Chris Harris Cardiff Wild Card

[PHILIPRISING 7,298]

THE BSPA were informed last October that the wild card for Cardiff would no longer be given to the highest placed rider in the BF who wasn't already in the SGP series.

 

Believe me or believe me not, there is no bias towards Chris Harris. He was awarded the place because BSI and the FIM believe he is the right and most suitable choice. I have yet to hear a convincing argument for anyone else...

[SCB 0]

You surely do well in the British Championship so you can enter the GP qualifiers. Then not only do you get Cardiff but about 10 other GPs aswell.

[moomin man 76 171]

THE BSPA were informed last October that the wild card for Cardiff would no longer be given to the highest placed rider in the BF who wasn't already in the SGP series.

 

Believe me or believe me not, there is no bias towards Chris Harris. He was awarded the place because BSI and the FIM believe he is the right and most suitable choice. I have yet to hear a convincing argument for anyone else...

 

If that is case Philip and I have no reason to dispute the validity of your statement, then BSI and the FIM are poor judges, not only of rider ability/potential, but of the mood of the public. Chris Harris never convinced in all the years he was in the GPs and as I type, he doesn't even have an average sufficiently high enough to be in the Top 15 of the watered down 'Elite' League.

[stratton 1,491]

Craig Cook should get the chance for me,it would be great experience for the lad.The main thing going for him with his great attitude is that he is a very good gater he wouldn't be disgraced.

Edited May 5, 2013 by sidney

[george.m 3,063]

Craig Cook should get the chance for me,it would be great experience for the lad.The main thing going for him with his great attitude is that he is a very good gater he wouldn't be disgraced.

Good call!

[PHILIPRISING 7,298]

If that is case Philip and I have no reason to dispute the validity of your statement, then BSI and the FIM are poor judges, not only of rider ability/potential, but of the mood of the public. Chris Harris never convinced in all the years he was in the GPs and as I type, he doesn't even have an average sufficiently high enough to be in the Top 15 of the watered down 'Elite' League.

 

NOT sure that either of us can truly judge the mood of the public...

[New Science 1,059]

THE choice of wild cards is a consultation process but with whom they consult can vary from country to country and who is actually organising the event.

 

In NZ, for example, it was Bill Buckley who had the major input, in Bydgoszcz it would have been the local club plus the PZM, in Sweden it would have been in consultation with SVEMO, in Denmark it will be through the DMU. In all cases the choices have to be verified by the FIM.

 

 

 

SORRY but I don't understand that comment...

 

 

 

UNTRUE ... the decision to stop British riders participating in the European Championship was taken by the BSPA.

Seems only in Britain there is no need to consult anybody,Bsi will just pick the wild card they want.Don't know anybody who didn't think the Cardiff carrot didn't add something to the British final. If Chris Harris deserves the wild card he should race for it like everyone else,Don't know how anyone can defend this decision ! Edited May 5, 2013 by New Science

[Pantherman 66]

 

 

NOT sure that either of us can truly judge the mood of the public...

 

Quite true.

 

Well as a member of the public,my mood is in tune with BSI and the FIM,as I'm quite happy to see Chris Harris as the wildcard

[JT 167]

Believe me or believe me not, there is no bias towards Chris Harris.

 

This is probably the most comical statement I've read on this forum. Surely you don't believe this, Phil?

 

If anything, Harris is getting worse. After all the charity he has received (and largely wasted) over the years, surely you can see why we want someone else to get a chance to prove themselves?

 

What will giving Harris yet another chance tell us?

 

JT.

Edited May 6, 2013 by JT

[Eduds1 48]

Why can the Czechs give there wildcard to the winner of the Marketa Open, but we can't use the winner / best placed in the British Final. IF franc is unable to take his place for whatever reason then it is likely they will use the next in line, which would'nt be any different from giving our wild card to the best placed rider if Tai was to win it.

 

As for not being able to guage public opinion on Chris Harris, I think you would get a fair insight by ading up the for and against on this topic alone.

Edited May 6, 2013 by Steve E

[New Science 1,059]

IT will be forthcoming, certainly in SS next week after we have caught up with BSI boss Paul Bellamy in Gothenburg. My information is that the BSPA were informed that the British Final would no longer be a stepping stone to Cardiff some time ago.

 

It was originally brought in as a concession to Sky and their coverage of the British Final but no other wild cards are determined this way and I imagine BSI and the FIM felt the time was right to end it.

Or SKY are getting a bit of payback for dropping the GP coverage

[Eduds1 48]

IT will be forthcoming, certainly in SS next week after we have caught up with BSI boss Paul Bellamy in Gothenburg. My information is that the BSPA were informed that the British Final would no longer be a stepping stone to Cardiff some time ago.

 

It was originally brought in as a concession to Sky and their coverage of the British Final but no other wild cards are determined this way and I imagine BSI and the FIM felt the time was right to end it.

Marketa Open put the kaibosh on that arguement.

[500cc 309]

THE BSPA were informed last October that the wild card for Cardiff would no longer be given to the highest placed rider in the BF who wasn't already in the SGP series.

 

Believe me or believe me not, there is no bias towards Chris Harris. He was awarded the place because BSI and the FIM believe he is the right and most suitable choice. I have yet to hear a convincing argument for anyone else...

Was that the same October that BSI decided that Harris would no longer a permanent wild card? I love watching Harris, but there is no question that he has been the biggest benefactor of the commercial aspect of the Grand Prix series. If I remember rightly wasn't Nicholls a semi finalist last year if it weren't for a re-run? Personally I believe the decision to award Harris the wild card was a done decision last October, with the likelihood the nobody was going to be good enough to make this a seriously unfair decision.

 

It worries me more what BSI's strategy going forward is. If you are going to hand pick a wild card, then for the sake of the future, priority must go to an up and coming youngster. I accept there is nobody who is probably ready yet. But there comes a point when a progressing youngster should get the chance even whilst Harris remains the better rider. Sadly I suspect commercial decisions will override that.

[Gearhead 31]

A Wildcard is exactly that,we had the chance to see a different face,weather through qualification or not

 

BSI might have bought the series but anyone would've thought they'd have done what would go down best with the public??

 

I can't really see any complete logic,you could easily have put ED or Scottie in afterall,or indeed see any alterior motive for the descision or even a big sponsor pushing or backing the move..

 

 

[oldace 1,678]

Was that the same October that BSI decided that Harris would no longer a permanent wild card? I love watching Harris, but there is no question that he has been the biggest benefactor of the commercial aspect of the Grand Prix series. If I remember rightly wasn't Nicholls a semi finalist last year if it weren't for a re-run? Personally I believe the decision to award Harris the wild card was a done decision last October, with the likelihood the nobody was going to be good enough to make this a seriously unfair decision.

 

It worries me more what BSI's strategy going forward is. If you are going to hand pick a wild card, then for the sake of the future, priority must go to an up and coming youngster. I accept there is nobody who is probably ready yet. But there comes a point when a progressing youngster should get the chance even whilst Harris remains the better rider. Sadly I suspect commercial decisions will override that.

 

The wild card is not there to develop a nations riding talent, it is simply a means by which the organiser can seek to maximise his crowd potential.

 

In the case of Cardiff, Gothenburg and Copenhagen BSI, as promoters, in conjunction with the FIM (in truth simply BSI) get to pick that rider.

 

That is how it should be, those with there money on the line make that choice.