2017 Grand Prix Venues

[severnsider 197]

I would have thought a bigger problem would be logistics - pretty sure Onesport have transported all the bikes in one vehicle from Poland(probably with armed guards!!) I would think the organisers/FIM will have to do something similar.

I think there was a hold up for the bikes for the 2nd SEC meeting in Togliatti but that got sorted just in time

[DutchGrasstrack 804]

I would have thought a bigger problem would be logistics - pretty sure Onesport have transported all the bikes in one vehicle from Poland(probably with armed guards!!) I would think the organisers/FIM will have to do something similar.

 

Four vans https://www.instagram.com/p/BJQZtwPh5vm/ Torun -> Togliatti

[f-s-p 832]

The people that have given the Challenge for Togliatti are aware of all the problems. Guess we just have to trust that all the issues are sorted and no one will have their van turned back at the border or bike forbidden entry due a lack of brown envelope.

[SCB 0]

19.08 - Challenge - Togliatti

Wasn't there a GP qualifier in Russia a few years ago that ended up with the majority of the field being Russians as riders couldn't get visa and had problems at the border?

[HenryW 1,178]

Wasn't there a GP qualifier in Russia a few years ago that ended up with the majority of the field being Russians as riders couldn't get visa and had problems at the border?

Yeah, the third race off in 2010.

 

Korneliussen, Jaros, Klindt, Kennett, Legault, Fisher, Woelbert, Nieminen, Smolinski and Ferjan didn't make it to the meeting.

 

The meeting ended up with only 15 riders. 10 Russian, 3 Polish, 1 Latvian and 1 Ukrainian.

[f-s-p 832]

Just finished reading my morning paper where there was talk about the latest politician arrest's in Russia. They outright said that stuff like this is most likely part of behind the scenes power struggle in the goverment. So stuff happens in Russia and just one confiscated bike on the border can define someone's future in sport for quite a few years. So why take the risk?

 

After the mentioned 2010 race off one Finnish rider turned back from his EC ice speedway trip when the border control wanted some paperwork that was not actually needed. At the same time another one was cleared to enter just at another checkpoint.

 

EDIT: And one of the Danish riders think did have his bike taken when they visited Russia for the u21 team final a few years back.

Edited November 18, 2016 by f-s-p

[Panthers89 1,922]

I'm thinking about going to Togliatti, has anyone been before?

[racers and royals 8,736]

I'm thinking about going to Togliatti, has anyone been before?

Dave Rowe and Sam Ermolenko did this season- they flew BA to Moscow then got another flight to

Kurumoch airport in Samara-which is 60km from Togliatti.

Edited November 18, 2016 by racers and royals

[Humphrey Appleby 13,960]

TBC: QBE Insurance Australian FIM Speedway Grand Prix (Melbourne)

There's a side note in the Spar today that seems to question whether the Melbourne GP will continue. Of course, the Victorian government seemingly not being willing to put up enough cash is highlighted, but then maybe that's down to the crowd levels at the last round.

 

The AFL may also be more pragmatic owners than the last ones.

[moomin man 76 171]

I'm thinking about going to Togliatti, has anyone been before?

I'd love to be able to offer an objective analysis, but I am apparently on Mr Putin's blacklist, so I wouldn't be issued with a visa anyway!

[BFMDan 24]

Being from "The States" all of this talk is, well, foreign to me - LOL! Sorry, bad pun.

 

Anyway, would love to hear the why's as to this concern?

 

Is Poland/Russia currently analogous to the "1860's Wild West" here in America? Or closer to "Mafia" of 1930's here in US . . . or L.A.'s gangs and thugs of today?

 

Thanx,

 

 

HB

....pretty sure Onesport have transported all the bikes in one vehicle from Poland(probably with armed guards!!)....

[Humphrey Appleby 13,960]

Is Poland/Russia currently analogous to the "1860's Wild West" here in America? Or closer to "Mafia" of 1930's here in US . . . or L.A.'s gangs and thugs of today?

Poland is fine for organising things and getting people and stuff in and out - the same as anywhere in Europe.

 

Russia is very much if they want you there then nothing is a problem. If they don't, then expect every obstacle to be put in the way. For anything substantive you usually need some sort of fixer who'll be close to the 'administration'.

 

Russia is a great country with some nice people when you get to know them, but its government is totally dodgy.

[Mark 1,497]

Poland is fine for organising things and getting people and stuff in and out - the same as anywhere in Europe.

 

Russia is very much if they want you there then nothing is a problem. If they don't, then expect every obstacle to be put in the way. For anything substantive you usually need some sort of fixer who'll be close to the 'administration'.

 

Russia is a great country with some nice people when you get to know them, but its government is totally dodgy.

Foreign diplomat Sir Humph. An expert on all subjects including Russia.

[iris123 20,994]

There are always two sides to a story.For every horror trip there are trips that went without problem.The Ice Speedway riders travel through Russia alone mostly without problem.Think one of our members Mark246(?) has done the trip by road with his bikes.You can i think he said get stopped and the police will find any problem to pocket some money.But the likes of Harald Simon do the trip year after year,so it can't be too bad.Just luck or bad luck

 

I did though see a programme about the Russian pull out of East Germany and at first Soviet soldiers were travelling back on their own and getting robbed and beaten up passing through Poland and in the end the heirachy had to put a stop to it and only allowed groups to travel together.

 

Remember also seeing a docu about two motorbike riders travelling through the old ex Soviet Republics and i think in Kazakhstan had trouble and waved down a passing lorry for help.The driver got out and pulled a gun out and took one of their expensive video cameras with him.....But this sort of thing could also happen in the US i guess,out in the middle of nowhere

Edited November 23, 2016 by iris123

[Humphrey Appleby 13,960]

Remember also seeing a docu about two motorbike riders travelling through the old ex Soviet Republics and i think in Kazakhstan had trouble and waved down a passing lorry for help.The driver got out and pulled a gun out and took one of their expensive video cameras with him.....But this sort of thing could also happen in the US i guess,out in the middle of nowhere

You get plain old criminality in most places, and it's a matter of weighing up the relative danger. When the state endorses it though, that raises things to a different level.

 

As you say, the ice racing doesn't seem to have any problems, but there's been several problems with speedway meetings in Russia down the years.