International Test Matches

[iris123 20,984]

4 hours ago, iainb said:

Seasons in the past would often start with a touring team from Sweden or somewhere...

Yes. But in those days most of the Swedish or Czech team were unknown or new to the UK public. Nowadays most teams are made up of riders that ride here anyway. An ever decreasing pool of riders. 

Think Michanek said back in his day there were 3,4 or 5 times as many riders. Same in Denmark etc

It was something exotic. Something special. Now it is all too samey, with too many riding in different leagues

Edited January 2 by iris123

[iainb 5,017]

4 minutes ago, iris123 said:

Yes. But in those days most of the Swedish or Czech team were unknown or new to the UK public. Nowadays most teams are made up of riders that ride here anyway. An ever decreasing pool of riders. 

Think Michanek said back in his day there were 3,4 or 5 times as many riders. Same in Denmark etc

It was something exotic. Something special. Now it is all too samey, with too many riding in different leagues

Well an international test match series certainly wouldn't be samey... we haven't seen any on these shores for years!

[iris123 20,984]

Just now, iainb said:

Well an international test match series certainly wouldn't be samey... we haven't seen any on these shores for years!

No, and i think the reason mentioned every year when Bavarian starts one of these threads is......they weren't popular. That is why they stopped. If they made money, then you can be sure a promoter or two would have put something on.

But hope spring eternal. I do remember the Daily Mirror tournament. And England v USA etc at a fairly packed Plough Lane

 

[iainb 5,017]

21 minutes ago, iris123 said:

That is why they stopped. If they made money, then you can be sure a promoter or two would have put something on.

 

There are no "promoters" around like there used to be, I'm really not sure what the current crop are in the sport for. Glasgow are a forward looking promotion and they are the only club to put on test matches in recent years and they seemed to be a success

Edited January 2 by iainb

[iris123 20,984]

14 minutes ago, iainb said:

There are no "promoters" around like there used to be, I'm really not sure what the current crop are in the sport for. Glasgow are a forward looking promotion and they are the only club to put on test matches in recent years and they seemed to be roaring successes

I just recall my first test match of the new Millenium

A Denmark U21 v Sweden U21 at Esbjerg

I made the mistake of thinking it was a meeting between bitter rivals and turned up well before the start time. And to my utter surprise i was about the only preson, maybe a couple of others apart from riders family and track staff that was there  And Denmark included Madsen, Klindt and Hougaard among others, although they were just starting out on 500cc

Edited January 2 by iris123

[iainb 5,017]

57 minutes ago, iris123 said:

I just recall my first test match of the new Millenium

A Denmark U21 v Sweden U21 at Esbjerg

I made the mistake of thinking it was a meeting between bitter rivals and turned up well before the start time. And to my utter surprise i was about the only preson, maybe a couple of others apart from riders family and track staff that was there  And Denmark included Madsen, Klindt and Hougaard among others, although they were just starting out on 500cc

The last time I went to a "test" match it was at Leicester and I think it was an U21 vs Australia... it was terrible and I left with about 3 races to go lol

I think that was more to do with it being run at Leicester though in the bad old days of FTG and meetings taking around 2 hours to complete... they're was quite a healthy crowd though if my memory serves me correctly

Edited January 2 by iainb

[1stbender 18]

You often wonder in a world were money is a driving factor especially in sport, that the current speedway board don’t come up with innovative ways of promoting speedway. There are multiple ways of growing the sport especially when it comes to a National team. Can you imagine for example, a season starter of GB v Poland and a summer against the Aussies! The big names riding in the UK on a weekend I’m sure would pack out a place. Make it accessible for the kids. Everyone would benefit. I really think this year more than any needs to see a real shift change in all aspects, sure we will see some with Phil at the helm!

[Chris116 756]

I went to an England v USA test match at Crawley Heath which was held on a Saturday afternoon. After the Speedway I carried on to Coventry for the evening BriSCA F1 Stock Car meeting. A very enjoyable day which I think was in the early to mid 80s. The Cradley meeting was sadly the only time I visited the home of the Heathens. There was a very good crowd. I am sure that with proper promotion such meetings could be run successfully but the importance of proper promotion must be understood by those involved in running such a meeting.

I have just looked at the international speedway website which shows that such a test match took place on 5th May 1984 which being the first Saturday of the month fits in with the Stock Cars racing at Coventry in the evening. Not a happy series for England as they lost 4-1 in the five match series. The Cradley meeting was the third in the series and started with the series even at 1-1 after England winning at Sheffield in the second match.

Edited January 2 by Chris116
More information

[Bavarian 767]

 

The USA takes on the Rest of the World in a Speedway Test Match at Bakersfield, California, this Saturday, February 17, 2024.

Three Englishmen - Chris Harris, Tom Brennan, and Leon Flint - will ride for the World Stars.

 

The British Speedway Network (BSN) shows the meeting live on Saturday night 8.45 GMT.  
https://watch.britishspeedway.co.uk/

Edited February 16 by Bavarian

[szkocjasid 3,027]

Big shame, I used to love test matches in the 90s.

Not a fan of a match against the rest of the world, feels very meaningless, compared to racing against another nation.

I'm remember GB vs Australia test matches at Champ level previously, you'd think Champ clubs would be clamouring for more of these to fill up a empty fixture list.

[old bob at herne bay 828]

Test Matches of 18 heats with 8 man teams, comprising 6 riders and 2 reserves..... no chance of ever seeing such meetings in the UK.  

With UK speedway now on a downward path to extinction, they can just about cling on  to running a skeleton irregularly  scheduled  " league" programme during a March to October season.  Last season saw unscheduled breaks in the league programme due to "cash flow " issues and clubs unable to field a  competitive 7 man team.  the p.offs were only just completed within the season.  One competition was never completed at all. 

International Test Match organisation is well beyond the capability of whoever runs British Speedway in 2024. 

 

 

[Noelinho 922]

On 2/25/2024 at 7:42 PM, szkocjasid said:

I remember GB vs Australia test matches at Champ level previously, you'd think Champ clubs would be clamouring for more of these to fill up an empty fixture list.

I’m sure Glasgow would host one, if we could arrange it. We’ve hosted a match against Poland too, and they’ve been well attended. No FIM event up here again this year, so it would be our best opportunity of a high-exposure (for speedway) event.