Tsunami

Thanks, I'll keep that in mind.

IIRC he did say something prior to this years GP. By the prices now being asked by the hoteliers, they obviously didn't listen to him.

Was in the Holiday Inn Cardiff Central this year and have now booked for next year. At these prices I think is going to be my last visit as I feel the ripoff will only get worse and I have had enough. If we had not booked the tickets first I don't think I would be there next year. I fully expect the attendance of the Cardiff GP to start to decline after this year but of course everyone will have their own reasons but mine will be daylight robbery with the accomodation. It would seem that with the loss of the football to Wembley, that Speedway seems to be 'the big one' and the prices are reflecting this. The early announcement of the date for next year, and the early release of tickets, has caused the rush which it should be remembered is the opportunity for IMG and most of the Hoteliers to have your money now for a full year in advance. Another opportunity to rip you off.

Unfortunately not this year. I like going to Prague but have other hols booked.

Seem to remember he got about 5 points, more than our Pepe got.

I would go along with that figure. One thing that did strike me this year was the increase in the numbers in the top tier along the back straight but some empty pockets on the lower home straight and 1st and 4th corners. More people choosing cheaper seats.

No problem to me. The man made honest decisions according to the rules but it has turned out to be controversial. Maybe the riders have forced it and would prefer all4back for every fall. Funny that his explanation in another thread was the exact reasons I posted on another thread and said within 10 secs of Nicki's fall caused by Leigh. Are we the only ones that know the rules or is it now rider power.

No doubt there will be a few.

Here's hoping for us and you.

You must be the only speedway fan that does not know of the fued by Americans toward Nicki. Sam is hardly objective on anything when Nicki is the subject. It is embarrassing for Sam to praise him when Kelvin just has.

I think the comparison of this story and Nicki has obviously lost something in translation.

Quite agree with the sentiments of this thread. Congrats to Jason for a superb win which showed us a return of the old Jason. Pleased he won even though I had Greg Smillie in the sweepstake.

We certainly did, including the proposed meeting at Sheffield which was rained off. Thanks for asking and hope you enjoyed it as well. Booked the stadium tickets but, as others have said, the hotels are not releasing the rooms some for another 3 months. With all the new hotels that have been built since the start of Millenium you would think the competition would hold the prices and there would be a surplus of rooms. But no.

Spot on. Boo, hiss, it's just like a pantomime, get in there Nicki.

I am sure I saw a favourable report about that hotel on another thread on here. It sounded OK.

Being in front means nowt. There is no such rule that the man in front can do anything. Been said time and time again. Be interesting if some riders change their approach into the first corner in future GP's. In other races nearly all the riders rode the kerb but Leigh and Bjarne had other plans and got caught. Nuff said.

Great to meet you for the first time Matt, Seems like I have known you for so long(cycle speedway, and sting,etc), must meet up sometime I am down south. Also met the 'one and only Shazzy' in Walkabout, although our first bit of convo was like 2 deafones lipreading. Must have a proper chat sometime as I am sure we have a lot in common. Also met London Witch(who I thought was Crazy Sue before we were introduced) and I think Hayley. Also Jay I think. Was it Nikki or Laura ? Saw Pammie(no heard) again. Met Sandie, 21st CH, in Walkabout. Met the great Paulco, the legend that is Pinny, Jackieb, Mainman, JJ, ArthurCross, MarkOne, etc. Sorry I did not meet with Bagpuss and wife and also Liontamer, as that would have completed the weekend champion.

You're obviously only reading some of the posts then. Anyway, when are you joining us in Geordie land. (or can you not get a visa)

Being in the majority doesn't make it right though. Look at the numbers that boooed an innocent rider on Saturday. Wouldn't be the same without everyone critisising/moaning at speedway, would it.

As soon as I saw the line that Leigh took, rather than go for the kerb and then took Nicki off, I said immediately that Leigh was out. I sat in the middle of the 1st and 2nd corner and he WAS the prime cause of the stoppage and all4back was not even a consideration. Bjarne's was harsh but he did exactly what Leigh did so had to have the same punishment. Both Leigh and Bjarne went for the man and not the racing line which was as close to the kerb as they could get. That's the rules. NO, just wor lass.

Agreed, it was one of them foam ones.

It would seem there needs to be a queue for Specsavers. Nicki's front wheel was on the outside of Leigh's and BP's. Neh mind, divn't let the facts get in the way.

Quite agree. It's not hard to tell the twisted ones is it.

Just like to add my congrats on the music content at Saturdays GP. The songs were alive and relevant with funny connections to the appropriate rider. Normally you just sit there and listen to noise which just becomes 'background' after awhile. On Saturday, you were constantly listening for the music and even the connections especially when the wrong song was played for the winner. I know it is the speedway that we are there for but thoughful presentation like this makes the evening even better and will encourage all(except JL) to come back next year. Well done.

Despite the obvious bias against Nicki on this thread, most seem to have discounted the rules of the sport. No such ruling as 'all4 back for 1st bend bunching'. In the case of a collision, when all 4 are attempting to go for the racing line, the referee allows an unsatisfactory start when a rider is usually downed. In the first decision, Leigh deliberately chose to go past the racing line nearest the kerbing to block the line on Nicki, and took the front wheel away of Nicki who was going in midtrack. The sole cause of the stoppage was the rider riding into Nicki and that was Leigh. Most referees these days tend not to want to make a decision and settle for the easy 'unsatisfactory start' decision. This ref was hard and stuck to the rules as laid down. Unfortunately for Bjarne, he did an identical move at the same spot, and for the same reason, and therefore because of Leigh's decision had to have a similiar exclusion. It was a shame for Mr Clean and Mr Nice as some other riders have been included in the all4back when they have clearly been the cause of previous stoppages. I wonder what the refs decision would have been if Hans had fallen on the first bend when Jason did a very similar and more violent and dramatic drift across Hans's line from an inside gate. The decisions were hard and surprised many, but they were not wrong and they were not the fault of the downed rider. As to Nicki staying down, there are 2 reasons as others have alluded to. One is he was buying time to get his bike checked out to repair it or to get a second bike set up in time for the rerun. The second is at the usual insistence of the doc/firstaiders to check everything over and get his breath back prior to standing up incase he feints on standing up. Standard practice for all riders and NOT invented by, or being played out soley by, the nation's villian Nicki. The collision from Rune was just a pure lift and go after Rune hit a rut and lost it. True to form of course, the illogical decide to boo Nicki just to check their lungs were working. Nice to see Rune go up to nicki and apologise for HIS mistake. Not the best of nights for Nicki and fortunate to make the semi's but then fully deserved his place in the final. A bad gate, and a nip by Greg and Jason, and there was obviously too much for him to do to catch them. Despite causing his own downfall on the home straight, he managed to drag his bike across the track to prevent stopping the race. What a man. I think Jason owes Nicki twice now as I seem to remember the same senario last year when it was also Jason in the lead and Nicki did the same thing then. As others have said, people like Nicki go better when they are seen to be the villian. A 2 times World Champion, and leading this year as well, he is no clown/cheat and is better than almost every rider in the world. The scene would be a lot duller if the Nicki's, Hans, Jason's of the world were not in the field. They excite the meeting and don't back off especially when the prize is the World Championship. Best of luck to Nicki for the rest of the year. It was noticible that the downed rider was always Nicki, I wonder why. Go Nicki.