Humphrey Appleby 13,932 Posted August 5, 2018 6 hours ago, Bavarian said: In a German newspaper interview, Castagna says that from now on it will definitely only be the Speedway of Nations. The SWC now is dead as a dodo ! Therefore Mr. Castagna has thought up something great for the SoN - he is seriously suggesting to introduce the jolly Joker for double points ! ! ! So much for the claims it would alternate with the SWC then. So the World Team Championship is now formally reduced to a best pairs competition. Not sure how a joker can work where pairs have only ridden the same number of times at the end of Heats 7, 14 and 21? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Noodles 1,337 Posted August 5, 2018 11 hours ago, Bavarian said: In a German newspaper interview, Castagna says that from now on it will definitely only be the Speedway of Nations. The SWC now is dead as a dodo ! Don't know how the FIM will compensate Gorzow, who have a contract to stage the 2019 SWC final. Castagna says that next year's SoN final will definitely not be staged in Poland ! And Castagna says, the SoN has been a great success, and will even get better, when they make some minor achanges to the rules. Because of the possibility of a 3-3 in the semi-final and final on the second day, they think about changes to the point scoring. He finds it too confusing for the public that the second and third placed riders get the heat win over the first and last placed rides, as has happened with Russia and GB in the SoN final of 2018. Therefore Mr. Castagna has thought up something great for the SoN - he is seriously suggesting to introduce the jolly Joker for double points ! ! ! Too confusing for Tai too. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ghostwalker 1,858 Posted August 5, 2018 (edited) SWC at Gorzow is a million times better than a glorified pairs event at any track. And SWC at any decent track is a much better event than a glorified pairs event at any track Edited August 5, 2018 by Ghostwalker 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mark 1,497 Posted August 5, 2018 4 hours ago, Ghostwalker said: SWC at Gorzow is a million times better than a glorified pairs event at any track. And SWC at any decent track is a much better event than a glorified pairs event at any track I thought the SoN worked and is better than a 5 man meeting. Most countries have two good riders so it gives better compitition. Nothing against the Poles but I don't want to see them win every year because of there strength in depth. SoN needs a bit of tweaking, ridiculous England lost the final but overall it was a very good two day meeting on a good track. I know little about Gorzow but surely the SoN needs to be run in a bigger city with plenty of hotels and maybe an airport. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tarkens 119 Posted August 5, 2018 GP in Warsaw on 18th May 2019. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
james1234 49 Posted August 6, 2018 14 hours ago, tarkens said: GP in Warsaw on 18th May 2019. Where is your source Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tarkens 119 Posted August 6, 2018 Michal Sikora, president of PZM, who confirmed it yesterday during IMME in Gdansk 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mixxxser44 1 Posted August 27, 2018 (edited) https://www.fullnoise.com.au/news/index.cfm?fuseaction=display_full&news_id=25617&section=1&Ntitle=Speedway%3A Two Venues in Race to Stage Australian FIM Speedway Grand Prix From 2019 https://www.qt.com.au/news/ipswich-running-secure-international-motorcycle-ev/3466256/ Edited August 27, 2018 by mixxxser44 edit Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mark 1,497 Posted August 31, 2018 (edited) http://speedwaygp.com/news/article/6907/sgp-back-in-wroclaw Wroclaw 3 year deal Edited August 31, 2018 by Mark Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Humphrey Appleby 13,932 Posted August 31, 2018 On 8/5/2018 at 2:57 PM, Mark said: I thought the SoN worked and is better than a 5 man meeting. Most countries have two good riders so it gives better compitition. Nothing against the Poles but I don't want to see them win every year because of there strength in depth. Even more countries could put out one competitive rider, but at what point does it cease to become a team competition? Two riders is not a proper team competition in my book, however well it might have worked, and you also have the issue where 5 countries are sitting out each heat. The SWC was generally the best international competition over the years, and usually produced good racing. Absolutely ridiculous to be changing the format because one country happens to have a run of success. The Poles are far less dominant than Denmark were in the 80s, England/Britain were in the 70s, and Sweden were in the 60s, and they didn't radically change the World Team Cup format then. Did FIFA turn the World Cup into a 5-a-side competition after Brazil won it a few times? 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
james1234 49 Posted August 31, 2018 Wroclaw have signed a 3 year deal Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mark 1,497 Posted August 31, 2018 (edited) 7 minutes ago, Humphrey Appleby said: Even more countries could put out one competitive rider, but at what point does it cease to become a team competition? Two riders is not a proper team competition in my book, however well it might have worked, and you also have the issue where 5 countries are sitting out each heat. The SWC was generally the best international competition over the years, and usually produced good racing. Absolutely ridiculous to be changing the format because one country happens to have a run of success. The Poles are far less dominant than Denmark were in the 80s, England/Britain were in the 70s, and Sweden were in the 60s, and they didn't radically change the World Team Cup format then. Did FIFA turn the World Cup into a 5-a-side competition after Brazil won it a few times? NO - they put more teams into the competition and made it even better. Not had the same winner for 20 years. If you don't like the SoN then don't watch. Simple. Edited August 31, 2018 by Mark Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Humphrey Appleby 13,932 Posted August 31, 2018 (edited) 5 minutes ago, Mark said: NO - they put more teams into the competition and made it even better. Not had the same winner for 20 years. I'd say the World Cup is now totally overblown, and will be even worse with 48 teams. I think the expansion has very little to do with who has or hasn't won the World Cup - there's generally more competitive teams than there were, simply because the best players in each country will nowadays often play in the best leagues in the world. But there's actually only been one new winner in the past 20 years (Spain), which was hardly a minnow nation and arguably well overdue for a win. Edited August 31, 2018 by Humphrey Appleby Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mark 1,497 Posted August 31, 2018 1 minute ago, Humphrey Appleby said: I'd say the World Cup is now totally overblown, and will be even worse with 48 teams. I think the expansion has very little to do with who has or hasn't won the World Cup - there's generally more competitive teams than there were, simply because the best players in each country will nowadays often play in the best leagues in the world. But there's actually only been one new winner in the past 20 years (Spain), which was hardly a minnow nation and arguably well overdue for a win. Have a nice day. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Col 850 Posted August 31, 2018 Wroclaw replaces Gorzow on the calendar. Both good stadiums, Gorzow is a better track for racing from the limited views I've had of both. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites