Who Can Be World Champion 2010 ?

[lucifer sam 3,953]

"Excellent international standing" ? You're having a laugh aren't you? He was useless outside of Poland.

 

Lets do as you suggest and look ar various competitions;-

 

1971 fails to qualify for World Final

1972 fails to qualify for World Final

1973 controversially wins World Final in Poland with a Polish referee and Polish start marshal. Just 13 days later comes to England to ride for the Polish team in the World Team Cup at Wembley. Fails to score. Worst performance by any rider in the meeting.

1974 Fails to qualify for the World Final. Named in Polish World Team Cup but finishes last in his first ride and is so hopelessly out classed he is withdrawn from the rest of the meeting and replaced with a reserve

1975 fails to qualify for World Final or WTC

1976 fails to qualify for World Final or WTC. Tours with Polish team against British League sides. Scores 0 at Newport, 4 at Poole, 4 at Hackney and 1 at Coventry. Still only 26 years old this"world class rider" then spends the rest of his career in the Polish 2nd Division and obscurity

 

As for being the best rider on the day in the 1973 World Final the evidence is on youtube for all to see. Remember this is a Polish referee under pressure from 170,000 Polish fans in the stadium. At an earlier point in the meeting Dave Lanning commentating remarks that "the Polish authorites are making up the rules as they go along". When it comes to the controversial run-off with Mauger, Mauger is first up to the gate and as expected looks at the track and does some "gardening". Szczakiel then comes along and inexplicably does not look at the track but sits about over half a bike length back from the tapes.The Polish start marshal who has a duty under the rules to assist the referee in getting "a fair and equal start" does nothing to order Szczakiel up to the tapes. There is nothing to indicate that the riders have been brought under starters orders but Szczakiel rolls forward from his position a metre or so back from the tapes and just as he gets there the referee lets the tapes go. It is impossible to avoid the opinion that it was a stitch up and that Szczakiel knew in advance that the ref was going to let the tapes go when he got there.

I am sorry but I cannot escape the opinion that that meeting was the biggest stitch up in World Championship history.

 

What a disrespectful post. Szczakiel, may I remind you, was actually a DOUBLE world champion - he scored a maximum in the 1971 World Pairs Final. He wasn't a one-off fluke by any means. And he did qualify for the 1971 World Final, despite your claim he didn't.

 

I've seen a video of the 1973 Final and Szczakiel was a deserving winner. The Russian virtually pushes him off his bike in one race and Szczakiel shows fighting spirit to move from 4th back into 2nd. And he beats Mauger at his own game at the start in the run-off - remember Ivan did exactly the same in the 1972 run-off to get a flier ahead of Bernie Persson. Lanning's commentary of the '73 final is highly biased - yes, there was Polish team-riding in one heat, but that was to help the golden boy Plech, not Szczakiel. Szczakiel earnt all his points that day (he beat Mauger in the heats remember), then outwitted Mauger in the run-off. A deserving World Champion.

 

All the best

Rob

Edited December 21, 2009 by lucifer sam

[Sprog1 79]

What a disrespectful post. Szczakiel, may I remind you, was actually a DOUBLE world champion - he scored a maximum in the 1971 World Pairs Final. He wasn't a one-off fluke by any means. And he did qualify for the 1971 World Final, despite your claim he didn't.

 

I've seen a video of the 1973 Final and Szczakiel was a deserving winner. The Russian virtually pushes him off his bike in one race and Szczakiel shows fighting spirit to move from 4th back into 2nd. And he beats Mauger at his own game at the start in the run-off - remember Ivan did exactly the same in the 1972 run-off to get a flier ahead of Bernie Persson. Lanning's commentary of the '73 final is highly biased - yes, there was Polish team-riding in one heat, but that was to help the golden boy Plech, not Szczakiel. Szczakiel earnt all his points that day (he beat Mauger in the heats remember), then outwitted Mauger in the run-off. A deserving World Champion.

 

All the best

Rob

 

No, not a disrespectful post, but an opinion based on fact. You are entitled to your own opinion but the facts are irrefutable.

 

If you re-read my post you will see that my comment was that Szczakiel was useless outside of Poland and the facts are that he never acheived anything of significance away from his home turf.

 

You mention the 1971 World Pairs where both Poles scored 15 points but that was in Poland. I accept that he did qualify for the '71 World Final, but having been the lowest scoring qualifier he went to the final in Sweden and came last in every race. That shows the stark contrast between his preformances at home and performances abroad.He was in the Polish team for the 1971 World Cup but was by far the lowest scorer in the side for the Qualifier and was replaced in the team for the Final.

 

In '72 he failed to make the World Final, or be selected for the Pairs or World team Cup.

 

1973 has already been mentioned in my previous post. Frankly it beggars belief that a rider can win the World Final in genuine circumstances then 13 days later score zero in the World Cup. Such an abysmal performance so soon after winning the World Championship is unprecedented. But of course the World Championship was in Poland and the SWC was not, thus supporting my point that he was useless outside of Poland.

 

Whichever way you look at at it Szczakiels international career outside of his home country was the least impressive of any world champion apart possibly from Egon Muller whose win in 1983 was equally controversial, although even Muller had a decent run in the world championship for a few years.

 

Putting all these facts together I find impossible to believe that Szczakiels controversial

run off with Mauger was not a stitch-up. Rolling into the tapes from 3 feet away is one thing in an ordinary individual meeting (as the rules were then) but this was for the Speedway Championship of the World and the referee and the start marshal have a duty under the rules to ensure a "fair and equal start". We all know what Polish referees are like even down to today and there is no doubt in my mind that the meeting was contrived to produce a Polish world champion.

[lucifer sam 3,953]

Putting all these facts together I find impossible to believe that Szczakiels controversial

run off with Mauger was not a stitch-up. Rolling into the tapes from 3 feet away is one thing in an ordinary individual meeting (as the rules were then) but this was for the Speedway Championship of the World and the referee and the start marshal have a duty under the rules to ensure a "fair and equal start". We all know what Polish referees are like even down to today and there is no doubt in my mind that the meeting was contrived to produce a Polish world champion.

 

But how is that different from the 1972 run-off, when the "British" rider (Mauger) got a flier. Szczakiel beat Mauger at his own game - fair play.

 

All the best

Rob

 

[marcel 0]

i just ckicked on to this topic to reply to the title but it seems were now talking about 1972 and not 2010..

[Parsloes 1928 nearly 495]

No, not a disrespectful post, but an opinion based on fact. You are entitled to your own opinion but the facts are irrefutable.

 

1973 has already been mentioned in my previous post. Frankly it beggars belief that a rider can win the World Final in genuine circumstances then 13 days later score zero in the World Cup. Such an abysmal performance so soon after winning the World Championship is unprecedented.

 

---------------We all know what Polish referees are like even down to today and there is no doubt in my mind that the meeting was contrived to produce a Polish world champion.

 

 

Well you weren't that hot on the facts coz as Lucifer pointed out you omitted to mention that Szczakiel had already won (with a maximum) a world title two years earlier: in the Pairs. I assume you left out that from your original posting as it didn't fit in with your thesis that Poland's only world indiv. champion was in fact hopeless...

 

The 1973 Final was indeed the one when Poland were determined to get themselves a World Champ but the man earmarked for this was most certainly NOT Szczakiel but Zenon Plech.

 

It's been documented the way Szczakiel was treated by the Polish authorities - not at the time the most open-minded...! - for upsetting the apple-cart and winning the title for himself instead. Have you not ever wondered why he looks less than delighted on top of the rostrum..?!! Not a smile passes his lips coz, I'd assume, he fears that trouble's coming his way.

Hardly suprising then under such pressure he bombs out a couple of weeks later at Wembley... The pressure on the hapless new world champ that evening was immense...

 

And I think one can see that having reached the absolute pinnacle of the sport only for it be soured by lack of recognition at home (abroad too of course, but he would have been removed from seeing any of that...) took such a toll he never featured internationally again...

 

I agree with Lucifer that Szczakiel's place in history has been much overlooked. What a shame that the 'abuse' in his homeland which destroyed a great rider (I'd not heard that about his face-to-face record against Mauger but that does tell a story...) is still being repeated today by some failing to recognise his very significant achievements..

 

 

[Sprog1 79]

Well you weren't that hot on the facts coz as Lucifer pointed out you omitted to mention that Szczakiel had already won (with a maximum) a world title two years earlier: in the Pairs. I assume you left out that from your original posting as it didn't fit in with your thesis that Poland's only world indiv. champion was in fact hopeless...

 

The 1973 Final was indeed the one when Poland were determined to get themselves a World Champ but the man earmarked for this was most certainly NOT Szczakiel but Zenon Plech.

 

It doesn't help when you post a comment without reading what has already been said.

 

I'll spell it out one last time because people are starting to moan about going off topic.

The comment that I made was that Szczakiel was "useless away from Poland." I don't think thats a difficult concept to grasp. It means he did ok in is home country but could not compete with the world's best away from home.

 

The 1971 World Pairs Championship was held in Poland. Thats where Sczakiel lived. His Home country. I never said he was useless in his home country, only when he went away from it. He had no major successes outside of Poland.

 

There is nothing in his record that suggests he was among the worlds best once he rode outside of Poland.

I cannot put it anymore succintly than that.

[Dexter 1]

There is a bit of fresh blood in GP - Sayfutdinov, Holder, Woffinden but I don't think it's their time yet. I still see Nicki and Jason battling for first two places and Greg with Tomasz battling for bronze medal. Holder needs to get more control over his bike while on the track. He often gets in trouble (e.g. Elite League Pair Championship) and it is easy to loose a few points like that. I think that Sayfutdinov will finish in Top 8 again but not necessarily in Top 3. His first season was amazing and the guy is a great talent but he needs a bit more experience before he can push the old guys down. Woffinden has been rewarded by BSI and may show a few good rides.

[sjw ministerofport 1]

I think Nicki and Jason will be desperate to be four times champion first and that should be some battle. Emil only needs slight improvement to beat the pair of them. As for Tomasz winning the first GP I think Jarek could well spoil that. Good luck to all of em I say.

[WolvesAndy 0]

Id love to say Woffie but i doubt it would happen, but, you never know, he's getting better and better. I doubt he'll win the series but he could win at cardiff possibly?

I dont like Holder, but i think he's in with a chance, however, yeah he' fast but, its his first year, same as tai dont think he'l be champion, but could win a gp or two.

Crumps got a good chance i think, gotta be one of the faves.

I think Lindgren definately in with a shot, maybe not champion, but would have thougt he'd make the top 8 this year.

Id like to see a Greg Hancock win, or Crump , or Lindgren. or one of the english riders obviously.

[AndyM 1]

The 1973 Final was indeed the one when Poland were determined to get themselves a World Champ but the man earmarked for this was most certainly NOT Szczakiel but Zenon Plech. It's been documented the way Szczakiel was treated by the Polish authorities - not at the time the most open-minded...! - for upsetting the apple-cart and winning the title for himself instead. Have you not ever wondered why he looks less than delighted on top of the rostrum..?!! Not a smile passes his lips coz, I'd assume, he fears that trouble's coming his way.

 

I agree with Lucifer that Szczakiel's place in history has been much overlooked. What a shame that the 'abuse' in his homeland which destroyed a great rider (I'd not heard that about his face-to-face record against Mauger but that does tell a story...) is still being repeated today by some failing to recognise his very significant achievements..

I fail to see how could it be against the interests of the Polish authorities to have a Polish World Champ, even if that wasn't Plech. Surely better for them than Mauger winning again?

[barrow boy 119]

If last year's title had been decided over the last 5 GPs the winner would have been NP so if this trend continues in 2010 then I see no reason why NP should not win his 4th championship,

[Wildcat 3]

01. Nicki Pedersen

02. Jason Crump

03. Emil Sayfutdinov

04. Tomasz Gollob

05. Andreas Jonsson

06. Chris Holder

07. Greg Hancock

08. Kenneth Bjerre

09. Fredrik Lindgren

10. Hans Andersen

11. Jaroslaw Hampel

12. Chris Harris

13. Rune Holta

14. Tai Woffinden

15. Magnus Zetterstrom

 

 

[Ghostwalker 1,859]

1. Nicki
2. Jason
3. Emil
4. Bjerre
5. AJ
6. Gollob
7. Hampel
8. Hans
9. Freddie
10. Greg
11. Holder
12. Holta
13. Harris
14. Zorro
15. Tai

[Ron Butler 0]

I'd like Tomasz Gollob to lift the trophy. He's come so near several times and it would be a fitting reward for all he has given to the sport, both domestically and on the international front. Sadly, I fear he is now past his best at that level.

 

On the basis of his 2009 performance I feel that Emil Sayfutdinov could surprise many people - so much so that I've just added his name to my dictionary!

[superguest 194]

I really hope Freddie's switch to GM's will boost him up into the top 8. He rode so hard for 7 points a lot of times last year, which is just not enough... 9 points plus is needed to make the top 8 it would seem. Tai I feel could really struggle if he believes in all the hype surronding him. Anyways I hope Rune and Bomber also have successful GP campaigns, it would be good to see Crump and Hancock fade and new riders challenge.