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AndyO

Start Marshall's

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OK so in true investigative journalist style and cutting to the chase with the important questions of the day... Start Marshall's - what's the point!

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No point?

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Actually come to think of it they do make sure that riders don't encroach on each others gates, can't think of much else though other than to be ignored by the riders on everything else

Edited by iainb
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I know that the remit in the past (and I guess it's still the case) that the start marshall would get the riders up to the tapes making sure that the 'incentive' to roll was minimal thus gaining an advantage. He/she would also often indicate to the ref that all was satisfactory who would then put the green light on putting them under starter's orders.

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Our ratio of 'false starts' and first bend incidents must be much higher than Polands where start marshals seem to weild some power (supported visually and audibly by the referee)..

Riders dont fly off in all directions like they seem to do over here, with their bikes strictly aligned straight, and their front wheels practically touching the tapes (akin to cycle speedway), meaning no roll backs to help preempt the start..

And the 2 mins is sacrosanct. If you are not ready you are out.. 

'Professional' is a good word to describe it..

Edited by mikebv
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8 hours ago, iainb said:

Actually come to think of it they do make sure that riders don't encroach on each others gates, can't think of much else though other than to be ignored by the riders on everything else

They always remind me of a sad dad who is trying to make the kids do what he wants and they are completely ignoring him!

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9 minutes ago, mikebv said:

Our ratio of 'false starts' and first bend incidents must be much higher than Polands where start marshals seem to weild some power (supported visually and audibly by the referee)..

Riders dont fly off in all directions like they seem to do over here, with their bikes strictly aligned straight, and their front wheels practically touching the tapes (akin to cycle speedway), meaning no roll backs to help preempt the start..

And the 2 mins is sacrosanct. If you are not ready you are out.. 

'Professional' is a good word to describe it..

Seriously I think they should be an extension of the referee on the track... what they say at the start goes and if ignored they have the power to exclude, no point otherwise..

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10 minutes ago, AndyO said:

Seriously I think they should be an extension of the referee on the track... what they say at the start goes and if ignored they have the power to exclude, no point otherwise..

Always remember the story when one of the assistants lined up behind the bikes at the tapes picked up Bily Sanders rear mudguard using the grab rail in a subtle way so when the tapes rose Billy's wheel wasn't in contact with the track momentarily thus gaining a disadvantage. Billy wanted to make an issue of it with the person responsible but John Berry took him aside explaining to him that anyone who was able to lift a bike while at full revs was someone who obviously possessd a bit of muscle and best avoided...of course the ref didin't see anything!

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59 minutes ago, AndyO said:

Seriously I think they should be an extension of the referee on the track... what they say at the start goes and if ignored they have the power to exclude, no point otherwise..

The trouble with that is that the Start Marshall is provided by the home club and will probably be a member of the supporters club and be regaled from head to toe in club merchandise (if available :lol:) under their stripey tops. They'd have to be "supplied" to each meeting in the same way that an "impartial" referee is, much like in Football with the lino's.

Edited by iainb
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2 hours ago, steve roberts said:

the start marshall would get the riders up to the tapes making sure that the 'incentive' to roll was minimal thus gaining an advantage. 

The only time I've ever seen a start marshall get a rider up to the tapes was at Bradford (could have been Peterborough) when the starter grabbed John Jorgensen's handlebars and physically dragged him to the tapes, he was not happy about it :rofl:

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44 minutes ago, steve roberts said:

Always remember the story when one of the assistants lined up behind the bikes at the tapes picked up Bily Sanders rear mudguard using the grab rail in a subtle way so when the tapes rose Billy's wheel wasn't in contact with the track momentarily thus gaining a disadvantage. Billy wanted to make an issue of it with the person responsible but John Berry took him aside explaining to him that anyone who was able to lift a bike while at full revs was someone who obviously possessd a bit of muscle and best avoided...of course the ref didin't see anything!

My memories of Canterbury in the late 60's were a team of start line crew who used to line up behind all 4 riders, plus the start Marshal and assistant (to hand him the flags obviously) plus numerous track rakers on the bends and pit staff to push the riders out... all volunteers presumably..

I think if you had that now they would outnumber the crowd!

 

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4 minutes ago, iainb said:

The trouble with that is that the Start Marshall is provided by the home club and will probably be a member of the supporters club and be regaled from head to toe in club merchandise (if available :lol:) under their stripey tops. They'd have to be "supplied" to each meeting in the same way that an "impartial" referee is, much like in Football with the lino's.

Good point

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1 hour ago, AndyO said:

My memories of Canterbury in the late 60's were a team of start line crew who used to line up behind all 4 riders, plus the start Marshal and assistant (to hand him the flags obviously) plus numerous track rakers on the bends and pit staff to push the riders out... all volunteers presumably..

I think if you had that now they would outnumber the crowd!

 

We had pretty much that at Peterborough, my father was Start Marshal and I wore the blue overalls. We only had five in the team as 'red' acted as assistant during the race. We used to rake our gate after every race too.

Edited by NeilWatson
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3 minutes ago, AndyO said:

My memories of Canterbury in the late 60's were a team of start line crew who used to line up behind all 4 riders, plus the start Marshal and assistant (to hand him the flags obviously) plus numerous track rakers on the bends and pit staff to push the riders out... all volunteers presumably..

I think if you had that now they would outnumber the crowd!

 

Would help keep a Mexican Wave going though....

 

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