lambert) wasn't in it and we gave places away to an Australian and others who couldn't score a point beggars belief. The top 8 riders should be seeded, the fact that they are not is surely down to the BSPA wanting to sell the semi finals and I dare say Woffinden might well ride if it was just one meeting. As you say the sport in this country has a credibility crisis and this farce does nothing to help, I dare say the attendance might well have been a lot better Monday if all the top British riders were in attendance. Hear bloody hear. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DSC67 1,465 Posted June 24, 2017 Having Rory in the line up is not a situation I'm very happy about but I doubt it affected the attendance, nor would it stop me going to Cardiff if he'd become champ . Personally I don't think the wildcard should be decided by the result of the British final , as for the turnout I think it would improve if the meeting moved to a Saturday evening this would allow more people to travel from around the country without the problem of having school or work the next day Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
THE DEAN MACHINE 4,740 Posted June 24, 2017 Personally I don't think the wildcard should be decided by the result of the British final with the lack of decent prize or point money the dangled carrot of a place at Cardiff is seen as a suitable replacement and I bet even woffinden would ride in it if he needed a place in the GP Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mr Snackette 190 Posted June 24, 2017 .........Surely the FIM should ensure that riders only compete in the the national championship of the country of their birth....... Mmmm......interesting criterion. So had the FIM applied these rules we would have been denied watching Mark Loram racing (and being a three-time winner) in the British Final, yet Jason Crump could have been British Champion. That would have been a nonsense! Rules and Regs are very easy to criticise, less so to draw up!!! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steve Shovlar 10,439 Posted June 24, 2017 I said from the word go Schlein should not have been anywhere near the British final, or semis for that matter. British championship for British riders. Simple as that. It makes no odds whether Schlein has an ACU license or not. Rider completing in the British Championship should be allegable to ride for TeamGB in the SCW, and hold British passports. Schlein has no interest in representing TeamGB and could have taken the British Wildcard for Cardiff. That would have been an utter disgrace. Next year Brits only, with the top 6 guys seeded to the final. Two semis with five from each qualifying. That way Woffinden will have no excuse, Lambert will be seeded, and the lineup will be the best available to boost the attendance at the track and viewing figures. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
britmet 233 Posted June 24, 2017 .We've mooted a British Open Championship in posts above, but we should remember we already have a British league riders championship, i.e. a championship for riders of any nationality riding in a British league. . No point in duplicating that.Its also worthy of note that while some countries have foreign winners of their national championship, (when its an Open Championship,) there are other countries that declare the winner of the national title to be the highest placed national rider in the championship meeting.That's a better proposal than my earlier post, . .and the Cardiff Wild Card would still go to the British Champion, . . ( analogous to what happens now if the new champ has already qualified.) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
New Science 1,059 Posted June 24, 2017 (edited) I HAVE nothing against Rory Schlein and he has been a good and loyal servant to British speedway, despite some serious injuries, but should he, or any non-British rider, be allowed to ride in our national championship? I know all about the days of Briggs and Mauger, etc, but that was very different given that neither Australia nor New Zealand had any representation at the FIM and all their affairs were handled by the British ACU. We have moved on from there. Personally, I think it would have been a mockery had he won on Monday and was immediately prompted to email the following the Armando Castagna... BRITISH speedway narrowly avoided a major controversy and embarrassment on Monday evening when thankfully Rory Schlein didn’t win the British Championship. What a nonsense that would have been. How can an Australian and one who has ridden for his country in international events become British Champion? It is too stupid for words. Surely the FIM should ensure that riders only compete in the the national championship of the country of their birth and not on a licence of convenience. His résponse ... I have no idea of this situation ... but I'm sure Rory must have double passport including British one? As FIM I can only say that if ACU allow riders from other countries to enter their National Individual Championship itis their decision and we can not interfere. Every country Federation can make their own rule regards their Individual National Championships. For sure, in Italy we only allow Italian passport holders to enter our National Individual Championship... perhaps in UK is different? Your crusade is a noble one Phil but don't expect anything positive to come from the F.I.M. What have they ever done for speedway ?. Reading this weeks Star Mr Castagna still thinks Poland only ride on Sundays, sadly not its now Fridays , Saturdays and Sundays. Poland this year have been trying and succeeding in flexing their muscles by restricting the trade of riders which participate in their league with a convenient silence from the F.I.M. It looks like they have friends at the F.I.M who now seem interested in insisting Britain relocate its league speedway to just 1 or 2 days.,in principle allowing Poland to have even more dates of their choice. Lets be honest we can't afford all these top riders anyway so I would tell the F.I.M to sling their hook. And to concur I am fully in agreement with your opinion on Rory Schlien, A good servant to British speedway but when you represent one country , you cannot change your nationality Edited June 24, 2017 by New Science 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grachan 7,362 Posted June 24, 2017 I said from the word go Schlein should not have been anywhere near the British final, or semis for that matter. British championship for British riders. Simple as that. It makes no odds whether Schlein has an ACU license or not. Rider completing in the British Championship should be allegable to ride for TeamGB in the SCW, and hold British passports. Schlein has no interest in representing TeamGB and could have taken the British Wildcard for Cardiff. That would have been an utter disgrace. Next year Brits only, with the top 6 guys seeded to the final. Two semis with five from each qualifying. That way Woffinden will have no excuse, Lambert will be seeded, and the lineup will be the best available to boost the attendance at the track and viewing figures. Schlein does have a British passport according to what others have posted here. If true, he qualifies to ride in the British Final using your own criteria. Your crusade is a noble one Phil but don't expect anything positive to come from the F.I.M. What have they ever done for speedway ?. Reading this weeks Star Mr Castagna still thinks Poland only ride on Sundays, sadly not its now Fridays , Saturdays and Sundays. Poland this year have been trying and succeeding in flexing their muscles by restricting the trade of riders which participate in their league with a convenient silence from the F.I.M. It looks like they have friends at the F.I.M who now seem interested in insisting Britain relocate its league speedway to just 1 or 2 days.,in principle allowing Poland to have even more dates of their choice. Lets be honest we can't afford all these top riders anyway so I would tell the F.I.M to sling their hook. And to concur I am fully in agreement with your opinion on Rory Schlien, A good servant to British speedway but when you represent one country , you cannot change your nationality You can change your nationality. The question which nobody seems to answer if whether or not Rory Schlein has, and is now riding as a British rider, or if he is still technically an Aussie. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vince 9,456 Posted June 24, 2017 I think it would be relatively easy to say that if you have represented another country at international level you can't ride in the British national championship. It does make a mockery of the title. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OveFundinFan 4,141 Posted June 24, 2017 . We've mooted a British Open Championship in posts above, but we should remember we already have a British league riders championship, i.e. a championship for riders of any nationality riding in a British league. . No point in duplicating that. A British Open Championship would be open to riders from anywhere, not just British, not just riders in the British League - but anyone....could be anyone ie NKI, Milik, Smolinski etc Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PHILIPRISING 7,298 Posted June 24, 2017 Childish habit? Is that something like starting every post in capital letters? HAVE said before that I have done it all my professional life... letters, emails, etc. Daily Express, Daily Mail, News of the World and Daily Telegraph not to mention various magazines including World Soccer didn't think it childish. In fact, it was compulsory. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevehone 3,429 Posted June 24, 2017 aside from Schlein riding in the British Final, didn't anyone find it silly that Daniel Bewley wasn't allowed to be reserve because he was deemed as 'too good'?! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites