diamonds_are_forever

TRick is on another level - it will take a miracle for him not too win now. Clearly he deserves to be on top, but I think the scoring system needs to be addressed - the gulf between top & bottom is so huge that it will be difficult for the title race not to be over before the last round. Especially now that no points are scored in the semis - another 2 rounds & crump could have sewn up 2nd place, by the time we get to Lonigo, we may only be racing for the top 8 places which doesn't help the series IMO. Not taking anything away from TRick - he is deservedly way out in front, but is it a little too far?

Thankyou! If you're gunna criticise Crumpy, then you gotta give TRick some stick too! Ok, so I've never seen him swear, but when he had bad rides over the past 2 GP seasons, he'd get his mechanics to muscle round him & not speak to the cameras. He never does an interview after a bad rider in the GP, because his mechanics don't let the cameras near him (so the sun doesn't shine out of his rear end like some of you think!), but when Crump has a bad ride sky to their utmost to wind him up & get a reaction. The worst was at Slovenia 2 years ago. He went out the back by the vans to get away from it all & swear, kick things etc where he wouldn't be setting a bad example to kids etc & sky followed him! Scotty (who behaved impeccably at Cardiff so everyone on here says) is no angel either - he was no angel after the SWC final last year was he? All riders fly off the handle at various times, especially when people stick a camera in their faces after they've been excluded! If they don't want to set a bad example when kids are watching, sky should give them 2 minutes to calm down & count to 10 first!

I finally found a guest house vaguely near the stadium! (3 miles away down Newport Rd) I typed accomodation in Cardiff into yell.com and rang every B&B, Guesthouse and hotel on the list until I found one that was free (think I was up to about the 17th phone call! lol) I nearly had a booking at about call number 10 but the hotel had just taken a booking for a wedding 5 minutes earlier! How inconsiderate of people to get married on SGP day! If anyone else needs a place to stay I'd advise ringing every place in the phone book - one of them's bound to have a room - even if its the 17th one you try! The scariest part was when you asked for rooms on the 11th June they didn't even say they'd go check, simply said 'Is that the speedway weekend?' And when I said 'yes' confirmed they were full! I'm gunna ring up and book 10th June 2006 in one nearer the stadium! lol

Well I've got a quote of £81.96 return to Venice with easyjet flying out Friday returning Monday flying via birmingham, but if you fly to Verona that would be nearer. Guess it just depends on which airlines fly from your local airport.

Already planning the trip to Lonigo! Just so long as that provisional turns to confirmed!

Congrats Jason - knew you would do it! This world title is long overdue & no-one deserves to be Champion more than you. Well done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1- N. Pedersen 2-Rickardsson 3-Crump 4-Jonsson

Don't want to curse it but good luck Crumpy - this must be your year!

1 - Jonsson 2 - Crump 3 - Gollob 4 - TRick

I knew this would be nearing 10 pages already! lol I have to admit it made me laugh, I would have laughed if he'd kicked TRick or Scotty or any other rider for that matter - it was totally unexpected & random! It didn't achieve anything, he got excluded so he didn't gain from it & be honest, Nicki never looked in danger of coming off. Its a bit over the top to claim he could have hurt Nicki, should it have caused Nicki problems it would have been the type of domino effect you get with first bend bunching which rarely causes injury. Maybe if he'd turned right at the first bend & speared Nicki or took his front wheel then it would be reasonable to say he could have been hurt, but not after a little kick. I admit it wasn't very sporting & was wrong, but it was funny & livened up what I also feel was a rather dull meeting.

1 - Rickardsson 2 - Adams 3 - Crump 4 - Nicholls.

I am also lost as to whether or not this is wind up or belief, sadly I also think it could be the second. Yes lots of tourists go to FOREIGN COUNTRIES, note the word FOREIGN JY ie not English! If you want people to speak English go on a package holiday to the costa del sol, otherwise learn the language of where you're going & enjoy the challenges of trying to figure out how much something costs or what the hell it is you're eating. My best holiday was in a tiny skiiing village in Finland with few people speaking English. It was so unspolit & not at all touristy it was great! I'm often disappointed if people speak English on holiday as I like trying to speak their language. Sorry we kinda hi-jacked it a bit because of the ignorance of some of my fellow Brits.

I know what you mean, I'm not scared of heights but wasn't too happy when the walls kinda vanished halfway up! lol Then to make it even better the whole thing was swaying like mad up at the top due to the wind - I think I came down with my eyes shut clinging to the wall & handrail! lol

Care to elaborate - bad experience perhaps?!

Thanks for the answers! I was up the top of that mini eiffel tower thing & St. Vitrus cathedral thinking 'I must be able to see it from up here! lol. Hopefully I will get to see it for real next year as I'm planning to go to the Prague GP. We had a wallet stolen last year but this time I was armed with a money belt, a purse attatched to my bag & the bag padlocked shut - needless to say no-one managed to stel anything.

Awww, I'm so jealous! I'd love to go to Bydgoszcz but have no money. Just got back from a weeks holiday in Prague mind you & I agree few people spoke English however that wasn't remotely a problem as I'd actually bothered myself to learn some czech before I left. That BBC site is excellent as you can hear how the words should sound to get your phonetics correct. We got much better service by simply saying hello (dobry den) & thankyou (Dekuji) in Czech. The waiters really respect you for trying & always seemed very surprised to see some English people giving their language a go. Why do we as Brits have this divine right that everyone should speak our language - you're not in a foreign country until you're trying to translate a foreign menu & talk with various hand signals - thats all part of the fun! I'm unsurprised the stadium staff don't speak English. As a czech speedway track they probably never get Brits there other than for the GP. Why should they be expected to learn a language they'll use once a year? When the Poles are in Cardiff I doubt any of the stadium staff there speak Polish or Czech & Danish for that matter! BTW - where abouts in Prague is the Marketa stadium at? I've been twice & looked for it from the top of various towers but have failed to find anything other than another stadium & Sparta Prague's ground - I'm baffled as to its location - anyone help?

But seen as the averages are based on EL matches surely that evidently makes Lindback "a tad better!? (in the EL)"

Taken from speedway star: Andersen CMA 8.49 Lindback CMA 8.54 Ok so a marginal difference, but by statistics Lindback is better, at the least he is Hans' equal so how is Hans better suited for the GP? He's had 2 seasons & failed to make a major impression both times - why not give Antonio a shot, he's also younger than Andersen too. Give him 2 seasons in the GP then compare who is better...I think Antonio would come out on top.

Have to add on here Scott Smith's support to the cause! After drawing the winning ticket in our jackpot prize draw tonight (though he picked the wrong box & won a mere tenner) our centre green presenter was asking him how he felt about the Aussies going out etc. He said he was disappointed but then was cheering for GB & finished with quote: "Hans Andersen you are a dirty B*****d!" It was quality!

Teams appear to be up on the Poole site now, with Boyce at 5 for the Aussies.

1 GB (you gotta live in hope!) 2 Sweden 3 Australia 4 Denmark C'mon the Brits!

Yes congrats Aj - never doubted him for a second to be in the final (he was correctly placed second in my prediction ). He had a slow start to the season but is picking up scores in the EL now & watching his scores in Poland & Sweden he has never been out of double figures for a few weeks now so it was definately coming, I felt he'd benefit from a slick track more than other riders who may struggle on such a track. AJ is very professional & very talented. Once he finds his consistency which will come with more & more experience there is no reason why he won't be top 3/ possibly world champ one day.

3rd twice in a row! - can I make it 3 & do a TRick for Gothenburg?

Well done Crumpie! Without wanting to jinx you - this surely must be your well well overdue year. Keep it up!

Firstly I am a Crumpie fan & not a Nicki fan. I think that he did take his line however I was surprised to see Jason go down so easily. However, Nicki got away without exclusion in Prague (eliminator), but didn't tonight. Prague was a definate exclusion, this one wasn't so clear cut. However luck goes around & comes around, so he was due an exclusion. He made the final anyway so it didn't make much difference. Must say as to his reaction. I agree what great TV - Nicki kicking his pit area & throwing his goggles about yelling - yes that is top TV. 6 F words in about 20secs & pushing about camera crews & especially his own pit crew who work their ass off for him to be where he is today! That part is not great TV.