Why Was Wembley Better Than Cardiff?.

[sommelier 1,118]

Ok imagine if Donald Duck was in it he would be awesome, definite champion without a doubt. Its about as relavent

Ok Bamber Gascoigne!!

[customhouseregular 1,651]

And his name could be Mark Loram.

Yes indeed Norbold, but over 6 rounds. It could happen over 12.

 

Nicki crept in to the semis yesterday on 7 so could have won on 12

[SCB 0]

But if you win a World title without winning a GP that suggests the guys winning the GPs must have been crap in a few rounds to negate there successful rounds.

 

So are we in a world championship looking for the guy who's the best on a given day? The rider who on any random day is the best? Or the rider who on a bad day is still better than anyone else on a bad day?

 

It's often said in other sports with world championship rounds that the title winning found isn't the day the riders blitzed to a win but when they grind a result out of a bad day. Probably what Woffy did yesterday.

[waiheke1 4,295]

But in those days (1960s) Mauger (and all of his fellow Antipodeans) had to ride with a British ACU license, representing Great Britain, wearing the Union Jack race jacket. He was therefore eligible to ride in the European final, which then was not a stand alone competition, but only one of several stages of the world championship qualifying rounds (which nearly all took place in Europe) on the road leading up to the world final.

In 1975, when he won his last European title, Mauger was no longer considered elegible to race for Great Britain in the WTC, no longer went through the British final round, so I think it's fair to say at that stage he was a kiwi and not representing GB.

[Humphrey Appleby 13,959]

But in those days (1960s) Mauger (and all of his fellow Antipodeans) had to ride with a British ACU license, representing Great Britain, wearing the Union Jack race jacket. He was therefore eligible to ride in the European final, which then was not a stand alone competition, but only one of several stages of the world championship qualifying rounds (which nearly all took place in Europe) on the road leading up to the world final.

Well had to ride in the sense that NZ didn't have its own federation then, or at least not one that was FIM affiliated. It would have probably been more accurate to describe the British Final as a Commonwealth round.

[New Science 1,059]

On a similar vein I spent yesterday at the World Cycle Speedway Championship.16 riders 20 heats top scorer wins,all on the day.We had intensity,drama,controversy,luck,bad luck,exclusions and some terrific hard racing in almost every heat,a run off to decide the champion and tension,tension,tension.One rider was thrown out of the meeting for using abusive language to the referee,he wasn't even in contention .Very different to Tai Woffinden's interview,"I've been harshly excluded, but I'm not bothered long as I score more than Nicki Pedersen its been a great night,The GP's just lack that little bit of intensity that the world final had in spades.

Edited August 10, 2015 by New Science

[g13webb 4,254]

Having attended more World Finals at Wembley than I care to remember, They were without doubt far more enjoyable and exciting, than any of the SGP I've been to in the years since. I didn't always agree with the results, or the idea of a one off winner, but when it comes to Spectacle, Intensity, Pressure, Tension, Climax, Atmosphere, the one off final is in a class of its own.

 

SGP's is ok and benefits the sport in some ways. They stage rounds in various countries to spread the word. But where the idea falls down, is some of the horrendous tracks used in the series. Some of the Starting gates are a joke..... I think there are far too many SGP's that seem to dictate most weekends. In this instance I think less would be more.... I would have thought 5 or 6 rounds would be ample, but we all know the main reason for so many.

 

No, Give me a Wembley everytime...... Whoever wins on the day is ok by me......

[customhouseregular 1,651]

Having attended more World Finals at Wembley than I care to remember, They were without doubt far more enjoyable and exciting, than any of the SGP I've been to in the years since. I didn't always agree with the results, or the idea of a one off winner, but when it comes to Spectacle, Intensity, Pressure, Tension, Climax, Atmosphere, the one off final is in a class of its own.

 

SGP's is ok and benefits the sport in some ways. They stage rounds in various countries to spread the word. But where the idea falls down, is some of the horrendous tracks used in the series. Some of the Starting gates are a joke..... I think there are far too many SGP's that seem to dictate most weekends. In this instance I think less would be more.... I would have thought 5 or 6 rounds would be ample, but we all know the main reason for so many.

 

No, Give me a Wembley everytime...... Whoever wins on the day is ok by me......

[RPNY 608]

I liked the one-Off finals,and now I like the Gp series.Both good in their own ways.

 

100% agree with you. There are pluses and minuses for both one off world finals and for the GP's. I used to love the qualifying rounds going to KL and Coventry etc for the British, Commonwealth and Overseas finals. But I think some look back at one off World Finals through rose tinted specs. The Finals I can remember were:

89 - Rubbish

90 - Brilliant

91 - not great

92 - boring but over the moon Havvy won

93 - not bad

94 - not bad

CustomHouseRegular I get where you're coming from and I would indeed have loved to seen a Wembely world final, but I disagree that Cardiff is nothing more then a glorified open meeting. Been to every single GP there and always come away thinking it was a good meeting. The boys definitely raise their game for Cardiff. Plus even though I'm a fellow (east) Londoner I think Cardiff is better venue to host a GP. Wembley would be much more expensive, harder for most of the country to get to and there is literally NOTHING to do around the stadium.

What I do agree with though, is it is hideous that a rider can win a GP but not score the most points. Utterly ridiculous. Trying to explain that to new fans has been a right laugh!

[customhouseregular 1,651]

Thanks for your post PNYC.

 

True, the racing at Wembley was not always brilliant, but the occasion was.

[RPNY 608]

I've no doubt is was something else Sir. Keeping fingers crossed we see a GP at The Olympic Stadium one day!

Edited August 10, 2015 by PNYC

[customhouseregular 1,651]

I'd prefer a return of the Internationale with the cream of the World's best riders...Tai, Emil, Nicki, NKI, Grigorij, Bartosz to name just 6, all in action at Olympic Park, with West Ham beating Arsenal 4-0 the following Saturday

[RPNY 608]

Utopia Boss!

[pugwash 3,208]

IMO The SGP is becoming tedious and also there's competition coming from the Euros. Maybe time for BSI to change the format.

Am i alone in favouring the old eliminator format, probably?

[customhouseregular 1,651]

Utopia Boss!

What is life without one's dreams.