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TwoMinuteWarning

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Posts posted by TwoMinuteWarning

  1. Posted · Edited by TwoMinuteWarning

    On ‎01‎/‎02‎/‎2018 at 7:45 PM, ch958 said:

    kind of related - someone just posted on fb that there are more than double the number of riders unemployed than doubling up.

    something not right there - perhaps this informs attitudes to work permits.

    i guess a fair percentage of members voted for brexit - well nows our chance to make sure those riders are employed before any visas are issued

    There is a desperate shortage of riders in the UK. Lower the qualification rules for more non-UK riders to fill the gap!

    Brian Collins

    • Like 1

  2. Posted

    First, can I thank everybody for their kind comments about my International Speedway website. I say "my", but I mean "our" website, as over a hundred of you from all around the world contributed to its' success, with thousands of updates over the 12-year life of the site. I had never anticipated such a response so I want to thank each and every one of you for your contributions.

     

    The end of the site came over a year ago due to a combination of circumstances. I bought a new PC, but the older one's hardware got damaged; Windows 10 didn't like the ageing 16-year old web-building software (Hot Metal Pro) I had been using since day 1; totally disillusioned with UK speedway these days (I've been to one meeting this year - the Krsko GP); and the problems of my advancing years - all of these factors contributed to my decision to close the site.

     

    I can still be contacted at internationalspeedway@yahoo.co.uk , but please don't send updates to me as the site cannot now be updated. It will continue to be available to view for as long as possible, though.

     

    Thanks.

     

    Brian Collins

    • Like 6

  3. Posted

    I think the need for improved fitness these days is partly down to the travelling the riders have/choose to do. Riding 4 or 5 nights a week (sometimes more) in 3 or 4 different countries is ludicrous, and must be very tiring.

     

    I well remember the sight of the late Lee Richardson at Eastbourne on a Saturday night, curled up on the floor of the pits, trying to get some kip while bikes were being warmed up, as he had just returned from a Thursday night meeting in Russia.

  9. Posted

    Funningly enough I checked out the Kanalsport .dk website this morning and I think that they have a new set up with Danish bookmakers BET25.DK and it looks as if you now have to register to get the pictures(similar to BET365 with the Elite league coverage.) the 1st league match isn`t until the end of April so we have a bit of time to investigate-Hopefully one of our Danish forum friends will be able to give us more info.

    Any further news on a stream for tonight's match? Thanks

  10. Posted · Edited by TwoMinuteWarning

    Football is obviously top in all categories, but I'd think rugby union would be second in term of live audiences (if you include the Six Nations which has highest average attendance of any sports competition in the world), following by rugby league and cricket. Maybe motor racing (non-speedway) might be up next, followed by horse racing, ice hockey and then perhaps speedway. Three-day eventing gets a reasonable following though, and might beat speedway.

    I've long thought that the biggest paid attendance for a single sporting event is 300,000 to 450,000 at the Indianapolis 500, and that seems to b e borne out by

    http://www.topendsports.com/world/lists/crowd-largest.htm

     

    I believe the largest Non-paying audience is reckoned to be the 2 or 3 million who line the roads for cycling's Tour de France.

     

    Biggest speedway crowd ever? According to Speedway Star, in 1959 at Prague, a 4-nation tournament attracted 200,000! http://www.internationalspeedway.co.uk/czsl4team.htm

  12. Posted · Edited by TwoMinuteWarning

    15.3 Devon S Lambert (Kent) beat L Smart (Devon)

    6.4 Leicester S Lambert (Kent) beat J Serjeant (Leicester)

    2.5 Coventry S Lambert (Kent) beat J Serjeant (Coventry)

    3.5 Stoke B Wilson (Stoke) beat S Lambert (Kent)

    4.5 Buxton B Wilson (Stoke) beat T Atkin (Buxton)

    16.5 K. Lynn D Mallett (K Lynn) beat B Wilson (Stoke)

    30.6 Kent B Morley (Kent) bt Marc Owen (K Lynn)

    5.7 @Stoke: Ben Morley (Kent) bt. C.Widman (Stoke)

    6.7 @Mldhll: Joe Jacobs(Mldhll) bt. Ben Morley (Kent)

    7.7 Kent S Lambert (Kent) bt Josh Bates (Mildenhall)

    4.8 @Kent: *J.Armstrong(Stoke) bt. Dave Mason (Kent)

    16.8 Stoke L Chessell (Devon) bt Jon Armstrong (Stoke)

    2.9 @ Crad/Wtn: Steve Worrall bt. Luke Chessell (Devon)

    3.9 K Lynn S Worrall (Cradley) bt Marc Owen (K Lynn)

    9.9 @ Crad/Wtn: S.Worrall (Cradley) bt. James Sargeant (Cov.II)

    30.9 Cradley S Worrall (Cradley) bt Daniel Halsey (Mildenhall)

    5.10 Mildenhall P Starke (Cradley) bt Joe Jacobs (Mildenhall)

     

    Many thanks for all the help

    The above now seems to be complete to mid-October.

     

    2 races were cancelled due to meetings being abandoned (30.3 Scunny and 23.9 Cradley)

     

    4 races were cancelled due to curfews (12.5 Kent, 11.7 Devon, 29.8 & 26.9 Coventry)

     

    Paul Starke was due to defend the Helmet 21.10 at Cradley (the play-off Final), can't see any record of him having done that. If successful, he would have ridden again at King's Lynn 22.10.

     

    Have to say that this is an official NL competition, and as such results should appear on the BSPA website.

     

    P.S Sorry to change the subject but - did Cradley ever ride the 2nd Leg of the National Shield at King's Lynn?

  13. Posted · Edited by TwoMinuteWarning

    Can anyone help update the 2014 Bronze Helmet results and fill in the gaps? I have :

     

    15.3 Devon S Lambert (Kent) beat L Smart (Devon)

    6.4 Leicester S Lambert (Kent) beat J Serjeant (Leicester)

    2.5 Coventry S Lambert (Kent) beat J Serjeant (Coventry)

    3.5 Stoke B Wilson (Stoke) beat S Lambert (Kent)

    4.5 Buxton B Wilson (Stoke) beat T Atkin (Buxton)

    16.5 King's Lynn D Mallett (K Lynn) beat B Wilson (Stoke)

    30.6 Kent B Morley (Kent) beat Marc Owen (K Lynn)

    7.7 Kent S Lambert (Kent) beat Josh Bates (Mildenhall)

    16.8 Stoke L Chessell (Devon) beat Jon Armstrong (Stoke)

    3.9 K Lynn S Worrall (Cradley) beat Marc Owen (K Lynn)

    30.9 Cradley S Worrall (Cradley) beat Daniel Halsey (Mildenhall)

  15. Posted

    No one ever denied that had the drainage been MUCH better there would have been more chance of the meeting going ahead but as we have seen in the UK recently heavy persistent rain can always cause a meeting to be called off.

    PROBABLY have a choice of three ... and Bydgoszcz isn't one of them!

    Looks like just 2 GP's for Polski - Warsaw and Gorzow?

  16. Posted · Edited by TwoMinuteWarning

    Interesting item in last week's Speedway Star.

     

    In Australia, a rider (Jake Allen) withdrew after two rides in an individual meeting "due to his concerns about the recklessness of some of the other riders."

     

    The reporter comments "And true, after the first two rounds, it became clear that some competitors were riding above their capabilities and threatening to affect the ability of some of the other riders to perform at their peak."

     

    (The report is on page 39, last column, of the 20th Sept Star)

     

    I'm sure we have all seen this happen, notably (though not exclusively) among younger riders. Immaturity, adrenaline rush, the impatience to improve, the determination not be defeated, all this and more are reasons enough for riders to sometimes ride beyond their capabilities.

     

    It happens in most sports, of course, but in speedway and other motor sports there is the additional element of danger and serious injury which can be inflicted on both the rider himself and the other riders in the race.

     

    I guess it is inevitable that riders push the limits - how else can they improve? - but is there a limit beyond which they should not go?

     

    Should riders of widely varying abilities and experience be on the track together ? There are a couple of young fast track riders who in my opinion should never be riding in the Elite League. And with doubling up and even tripling up, there is a greater mix of riders with varying ability on the tracks in both of the senior leagues these days, to an extent which does not appear to happen in Poland, Sweden and Denmark to the same extent.

     

    It's not only young riders, of course. I guess most riders have a "mad moment" now and then. A couple of GP-standard riders appear to have those moments somewhat too frequently. No names, because I am not looking to "slag off" any particular riders. I love watching real racers, aggressive riders - but there is (to me) a limit.

     

    Should there be (or is there) any way of controlling recklessness? Out of control riding? (I'm not just talking about a race exclusion, but maybe a suspension, or fine, additional training, etc)

     

    Or should we just accept it as part of the sport?

  24. Posted

    Yes I'd like Eastbourne to stay in the top league but if comes down to premier racing or no racing then will take PL any day.

    Question I have is why do clubs have to pay for rider's flights most working people don't have their travel costs paid for is this the price we have to pay to have riders race over here? Do the foreign clubs they ride for pay for any of the travel costs? If not why don't they?

    If dropping to PL means we don't have to pay for things like this then maybe we'll have a chance to survive along with reducing the admission costs.

    Don't forget that UK based riders receive a (pathetic) mileage allowance for travel, so it's not just for foreign riders

  25. Posted

    Gets a bit sad when people say they enjoy laughing at a commentator, it does the sport no favours.

     

    David Rowe is knowledgeable, seems to have all the stats to hand, just one suggestion - in my opinion you talk a bit fast David, could do with slowing down a tad. Otherwise, fine.

     

    Now we just need Chris Louis to replace Uncle Sam ...

    • Like 1
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