Gniezno On Sunday

[Joanne 0]

As I unfortunately cannot speak Polish apart from Pivo , can anyone see if there are any directions to the track on this site http://www.start.gniezno.pl/terminarz.html We are coming from Bydgoszcz. And does the meeting start at 4pm?

 

Thanks in advance

 

Joanne

[Mateusz 0]

The meeting is at 4 pm. Going to it too, by train. I haven't been at speedway in Gniezno before but will find out how to get to the stadium till Sunday.

[Sandie 53]

And a good time was had by all.

 

Rob Peasley was there as well so a full and comprehensive match report will follow.

Including a superb kung foo kick from an irate rider.

Thought the crowds were going to storm the track!!

[Mr Snackette 190]

....................Rob Peasley was there as well so a full and comprehensive match report will follow.................................

 

Naturally with full acknowledgement to those who were providing him with the information!!!

[lucifer sam 3,960]

And a good time was had by all.

 

Rob Peasley was there as well so a full and comprehensive match report will follow.

Including a superb kung foo kick from an irate rider.

Thought the crowds were going to storm the track!! 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

F4E,

 

Actually, I was thinking of writing a match report to this meeting, attended by both the "Travel Plus" and "Chivsy Travel" groups.

 

And Mr. Snackette, I will give acknowledgement, although I think a certain person was cheating slightly by having their very own Polish translator to interprete the track announcements

 

All the best

Rob

[Sandie 53]

F4E,

 

Actually, I was thinking of writing a match report to this meeting, attended by both the "Travel Plus" and "Chivsy Travel" groups. 

 

And Mr. Snackette, I will give acknowledgement, although I think a certain person was cheating slightly by having their very own Polish translator to interprete the track announcements   

 

All the best

Rob

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Best ask the rest of the group then as I gave up scoring after I got the first heat wrong!!

 

But I can report that the young lady sat behind me at the GP was the same lady that screamed and hugged me at the Sunday meeting. Out of the thousands at both meetings we bump into each other again - what a small world!!!!

[lucifer sam 3,960]

Sunday, September 24, 2006

START GNIEZNO 57 STAL GORZOW 33

(Polish First Division, play-off match)

 

A day after a thrilling Polish Grand Prix at Bydgoszcz (Tomasz Gollob is something amazing around that place!!), I experienced my second-ever taste of Polish league Speedway at Gniezno. The match had been arranged as part of our Travel Plus tour, and after last year's eyebrow-raising meeting at Leszno (where the racing was good, but the main attraction was watching the Zielona Gora fans on the second bend spending almost the whole meeting ripping up the seating and lobbing it at the police!!), I wondered exactly what to expect this time.

 

However, Brian White, the courier for the Stansted coach (my mum and myself flew from Heathrow) was sure that there wouldn't be any crowd trouble this time, as Gniezno and Gorzow are not local rivals, and that although this was a play-off match, nothing rested on it, with Gniezno already assured of third and Gorzow of fourth place in the Polish First Division table (the second tier of the sport in Poland, after the Extraleague).

 

On arrival to the stadium, we marvelled yet again at the standard of Polish stadia. Gniezno Speedway Club are not a top-flight team, but their stadium still consisted of a covered grandstand on the home straight, while access to the back straight came via a long flight of steps, with the seating on a banked area, therefore giving excellent viewing. As we arrived, a crowd which would have made most Elite League promoters weep (the official attendance given was 3000) was filing into the stadium.

 

I decided to watch the first set of races from the covered grandstand, and then make my way around to the back straight to watch the rest of the racing.

 

In Polish league racing, the home side are numbered 9-15 and the away team 1-7. The riders at 14 & 15 for the home side and 6 & 7 for the away team have to be Polish Under-21 riders, and it is these riders who compete in HEAT 1. The race turned out to be an easy 5-1 for the Gniezno pairing of Adrian Gomolski & Miroslaw Jablonski over Andrzej Glucky & Mateusz Mikorski (5-1).

 

The visitors had travelled with only five riders, with R/R (or rather Z/Z!!) at No. 2 for David Ruud and no rider at No. 4, where Adrian Szewczykowski was programmed. In HEAT 2, Michal Rajkowski came in for Ruud, and he passed Dariusz Staniszewski for third on the final bends to ensure a 3-3 result, with the race winner being Oxford asset Lukasz Jankowski (who looked very disappointing when I saw him a year before at Leszno, but he appears revitalised by his move to Gniezno) and with Piotr Paluch in second (8-4).

 

Gniezno's Dawid Cieslewicz and Gorzow's Jaroslaw Lukaszewski were having a right battle for the lead in HEAT 3, when fourth-placed Glucky fell on the fourth bend, causing a stoppage. With Glucky excluded, David Cieslewicz gated in the re-run, then brother (I assume they're brothers!!) Marek Cieslewicz came through into second on the second bend, after Lukaszewski slowed dramatically. Lukaszewski then got going again (suggesting that riders also forget to turn their fuel on in Poland), but the home boys were long gone to their way to a 5-1 (13-5).

 

In HEAT 4, Rajkowski was the early leader, but there was a tremendous roar from the home fans as Jablonski flew around him on the third turn to take the lead. With Krzysztof Pecyna in third, the home side took a 4-2 that extended their lead to ten points (17-7).

 

At this point, I decided to make my way to the back straight. On reaching the top of the flight of steps, I was greeted by a Gniezno fan who wanted to try out the horn I had bought from Bydgoszcz the previous night. He proved to be as about as useless as I am at getting a sound out of it, apparently you need to blow into it like a musical instrument. I watched HEAT 5 as I was still walking around to the back straight, or to be more accurate, the second bend, where most of the Travel Plus group had settled. This race was a real battle, with Lukaszewski fighting his way into the lead early on, only for Marek Cieslewicz to sweep past Lukaszewski later on to win the race, as the Cieslewicz borthers took a 4-2, with away No. 1 Paluch in last place (21-9).

 

There was then a break for track grading, as I took a seat by Brian White, who had cheated somewhat, by having one of the Polish guides from our trip sat next to him, translating all the PA announcements!! With Brian's help, I sorted out my programme for the opening races, as it had been difficult to make out the numbers on the back of the riders from the shaded grandstand, the key to keeping up with a Polish league match. Brian mentioned he had seen Chris Durno, the British referee, who had also been present at the meeting we had seen at Gorican, Croatia, a day after the Slovenian GP, in April of this year. On that occasion, Mr. Durno had shared the announcing duties, so that any following Brits could keep up with the meeting and get race times, etc. However, it was a complicated programme, and Chris had got the scores wrong a couple of times, leading to myself & Brian (who were about the only ones trying to fill in the programme, I tell a lie I think Brian Collins was filling in the programme as well) turning around to Chris (he was almost directly behind us, as we had prime seats in the new, plush Gorican stadium) and shaking our heads, miming "that's wrong" through the glass!! Chris had been a great sport in Croatia, and it was a shame he wasn't announcing again at Gniezno, especially as we would have again taken great pleasure in pointing out any mistakes!!!

 

Anyway back to Gniezno, and around this point, I bumped into the "Chivsy Travel" group, containing such BSF luminaries as Rico, Matt D ("I travel all the way to Poland and I bump into bloody Peasley!!"), F4E, Addy (the lovely Julie from Manchester, who had travelled all the way down to see Linda D the previous Wednesday), and of course, Chivs himself.

 

Paluch was introduced into HEAT 6 as a tactical substitute, as the abomination that is the tactical ride doesn't exist in Polish Speedway. Pecyna, off the outside, fell in a tight first bend, and the home crowd roared its displeasure at, presumably, Paluch off gate 3, but the referee decided on a re-run with all 4 riders. Paluch & Lukaszewski took a 5-1 for the visitors in the re-start, ahead of Gomolski & Pecyna (22-14).

 

Jankowski made it two wins out of two by winning HEAT 7, ahead of Rajkowski, Staniszewski and Mikorski in an uneventful 4-2 to the home side (26-16).

 

HEAT 8 certainly was eventful!! Gomolski & Pecyna hit the front, but Paluch was soon on their tail, and he swept around Pecyna on the second bend of lap 2 and then set his sights on Gomolski. However, Pecyna wasn't finished and he cut across in front of Paluch on the second bend of lap 3, with Paluch lucky not to be collected by the drifting Pecyna. Paluch saw red and as he charged back inside Pecyna down the back straight, he stuck up his right leg almost horizontally and tried to kick Pecyna off his bike in a style that would have not been out of place in a Bruce Lee movie!! The back straight crowd, enraged by Pecyna's "kung-fu" kick, rushed down towards the track as stewards struggled to keep them at bay. As the final lap took place, with Pecyna & Paluch both in "road rage" mood, trying to cause the other to fall, various objects started to rein down onto the track from the outraged fans. From my vantage point on the second bend, Paluch seemed to take the verdict for second place, but after a delay the result was announced as a 5-1 to Gniezno - much to the delight of the home fans!! Meanwhile, Paluch had left the track, avoiding bottles and other objects thrown at him!! It again showed the sheer passion of Polish Speedway, a sharp contrast to its British cousin, which has become so sanitised in recent years... I remember a time twenty years ago when fights (always handbags at 20 paces, nothing serious!!) at the pits gate where common at Oxford!!... the large crowds then inside Sandy Lane lapped it up!! (31-17).

 

Jankowski maintained his unbeaten record in HEAT 9, while the travelling Gorzow fans had further confirmation that it just wasn't their day when Rajkowski (in as a T/S) suffered an engine on lap 2, and a 3-3 turned into a 4-2 for the home side (35-19).

 

Dawid Cieslewicz won HEAT 10 ahead of Rajkowski, while Marek Cieslewicz snatched third, after getting inside Glucky on the third turn of lap 4 (39-21).

 

With the home side winning at a canter, young Miroslaw Jablonski was given an extra ride in place of Jankowski in HEAT 11. Jablonski was a popular winner of the race, with team-mate Gomolski joining him for a 5-1 (44-22).

 

Paluch was back on track in HEAT 12, to a chorus of boos. Marek Cieslewicz lead the race, and Paluch in his pursuit, got too close on the second bend of lap 3 and had to shut off slightly. It was all the opportunity that Dawid Cieslewicz needed, who swept inside Paluch down the back straight, in a move that delighted the home fans, as Gniezno took yet another 5-1 (49-23).

 

Paluch took the R/R ride in HEAT 13, but home team manager Lech Kedziora avoided further fireworks between Paluch & Pecyna, by replacing Pecyna with Jablonski. A common sense move, I suppose, although I'd have loved to have seen another clash between the two riders!! Paluch gated from Jablonski and Rajkowski, but fourth-placed Staniszewski mounted the kerb on the second bend, and fell, prompting a stoppage. With Staniszewski excluded, the visiting pair of Rajkowski & Paluch took a 5-1 from the re-run (50-28).

 

The last two heats in Polish Speedway are nominated, with Heat 15 the top scorers race and Heat 14 featuring any riders not in Heat 15. In HEAT 14, Lukaszewski finished his afternoon in style, winning from Pecyna & Staniszewski in a shared heat (53-31).

 

HEAT 15 looked like a final 5-1 to the home side, but Rajkowski continued to pester the Gniezno pair of Marek Cieslewicz and Jankowski. He was rewarded when he managed to sneak around Jankowski coming off the final bend, therefore ruining Jankowski's maximum, which was tough on Jankowski as he appeared to be team-riding with the slower Cieslewicz (57-33).

 

And so a very entertaining afternoon of Speedway came to an end. While I'm proud to be British, it's not difficult to see how better Polish Speedway is run. There's no guests, no blasted tactical rides and no green helmet colour (still the way most people identity riders, and under floodlights, easy to mix up with blue or yellow depending on the shade of green!!). As a result, Polish Speedway receives far better press coverage. It's an example that British Speedway would do well to follow.

 

Meanwhile, the clash between Gniezno and Gorzow was just part of a very enjoyable weekend on the Travel Plus tour. Thanks to our couriers Claire & Eileen and our Polish guide Marcin; the whole bunch on the coach were a friendly lot (although the "guess the time we arrive back at the airport" sweepstake did get highly competitive!!), and the Bydgoszcz GP was a classic just like Krsko - I seem to have made the right choices this year!!

 

START GNIEZNO 57

Lukasz Jankowski 10 (4), Dariusz Staniszewski 3+1 (5), Dawid Cieslewicz 9+1 (4), Marek Cieslewicz 12+1 (5), Krzysztof Pecyna 5+1 (4), Adrian Gomolski 9+1 (4), Miroslaw Jablonski 9+1 (4).

Team manager: Lech Kedziora.

 

STAL GORZOW 33

Piotr Paluch 9+1 (7), David Ruud R/R, Jaroslaw Lukaszewski 11+1 (6), Adrian Szewczykowski DNR, Michal Rajkowski 12+1 (7), Mateusz Mikorski 0 (5), Andrzej Lucky 1 (5).

Team manager: Stanislaw Chomski.

 

HEAT DETAILS:

1: Gomolski (GN), Jablonski (GN), Glucky (GO), Mikorski (GO) (5-1).

2: Jankowski (GN), Paluch (GO), Rajkowski (GO) (R/R), Staniszewski (GN) (8-4).

3: (Re-run) D. Cieslewicz (GN), M. Cieslewicz (GN), Lukaszewski (GO), Glucky (GO) (fell, excluded) (13-5).

4: Jablonski (GN), Rajkowski (GO), Pecyna (GN), Glucky (GO) (17-7).

5: M. Cieslewicz (GN), Lukaszewski (GO) (R/R), D. Cieslewicz (GN), Paluch (GO) (21-9).

6: (Re-run) Paluch (GO) (T/S), Lukaszewski (GO), Gomolski (GN), Pecyna (GN) (22-14).

7: Jankowski (GN), Rajkowski (GO), Staniszewski (GN), Mikorski (GO) (26-16).

8: Gomolski (GN), Pecyna (GN), Paluch (GO), Glucky (GO) (R/R) (31-17).

9: Jankowski (GN), Lukaszewski (GO), Staniszewski (GN), Rajkowski (GO) (T/S) (ret) (35-19).

10: D. Cieslewicz (GN), Rajkowski (GO), M. Cieslewicz (GN), Glucky (GO) (39-21).

11: Jablonski (GN), Gomolski (GN), Lukaszewski (GO), Mikorski (T/S) (GO) (44-22).

12: M. Cieslewicz (GN), D. Cieslewicz (GN), Paluch (GO), Mikorski (GO) (49-23).

13: (Re-run) Rajkowski (GO), Paluch (GO) (R/R), Jablonski (GN), Staniszewski (GN) (fell, excluded) (50-28).

14: Lukaszewski (GO), Pecyna (GN), Staniszewski (GN), Mikorski (GO) (53-31).

15: M. Cieslewicz (GN), Rajkowski (GO), Jankowski (GN), Paluch (GO) (57-33).

 

FOOTNOTE: I checked a couple of Polish websites, and they had first and second the other way around for both Heats 11 & 12. However, I double-checked my programme with others there on the day, who have the same as me, so I'm sticking with the above!!

 

 

All the best

Rob

Edited September 27, 2006 by lucifer sam

[Gemini 4,894]

Meanwhile, Paluch had left the track, avoiding bottles and other objects thrown at him!!

And Hans Andersen threatens to quit British Speedway because of a bit of verbal abuse at Coventry!

Really enjoyed reading that report Rob as I am never likely to go myself.

Thanks.

[Sandie 53]

Sunday, September 24, 2006

 

Anyway back to Gniezno, and around this point, I bumped into the "Chivsy Travel" group, containing such BSF luminaries as Rico, Matt D ("I travel all the way to Poland and I bump into bloody Peasley!!"), F4E, Addy (the lovely Julie from Manchester, who had travelled all the way down to see Linda D the previous Wednesday), and of course, Chivs himself.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Good report Rob

but you forgot -

London Witch

Witches v Hammers

Nikkif

Bill & Ted (Not forum members but an important part of our weekend none the less!!)

Pammie

and Mrs Matt Davis!

 

 

 

 

And Gem - I agree, after seeing the incident myself, never again will I complain about the antics of Scott V Hans!!

[Nikkif 0]

Bill & Ted (Not forum members but an important part of our weekend none the less!!)

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Did we ever decide who was who?!

[Matt Davis 156]

Gniezno photos.. here

[Chivs 10]

Great Pics Matt..especially the one of Mr Peasley doing his I'm a little teapot impression

 

And Nikki they were also known as Jay and Silent Bob

[Sandie 53]

Great Pics Matt..especially the one of Mr Peasley doing his I'm a little teapot impression 

 

And Nikki they were also known as Jay and Silent Bob 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I hadn't heard that one but it has made me laugh now! (assuming of course we are using BOB in its truest form!!

[KevH 257]

Great Pics Matt..especially the one of Mr Peasley doing his I'm a little t-pot impression 

That's not an impression Chivs.

[Joanne 0]

As I unfortunately cannot speak Polish apart from Pivo , can anyone see if there are any directions to the track on this site http://www.start.gniezno.pl/terminarz.html We are coming from Bydgoszcz. And does the meeting start at 4pm?

 

Thanks in advance

 

Joanne

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Well, I'm back. Many thanks to my driver for getting me back safely. I will never moan about the British roads again.