britmet

Not withstanding Oldace's info above, there were also British Championships in earlier years when the World Final wasn't held. The post war Wembley Finals of 1946,'47 & '48 were British Championships, - the World Final wasn't resurrected until 1949 - , and prior to those Chmpshps, during the War it was Belle Vue that staged the "British Individual Championship". As per the programmes, the 1946 mtg was titled "British Riders Speedway Championship"; 1961 & '64 were titled "UK Final (of the World Chmpshp)", then from '65 on the mtg was the British Final of the World Chmpshp. You can see winners (and venues) of all these on the 'Speedway Champions' website, HERE. . .

Two dirt ovals in South Africa are featuring speedway bikes, including sidecars, on the programme for the first time this Saturday, May 17th. The Boshof Oval near Kimberley in Northern Cape has invited riders and crews from Gauteng to join this weekend's meeting, while riders from George in Western Cape cross to East London and the Amalinda circuit for solo racing there. More detail .

. The former Belle Vue rider and 1952 World Finalist Henry Long, 87 this summer, has made over his collection of photo albums and S.African press cuttings from his riding days to Speedway-SA for archiving. The first years of the collection, incl'g rare 1946 shots from Old Barn Speedway, are now on its website. Further seasons will be added in the following days as they are processed. http://www.speedway-sa.com/the-henry-long.php .

Speedway at the George Oval in the Cape continues, the promotion led by Bobby Hack holding its third monthly "Fast Friday" meeting last week, Mar.28th. . Up in the Johannesburg area, - Gauteng Province - , the 1st round of the SA National Championship was held Sunday 30th, at Walkerville with a big turn-out of riders old and new, solo & sidecar, to pay respects to former champ Arthur Bruins, to who's memory the event was dedicated. . See the turn-out and results (of both George and Walkerville meeting,) HERE . .

This IS the bike you're looking for. http://www.b50.org/speedway.htm For Coventry, that should read Nigel Boocock. Having watched him in his initial 2nd Half/post mtg rides at Perry Barr in 1972(?)73, I spoke with Alan Graham just 2 years ago, about his time with the machine, which was derived from the BSA Victor 441cc scrambler which Jeff Smith rode with great success, - World Championships - , in the '60s. Alan told me the machine in now in a speedway museum in Scotland.

Meanwhile, in South Africa, Hansie Kleynhans, the present Northern Regions Champion in his 'Speedway Stars' class, will be 70 in July. He was the previous season's National Champ for that class. Hansie was pictured in action in a certain well known weekly speedway mag. a few months ago. .

Former S.African Champion of 1976,'77,'78, ARTHUR BRUINS, was fatally injured last Sunday, 23rd March in an RTA while riding back from a Bikers Rally in Mossel Bay. A Memorial service will take place at the Walkerville Raceway, Gauteng on Friday, 28th, at 2pm. A full obituary can be read on the Speedway-SA website. Arthur's is the third SA Champ loss to be suffered in less than 6 months, having said goodbye to Fred Wills and Vic Pretorius recently. .

Nordic cancelled or postponed ?

Its a tribute mtg to the old names, Fuller, Long, etc. raced by today's riders for trophies in the names of, or presented by past legends. Henry Long was lined up for last November's Legends mtg to present a trophy originally raced for at Pretoria with the names Doug Davies, Alan Hunt, and himself on, but at 86, though he's mentally sharp still, is not so mobile and had to send his apologies. So it was presented by former 3x SA Champ Arthur Bruins, to winner Byron Bekker.

. As well as Walkerville, starting today, Jan 31st, there is to be regular monthly speedway racing at the GEORGE OVAL in the Cape, see HERE , following Easter meetings there the last 2 years. Isolated speedway events take place at Rustenburg once or twice a year, and there have been occasional mtgs at Orkney, Middelburg & Newcastle in the last few years. . .

The WSRC (Walkerville Speedway Riders Club) held their first meeting of the 2014 season, - a 12 month, Jan-Dec, programme - , on Sunday 26th. Winner of the 'Summer Cup Challenge' was former national speedway champion Neil Pettit, who, in the 'A' Final, took the Cup from the 2013 National Champ Gio Nunes after the race was awarded when Lyle Kotze fell whilst challenging. The 'B' Final was won by veteran Hansie Kleynhans from Bobby Devine. The 30-heat programme included other 2-wheel classes besides speedway bikes, plus Quads, though the usual Sidecar crews were absent from this months programme. Full heat details and the fixture list for 2014 can be found on their Speedway-SA website, where each month's results are reported. . .

He's always gone home every winter, - to their Summer !

In answer to the original thread, why not look at the Speedway-South Africa site; Byron rode last Sunday for the first time since his operation , - pictured also.

According to the link given, that mtg on 23rd was the Gillman Solo Chmpshp, i.e. the track chmpshp. - The South Australian Solo Chmpshp, is to be on Dec.7th. All previous SA Solo winners, 1946 to 2012/13 season, can be seen HERE

Is the field line-up known yet ?

Dug out by a Speedway follower ! 1. Woodward 2. Appleton 3. Cooper 4. Hall 5. Cook 6. Phillips 7. Godden 8. Finlow Sidecars - unofficial, - bit of ..., No, LOT of contention here, apparently: Cossar 35 Wilson 34 Bradley 32 Blackbourn 31 Whitelam 26 Hiscock 23 Smith 23 All classes, and past champs, HERE

You can see all the Bronze Helmet results from 1948 to the present day, (plus Gold & Silver Helmets data,) including this season's NL winners on the 'British MRC' page of the Speedway Champions website. As regards the last trophy helmets, we know where the GH went (the Jansson family,); on the same webpage as given above you can see the last purpose-made Silver Helmet, (1990 NL,) posed today on a lounge table somewhere north of the border,); one early Silver Sash (also shown) is now in the Channel Isles and another (or 2) are in Scotland. But as they became no more than functional commercial helmets sprayed according to division, - Gold, Silver or Bronze - , I guess they've got repainted at the end of each season by the recipient and put to standard use.

Jan Klatovsky won the Czech championship at Hamr yesterday. Racing curtailed after 16 heats as water flooded the track. Photos http://www.foto.espeedway.pl/main.php?cmd=album&var1=94_luty_2013%2F2013_02_16_im_cz/&var2=1 .

The 2012 South African Championships, Snr, U21 & Sidecars, were decided last Sat, Jan.12th, on completion of the re-run of the 3rd and Final round after it was rained off in December. (The 'season' is a 12-month calendar year.) Neil Pettit carried off his 3rd senior Solo title by steady riding to consolidate his scoring in the previous rounds. Former champ of 2008 & 2010, Mac Magill was in an unbeatable mood on the day winning all his races from the gate while Jason Cole took his first U21 championship having won 2 of the 3 rounds and the Sidecar title, resolved from 2 rounds, was won by Alfie & Juan Kotze. Full details can be viewed HERE

i) It's €50k, not £s, ii) it's a "fund", ie a pool of €50k for all the prize/points money paid out, not all to the winner. Its for each of the 4 meetings. . .

Following previous sequences, it should be Finland's turn to stage the Nordic U21 speedway title this year, - ?

Dutch Championship: Rd.1 Leystad 13.5.12 OK. Rd.2 Veenoord 2.6.12 Cancelled (riders.) Rd.3 Leystad 15.7.12 Cancelled (track.) Rd.4 Blijham 9.9.2012 OK . So has the championship conclude ? - If so who is the winner, de Jong or Sekula ? (Is it an Open Championship ?) Or will there be another round ?

. What is the difference between this 'Polish U21 Championship' and the Polish Silver Helmet, which is also an U21 competition, I think ? .

If track preparation time is the ruling factor there's a simple answer. - - bring the track staff in 90mins. earlier ! ( No additional labour cost incurred.)

What further rounds remain ? Sittingbourne Sept 9th ? - Is that the only one to come ? . .