Area Individual Comp

[Trees 2,814]

Do we think individual area competitions would capture the imagination of the public and press? 

Call the comp something like UK Speedway Titles or whatever. 

So, East Anglian Round (KL, Ips, Peterborough, Rye House). Southern Round (Lakeside, Poole, Swindon, Somerset).  Midlands (Leicester, Wolverhampton, Scunthorpe, Birmingham). Northern (Belle Vue, Newcastle, Sheffield, Redcar). Scotland and Borders (Edinburgh, Glasgow, Berwick, Workington) 

So the clubs nominate riders who compete in the club rounds, the top 4 from each area go into the final at Belle Vue. 

Just a thought.... something I would support for sure... 

 

 

[ch958 2,395]

there'd be quite a few arses riding 2 horses as they say

[steve roberts 9,246]

Remember the days of the Midland/Southern/Northern Riders Championships and were relatively well supported during the seventies. Trouble is that what was becoming evident during the eighties fans became very more selective in attending non league fixtures... more's the pity in my view.

Edited December 18, 2017 by steve roberts

[Midland Red 2,383]

The qualifying rounds were, to some extent, date-fillers - Bees used a Wednesday night for theirs

But the final was a big event, to look forward to - Boocock, Briggs, Ashby, McKinlay, Wilson, Olsen, Gundersen etc

It worked because 99% of the riders were local and glad of the extra meeting, with some glory to aim for

Now it would only work with one big league and less journeymen riders

Oh, to turn that clock back"

[steve roberts 9,246]

Yes recall the Midland Riders Final...always a big occasion but by the time that Oxford held the event (1986) it had diminished to an extent. Went to Smallmead to witness the 1976 Southern Riders Final and there was a big crowd present and of course the London Riders Final had historical prestige once upon a time.

[Grachan 7,362]

Personally I don't think it would be very successful.

People like to pick and choose meetings these days, and this would probably be something they'd opt out of.

I remember the Midland Riders Championship back in the 70's, and even then it never seemed to mean that much.

[Chadster 221]

I think those regional title meetings worked when each team visited only once a  season so it might offer another chance to see a top star at your track

[iris123 20,977]

17 minutes ago, Chadster said:

I think those regional title meetings worked when each team visited only once a  season so it might offer another chance to see a top star at your track

When was this then?Most seasons there was always,so it seemed numerous chances to see the top stars and local rivals

 

Take 1968 around the time i first started going to Plough Lane and you had for example

home and away challenge v West Ham for the Supporters Trophy,you'd get the KOC and that season we had Kings Lynn then a world Championship quali round,the Wills Internationale and then a GB v Sweden test followed by the British Final then we had home and away v West Ham and Hackney in the London Cup as well as the Laurels!!!!!,plus all the British League Meetings.

 

Later seasons we had the Spring Gold Cup regional qualis and the Spring Classic etc and then came the Southern riders Championship,which was imo a waste of time

[Trees 2,814]

I'd envisaged them as filler meetings during the season, something different from the leagues, individuals and a chance to visit local tracks. Easy to write about, not so easy to organise and promote..... 

[Midland Red 2,383]

3 hours ago, Trees said:

I'd envisaged them as filler meetings during the season, something different from the leagues, individuals and a chance to visit local tracks. Easy to write about, not so easy to organise and promote..... 

Would be if we had one big and riders based in the UK

[Chadster 221]

23 hours ago, iris123 said:

When was this then?Most seasons there was always,so it seemed numerous chances to see the top stars and local rivals

 

Take 1968 around the time i first started going to Plough Lane and you had for example

home and away challenge v West Ham for the Supporters Trophy,you'd get the KOC and that season we had Kings Lynn then a world Championship quali round,the Wills Internationale and then a GB v Sweden test followed by the British Final then we had home and away v West Ham and Hackney in the London Cup as well as the Laurels!!!!!,plus all the British League Meetings.

 

Later seasons we had the Spring Gold Cup regional qualis and the Spring Classic etc and then came the Southern riders Championship,which was imo a waste of time

You're right, of course but those fixtures would be a lot less attractive if you were riding West Ham, Hackney etc twice in the League and then twice more in 'challenge' matches and then if their riders were in a Southern Riders Championship, which you derided, probably for that reason. Some of the most fiercely contested meetings I saw at Plough Lane were the early season challenges against Hackney, the league matches always seemed desultory.