Winter Meetings

[Marky_Mark 55]

I also really miss the Brighton Bonanza that ran indoors every December, would love to see that make a comeback. One year they also did an indoor event in Bournemouth too 

[iainb 5,017]

On 12/18/2023 at 12:24 PM, piston197 said:

I also enjoyed the Telford "ice Speedway" meetings, not much of a spectacle, but a good day out and some interesting distraction watching the "Dancing on ice" half time entertainment, enjoyed  the likes of Tony Atkin and Wayne Broadhurst showing some of the young bucks how to do it by exercising throttle control .

They did one at Milton Keynes for at least one year as well

[Andy Downes 48]

There was a meeting at the London Arena in winter 1990 (or 91, can't remember the exact date) - another former London Speedway venue that's bitten the dust.

Seem to remember there was a problem halfway through - could have been a leaking roof but the memory is too hazy - hopefully someone out there can remind us more about that day 

[Dickie Head 247]

IOW Facebook showing another winter meeting set for 20 January. Similar format to that held last week. Good luck to them.

[Najjer 2,890]

Went to various ones at Newport and even the one that was held at Poole too. That was about -15 degrees.

Somerset went to hold one too but was postponed if memory serves me right?

[tonyd 165]

Went to the "Lada International" meeting at Wembley Empire pool one year put on / promoted by Ivan Manger & Barry Briggs. A small track of glazed concrete with straw bales for a safety fence. A fun entertaining meeting in which Ivan rode along with many other well known riders of the time. A track where throttle control was a important feature, a blast out of the tapes meant you met the straw bales on bends 1&2 

[iainb 5,017]

25 minutes ago, tonyd said:

A track where throttle control was a important feature

And hair lacquer 

[Humphrey Appleby 13,955]

On 12/18/2023 at 10:12 PM, iainb said:

I used to enjoy them, I think Sheffield put one on once too. 

They did. The Winternapolis I think it was called.

I went and still have the programme somewhere, although the racing wasn't the best from memory. I think the track was quite damp and a lot of straw had been used to try to soak up the water and make it rideable. 

[The Cheese 2,022]

21 hours ago, Najjer said:

Went to various ones at Newport and even the one that was held at Poole too. That was about -15 degrees.

Somerset went to hold one too but was postponed if memory serves me right?

I think it was postponed 2 or 3 times. Can't remember whether it eventually took place or not. 

[Bagpuss 10,780]

I can vaguely remember going to a winter meeting at Scunthorpe in the winter of 2009/10, somewhere around New Year, it was very wet and cold unsurprisingly. I think Kevin Doolan might have won it although I can't find any details anywhere.

[bruno 1,790]

26 minutes ago, Bagpuss said:

I can vaguely remember going to a winter meeting at Scunthorpe in the winter of 2009/10, somewhere around New Year, it was very wet and cold unsurprisingly. I think Kevin Doolan might have won it although I can't find any details anywhere.

I went to that but left before the end absolutely freezing 

[*JJ 512]

21 hours ago, bruno said:

I went to that but left before the end absolutely freezing 

What did you expect in Scunthorpe in winter? I was there once when it started snowing ... and another time when the weather was below freezing and the bike wouldn't start ...

[iris123 20,986]

On the other hand i remember going to a meeting in March/April that was badly affected by snow. And also an Ice Speedway meeting in Dresden that was badly affected by unseasonal warm weather making the ice soft  

[mikebv 10,278]

4 hours ago, *JJ said:

What did you expect in Scunthorpe in winter? I was there once when it started snowing ... and another time when the weather was below freezing and the bike wouldn't start ...

And that was in July...

[brianbuck 928]

The first Winter meeting that I can remember was the Christmas Vase at Wimbledon, staged on Boxing Day 1956 which was won by Bob Roger of Swindon. The event did not include the top riders who would all have been wintering in Australia or South Africa. From memory, it wasn't particularly successful, attracting only a small crowd on a very cold evening, and Wimbledon never did repeat the experiment. I'd like to have gone myself, but as I was then a 16 year old office boy earning £2.10.0d a week (£2.50), I couldn't afford either the train fare or the admission money!!!!

I know that my club Birmingham staged a Boxing Day meeting in 1937, this being a challenge match Birmingham v Nottingham (both tracks being promoted by Arthur Westwood). The original staging was called off through bad weather and was restaged 24 hours later on December 27th, but what sort of attendance there was I wouldn't know as this was all a bit before my time!