Ice Racing

[TwoMinuteWarning 69]

Not sure if it has been reported before, but BSI are to stage the World Individual and Team Ice-Racing Championships from 2006.

 

Ever get the impression that the FIM want to offload anything to do with track racing?

[pugwash 3,208]

Maybe BSI intend to stage an event in the Millenium stadium. Would it be possible ? Temporary ice track? I'm sure it would draw a bumper crowd.

[rusky 113]

Maybe BSI intend to stage an event in the Millenium stadium. Would it be possible ? Temporary ice track? I'm sure it would draw a bumper crowd.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Surely, all Ice tracks are temporary ?

[iris123 20,994]

It was reported that the local Ice Hockey team wanted to play one match at the fooball stadium.A Canadian side have done it before.So if Ice Hockey is possible i guess Ice Speedway should be as well as long as the outside temperature is reasonably cold

[rusky 113]

It was reported that the local Ice Hockey team wanted to play one match at the fooball stadium.A Canadian side have done it before.So if Ice Hockey is possible i guess Ice Speedway should be as well as long as the outside temperature is reasonably cold

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not sure that the outside temperature needs to be too low, as those people who go to Assen on a regular basis can testify.

[iris123 20,994]

Thats why i said "reasonably cold" and not "bloody cold"

[rusky 113]

I for one think that if BSI can give ice racing, the shot in the arm that they have given conventional speedway, it will be very good news ideed. Can you imagine what the crowd would be like at Assen, if they get the attendance boosts that conventional speedway seem to have done at the very highest level.

 

You would like to think that BSI could get a TV deal, similar to the conventional GP's......How good would that be.

[TwoMinuteWarning 69]

Surely, all Ice tracks are temporary ?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I think they are, these days.

 

But I remember seeing Ice Racing on natural tracks in Russia and Italy, on Eurosport in the 90s - now THAT was SPECTACULAR!

[Conkers 67]

.TwoMinuteWarning  Posted Today, 10:37 AM

 

Ever get the impression that the FIM want to offload anything to do with track racing?

 

The FIM are contracting out all their World Championships, as Trials and Indoor Trials has been promoted by a Spanish Company for several years.

Moto GP and Superbikes all have a promoting company, as does the FIM World Moto X Championship.

Simply means that the FIM get an income and the promoters have to sell their product for them.

BSI promote Speedway, so Ice Racing is a natural progression and I suppose Longtrack/Grasstrack will be next.

But they will have to rely massively on the local clubs like MC Assen, and MC Bayern-Sud to help them out. Plus I don't think MC Assen would want "their" event taken off them

 

As for Ice tracks - most of the ones used in Germany and in Holland tend to be skating facilities, who allow the promoting clubs to use their tracks.

I understand that where the tracks are "natural" (ie Frozen by the weather) they tend to be in the colder regions, such as Sweden and Russia (who use either Speedway or athletic tracks). The "artificial" tracks like assen, Inzell, Erfurt etc, have massive Ice Plants to freeze the track and the adjacent Ice Rinks.

To stage Ice Racing in Cardiff would mean having a massive Ice Plant to freeze the track for what would be in effect a three day event (Practice, and two days racing). The cost would outweigh the income generated, even if it was full.

[iris123 20,994]

Think i'm right in saying BSI have let their option on the Longtrack Gp's expire.Don't think its attractive enough now as the top speedway riders no longer ride longtrack and most countries hold few or no longtrack meetings.

[Bavarian 767]

This comes as a surprise to mayn people here in Germany. In the past BSI has shown no interest in taking over the staging of the Ice racing World Championships.

It could become rather difficult for BSI as there are really only two major centers for ice racing in Western Europe, that's Assen and Inzell, and both clubs will wonder why they will suddenly have to pay BSI a lot of money, when up until now they were very happy to organise their one big annual meeting on their own and cash in all the money for themselves.

I guess that both Assen and Inzell could satge big open meetings instead of the World Championship events and still get their big crowds. But for BSI to lose these two venues for the Ice Racing GP, they will be in deep trouble. There is no major venue in Sweden or Finland that regularly stages ice racing and Russia alone will not be easy to sell.

However, rumour here in Germany is, that someone plans to stage a very big ice racing event in a huge stadium in Hamburg - a town that has never before seen ice racing. Wonder if that has something to do with BSI.

[Conkers 67]

Interesting point, Bavarian.

Perhaps that is why Herr Shifner was promoting the European Championships held in Erfurt over the Easter Weekend with such vigour?

That way, there are at least two venues (Erfurt and the proposed one in Hamburg) where a championship could be staged, thus isolating the two "Big Guys" at Assen and Inzell?

 

But could the FIM do without their big payday at Assen (where the crowd this year was 10,000 on both days) ?

 

I think not.

[TwoMinuteWarning 69]

Somebody has asked me off-list where I got the information about the Ice Racing. It came from the latest edition of the FIM magazine at the FIM website:

 

Track Racing Commission (CCP)

Track Racing: the Management

Council has agreed to give Benfield

Sports International (BSI) the right to

organise as from 2006 the Individual

and Team Ice Racing World

Championships, as mentioned in

their option.

 

Long Track World Championship:

the last Final in 2005 will be held in

New Zealand again. Some European

organisers find unfair if New Zealand

always has the last Final of the sea-

son, which brings more spectators.

On the other hand, to keep New

Zealand on the calendar does not

give much alternative, as for climatic

reasons it is only possible to race

there from November to March.

[iris123 20,994]

Been a bit of debate about this and it's not sure if this info isn't a bit out of date.Was reported in bahnsport aktuell that Benfield didn't want anything to do with Ice Speedway.So.......