Swc Round 2 Coventry 14th July

[7oakseagle 2]

Everyone seems to have an opinion on why we are miles behind the Danes, amongst others, but I was reading the programme from the Danish G.P. yesterday and there is an interview in there with Charlie Gjedde which really sums it all up much better than anything else I have read. Obviously I cannot reproduce the entire piece here but the main points he made are as follows:

 

1. The Danish Motor Union involve people like Eric Gundersen in the development of their youngsters. Eric will get involved in the coaching of the youngsters and quickly iron out any bad habits at an early age.

2. The youngsters start at an early age riding 80cc machines and their rise through the ranks of juniors into seniors is closely monitored by Jan Staechmann, Team Denmark and the Danish Motor Union. For example, Charlie said that he, Nicki Pederson, Hans Anderson and Bjarne Pederson have been riding together since they were eleven years old.

3. Any Danish rider who is starting out in his career gets help and advise from Team Denmark. If any of them have problems with engines, frames or flights etc they can give Jan a call and get help and advise. Gjedde says that this means a lot to younger riders because it helps them to get a good start in the British, Swedish or Polish careers.

4. Team Denmark have a get together every year prior to the start of the season. Jan takes them away, normally to Britain for a week for a get together, which will include the top under 21 boys. Apparantly, everything is taken care of for the riders, flights, hotels etc. All the riders have to do is turn up.

 

For me Charlie summed it up in one sentence when he said "It is no coincidence that we are so strong. We have a great organisation behind us. The reward for all the effort that is put in to help us is the strength in depth of our riders and a strong national squad, definitely".

 

In my humble opinion it is not all about how strong the domestic league is. The Danish League is hardly the strongest in the world is it?

 

The biggest single thing is the development of the youngsters and the continuing help and support that riders get right throught their Speedway careers. This is where we fall down so very badly.

 

All at the BSPA should be made to read Charlie's interview, look at the Danish way of doing things and act now before we crumble completely.

 

[hyderd 1,216]

Everyone seems to have an opinion on why we are miles behind the Danes, amongst others, but I was reading the programme from the Danish G.P. yesterday and there is an interview in there with Charlie Gjedde which really sums it all up much better than anything else I have read. Obviously I cannot reproduce the entire piece here but the main points he made are as follows:

 

1. The Danish Motor Union involve people like Eric Gundersen in the development of their youngsters. Eric will get involved in the coaching of the youngsters and quickly iron out any bad habits at an early age.

2. The youngsters start at an early age riding 80cc machines and their rise through the ranks of juniors into seniors is closely monitored by Jan Staechmann, Team Denmark and the Danish Motor Union. For example, Charlie said that he, Nicki Pederson, Hans Anderson and Bjarne Pederson have been riding together since they were eleven years old.

3. Any Danish rider who is starting out in his career gets help and advise from Team Denmark. If any of them have problems with engines, frames or flights etc they can give Jan a call and get help and advise. Gjedde says that this means a lot to younger riders because it helps them to get a good start in the British, Swedish or Polish careers.

4. Team Denmark have a get together every year prior to the start of the season. Jan takes them away, normally to Britain for a week for a get together, which will include the top under 21 boys. Apparantly, everything is taken care of for the riders, flights, hotels etc. All the riders have to do is turn up.

 

For me Charlie summed it up in one sentence when he said "It is no coincidence that we are so strong. We have a great organisation behind us. The reward for all the effort that is put in to help us is the strength in depth of our riders and a strong national squad, definitely".

 

In my humble opinion it is not all about how strong the domestic league is. The Danish League is hardly the strongest in the world is it?

 

The biggest single thing is the development of the youngsters and the continuing help and support that riders get right throught their Speedway careers. This is where we fall down so very badly.

 

All at the BSPA should be made to read Charlie's interview, look at the Danish way of doing things and act now before we crumble completely.

 

Chrst! that would mean they have to spend money.

 

[Star Lady 5,400]

The biggest single thing is the development of the youngsters and the continuing help and support that riders get right throught their Speedway careers. This is where we fall down so very badly.

 

All at the BSPA should be made to read Charlie's interview, look at the Danish way of doing things and act now before we crumble completely.

 

Putting on my realist head here, it would be interesting to know exactly who funds Team Denmark and how? As you say the Danish league is not the strongest so I assume that the Danish promoters (if there are such things) do not finance it.

 

Looking at it from a British promoters point of view, exactly what benefit would a successful Team GB have? Most British promoters are part time, in that they have businesses away from the sport, and I can't see where them putting up even more money would benefit the majority of them. So why should they?

 

Do the BSPA fork out to the ACU for anything? Should the ACU be the ones that oversee Team GB?

 

I don't know the answers, I'm merely posting random thoughts and questions.

 

[21st century heathen 220]

Are you saying that both Scott Nicholls or Chris Harris have never ridden the Coventry track in the past in as a slick condition as last evening and not scored well?

 

This my fourth season watching speedway regularly at Brandon, and believe me when I tell you that when the track is very deep and grippy Scott and (in particular) Chris are very fast around Brandon. I've seen Chris give people a 50 yard head start by the time he's got through to second place and still catch them and win with a bit to spare. The speed he generates is incredible. He broke the track record a few weeks ago when there was some dirt down. Simon hasn't been particularly fast or consistent this season, but all his best rides come early in meetings when there is dirt down. Olly has beaten Jason twoce at Brandon this season when the track has been heavy/grippy. Lee would almost certainly prefer it with grip but not too deep and heavy.

 

Whilst I agree that to get anywhere on the world stage our boys have to learn how to set up the bikes and ride on slick or very slick tracks it doesn't change the fact that they prefer grippy conditions. They should get what they want when on home shale.

[richsimpson 21]

The Brits (English ) riders lack of ability to ride on any track thrown at them is the very reason that we will never go well in the GP series or in the SWC series.

 

As someone else pointed out earlier in the thread, Coventry are also doing very poorly this year so the home track advantage was never a real winner either!

 

And to be fair, whats the point getting to the race off by going through a track doctored to your own tastes anyway. We would be on a high yes, but we would come crashing back down to earth after the first race when riding the slick tracks that for some reason our boys cant quite master!!!

 

We just weren't good enough and I can't see us doing any better in the race off either. Poland 1st, Sweden 2nd followed by the Lame Brits in third place. Close but no cigar

 

I would definitely let some of the younger lads have a go but is it fair to let them when there is less chance of getting through the round anyway. Will it knock there confidence and do more harm than good for them in the future?

[RacerDon 5]

We just weren't good enough and I can't see us doing any better in the race off either. Poland 1st, Sweden 2nd followed by the Lame Brits in third place.

 

Based on Monday's effort beating the Russians would be a fantastic result.

 

[richsimpson 21]

It did cross my mind, but we can't be THAT bad surely????? Well maybe LOL

[philfromcov 326]

i think the big concern is that next year the final is in the Uk, i assume coventry but thats not the point.

 

as a nation we are going backwards, the odds that next years final will take place without the home nation is strong, unless of course the rounds are rigged!

if you rank the nations in terms of quality

Denmark

Australia

Polland

Sweden

 

 

team GB

czech

russia

hungry

 

so unless we get to the final we will be drawn next year against 2 of the top 4, meaning in all likely hood the play off will be against

australia

sweden

team gb

another

 

basically were out......... unless the draw is fixed!

[21st century heathen 220]

...Coventry are also doing very poorly this year so the home track advantage was never a real winner either!

 

Mostly because more often than not CM is preparing a slick track. When it's been grippy, usually when it's been rained on and he can't do anything about it, the Bees have ridden well and picked up good results.

[richsimpson 21]

Mostly because more often than not CM is preparing a slick track. When it's been grippe, usually when it's been rained on and he can't do anything about it, the Bees have ridden well and picked up good results.

Agreed, but thats not the point. The riders like Harris, Stead, Schlein should ride any track well, not just the Coventry one.

 

Coventry track is too fair, its not egg shaped or anything dodgy like that its just a race circuit which any rider should perform well on.

 

Looking to the track curator for the blame is a lame excuse IMO.

 

The away team riders can perform on it, the premier league riders who rarely get to ride the track did okay too.

 

Most riders swop team to team nowadays anyway so all tracks should be well known. I can understand the youngsters in the first couple of seasons riding worse away than at home, like Risager but after so long you have to think its the riders not the tracks.

 

Not being convincing on all the different tracks is our biggest issue, if we can't get set up on the Coventry track where many have ridden before, how are we going to attempt a Polish track that some of the team have never seen, or a Danish track like in the Race Off?

[screm 8,057]

Agreed, but thats not the point. The riders like Harris, Stead, Schlein should ride any track well, not just the Coventry one.

 

Coventry track is too fair, its not egg shaped or anything dodgy like that its just a race circuit which any rider should perform well on.

 

Looking to the track curator for the blame is a lame excuse IMO.

 

The away team riders can perform on it, the premier league riders who rarely get to ride the track did okay too.

 

Most riders swop team to team nowadays anyway so all tracks should be well known. I can understand the youngsters in the first couple of seasons riding worse away than at home, like Risager but after so long you have to think its the riders not the tracks.

 

Not being convincing on all the different tracks is our biggest issue, if we can't get set up on the Coventry track where many have ridden before, how are we going to attempt a Polish track that some of the team have never seen, or a Danish track like in the Race Off?

Dont buy this slick track excuse that our riders seem to hide behind all the time.They have all raced at a level that a slick track should be easily overcome,please dont tell me that Coventry is grippy every week.

Chances are we will have to race on a slick track thursday and maybe saturday so monday will have been useful practise but you can bet we will have another round of excuses from riders/management.

[21st century heathen 220]

For the last year the track has been prepared on the slick to very slick side by CM. Not as bad as it was on Monday though. It doesn't matter what size and shape Brandon is. The problem was the Brits inability to adapt to the surface.

 

I hope nobody mistakes my posts as making excuses. I'm simply stated what I see as the facts (although I could be wrong of course). The Brits should be able to adapt and ride to a good standard on slick tracks, even if they don't enjoy it. It just seems a cold hard fact to me that, generally speaking, they can't. As I said yesterday on one of the SWC, threads this is no different to some foreign riders that can't adapt to heavy/grippy conditions with deep/wet shale. Many have ridden enough times to have come across such tracks in Britain, but ride the conditions well.

 

I'll start a campaign. Lance Sealey to prepare all SGP and SWC tracks in future. If Scott and Bomber still don't score well they'll need a slap.

[Subedei 0]

Ah grippy tracks. Aren't they the best? Riders shooting off in all directions, while the few able to cope make hay and it's called great racing. Most of the time you have to wait until the track slickens off to see some half-way decent action.

[21st century heathen 220]

A properly prepared grippy track is superb. It's a cocked-up grippy track that causes problems.

[speedy den boy 19]

A properly prepared grippy track is superb. It's a cocked-up grippy track that causes problems.

 

I agree it would be nice to have a grippy track,but what with the bikes they are today with the angle of the engines it seems everyone wants slicker tracks.I remember when it was a skill to control a bike on a grippy track but sadly that has long since gone.They (loram.etc)came from grass track to a grippy track but who comes from grasstrack these days.Only chris Harris.