British Talent Is Coming Through The Future Looks Good.

[balderdash&piffle 720]

As far as the age/ experience thing goes I don't think you can compare British lads to Polish or any of the Scandinavian countries or even Australia as they just don't get the time on the bike that most of those youngsters do. For most British lads they are lucky to get 10 minutes actual riding time a week during the season and less in the winter. Realistically British lads with 5 years Speedway under their belt could be compared to second year riders of other nationalities.

 

Having said that if after 2 or 3 years of practice/ amateur meetings you aren't at NL level then I would say it's very unlikely you will ever make that grade. The sport should be associating itself much more closely with other motorcycle sports, especially MX where some schoolboy meetings will have more riders at a single local event than there are youth Speedway riders in this country. Speedway should be contributing prizes and having riders at these events letting the youngsters know that a Speedway career is much more likely for the majority than a MX one. Grasstrack is full of kids who want to be Speedway riders but it's not often I've seen a promoter or riders there encouraging the kids.

 

As for what constitutes success I would say any kid getting to NL level is a success for the sport. If 1 in 3 go on to make it to Championship level and 1 in 5 of them to Premier then clearly the more you get to NL league the more chance of getting riders to World standard.

Leon Flint has had to add the Continental riding in this year as he did last year, has brought him on leaps and bounds,. The French idea of running 250s at No7 is a brilliant idea to bring youngsters on, Mamonde has really helped Leon move forward

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If the test is genuine SWC level then we don't have any British born riders at all except Tai that have "made it" , although we can arguably say Scott and Bomber were there at their peaks.

 

I think setting the bar ar SWC level is setting it very high though. With the increasingly watered down leagues and absence of quality foreign riders it is going to be very difficult indeed for young riders to find the level of competition that brings the best out of them.

If they're not doing it in the SWC then why does it matter if the rider is British, Swedish or Australian? Surely the whole point of having British riders do well is so they can ride for GB. To me, riding at SWC level and scoring reasonable points is making "it".

[ch958 2,395]

the World Cup is once a year, Cardiff is once a year - league racing is 6 or 7 months. TBH don't care about WC or GP just a circus to me

[SharpenRake 1,505]

Surely the whole point of having British riders do well is so they can ride for GB. To me, riding at SWC level and scoring reasonable points is making "it".

As I've said in another post sadly individual riders 'making it' does not benefit UK team speedway

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the World Cup is once a year, Cardiff is once a year - league racing is 6 or 7 months. TBH don't care about WC or GP just a circus to me

So lets scrap bring on riders and just sign up the Swedes, Danes, Poles and Aussies. What is the benefit of having British riders if not to win GPs and SWCs?

[Trees 2,814]

As I've said in another post sadly individual riders 'making it' does not benefit UK team speedway

If only we could get some Test Matches in!

[Vince 9,458]

So lets scrap bring on riders and just sign up the Swedes, Danes, Poles and Aussies. What is the benefit of having British riders if not to win GPs and SWCs?

Personally I think it's far more important for the sport in this country to get as many team spots as possible filled by brits. Especially if they are relatively local they are more likely to bring along new fans. Cheaper in the long run too!

[crescent girl 1,905]

the World Cup is once a year, Cardiff is once a year - league racing is 6 or 7 months. TBH don't care about WC or GP just a circus to me

 

Ah, but when Billy Smart or Chipperfield bring the circus comes to town, everyone goes to see it!

[SharpenRake 1,505]

So lets scrap bring on riders and just sign up the Swedes, Danes, Poles and Aussies. What is the benefit of having British riders if not to win GPs and SWCs?

Ordinary British riders are likely to only race in the UK. Ordinary Swedish and Danish riders will also ride in there own country and therefore be more likely to miss some UK fixtures. Not really bothered who wins grand prix or World Cup.

Edited August 22, 2017 by SharpenRake

[foamfence 2,917]

 

Ah, but when Billy Smart or Chipperfield bring the circus comes to town, everyone goes to see it!

Do they? There have been some fairly poor crowds at some GPs in the last two years. Cardiff seemed to do well this year but some years it hasn't looked as full.

[E I Addio 15,845]

So lets scrap bring on riders and just sign up the Swedes, Danes, Poles and Aussies. What is the benefit of having British riders if not to win GPs and SWCs?

We need decent British riders to plug the gap left as a result of top foreign riders leaving British Speedwáy, especially as Bluster Chapman seems to have unleashed a torrent of antipathy towards all the Aussies who are supposedly using British Speedwáy for their own ends

 

The reality is that while we have riders like Bomber earning a decent living in two leagues over here, there is no reason to be messed around trying to get into Poland , and without top foreign riders over here the quality of the competition will inevitably get weaker with more easy wins for those with talent and less and less quality opposition to bring the best out of them.

 

I agree with Sidney that the futures bright in terms of young Britsh talent coming through, but if the test is whether they succeed at SWC level, then the way British Speedwáy is being set up there just won't be enough class opposition over here to bring them up to a world class sharpness.

[speedibee 3,091]

We need decent British riders to plug the gap left as a result of top foreign riders leaving British Speedwáy, especially as Bluster Chapman seems to have unleashed a torrent of antipathy towards all the Aussies who are supposedly using British Speedwáy for their own ends

 

The reality is that while we have riders like Bomber earning a decent living in two leagues over here, there is no reason to be messed around trying to get into Poland , and without top foreign riders over here the quality of the competition will inevitably get weaker with more easy wins for those with talent and less and less quality opposition to bring the best out of them.

 

I agree with Sidney that the futures bright in terms of young Britsh talent coming through, but if the test is whether they succeed at SWC level, then the way British Speedwáy is being set up there just won't be enough class opposition over here to bring them up to a world class sharpness.

in the 60's and 70's we won world team cups world pairs and test matches ,without the influence of foreigners

[ch958 2,395]

 

Ah, but when Billy Smart or Chipperfield bring the circus comes to town, everyone goes to see it!

 

and thats fine - its not for me but it is v popular so thats good

[mikec 412]

A couple of youngsters I've seen for the first time & been impressed with at Belle Vue this year watching Colts matches are Anders Rowe & Henry Atkins. Both have a good style & at decent pace too, at a track pretty different to most they'll have faced to date.

 

In recent years there seems to be a glass ceiling most young GB riders hit that stunts their progress. Long list. Have an optimistic theory, might be wrong, that when one lad breaks through it then others will follow. As an Ace I hope it's Dan Bewley, but imo with the quantity of young talent coming through it's only a matter of time. I hope so anyway!

Edited August 22, 2017 by mikec

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Ordinary British riders are likely to only race in the UK. Ordinary Swedish and Danish riders will also ride in there own country and therefore be more likely to miss some UK fixtures. Not really bothered who wins grand prix or World Cup.

So who cares if they're talented then? Too talented and they'll do a Woffy, so why celebrate having good riders? Lets have more mediocre riders!