PHILIPRISING

2.15pm now and it's absolutely slashing it down. This part of Sweden has had even more rain than the UK! Obviously everyone is hoping to get the meeting on. Sky have a full production team here, there are Polish league matches tomorrow. Fingers crossed that if it does go ahead it will be on a rateable track.

1.15pm here in Malilla and after heavy overnight rain it is currently dry but very overcast and muggy. Some forecasts suggest more rain, others not. Track in remarkable condition considering and there is nowhere better than here to cope with whatever is thrown at them. Huge amount of equipment, fresh shale, etc. Later they will scrap off the top surface, pack it down hard and put on a new top dressing. No doubt the attendance will be affected. People reluctant to travel and little or no cover at the G&B Arena. Stage is set for a fantastic final ... if the weather allows.

NICKI Pedersen in for Mikkel B Jensen but teams don't have to be officially nominated until after practice on Thursday

AGREE and it wasn't exactly an easy race from which Sayfutdinov took six points BRING on the Calendar girls! On second thoughts ...

WAS unbeaten in his Under 21 semi-final in Denmark today. Looks then real deal.

TRULY dull? Boy, you're hard to please.

TOO late ... she is heavily pregnant with twins

WHY all the conjecture? It's staying in Cardiff.

IN a word ... VERY!

MANY of the people I spoke to over the weekend said that, as in most European countries right now, people have less money to spend, some have been going to the Euro soccer championship but most significant was the lack of Polish representation. Last year they had Gollob, Hampel, Holta and Kolodziej. With TG on the decline and with Hampel out many of the fickle Polish fans, who want to see one of their own win, ducked out. But it is a concern. Torun's league crowds are down by 3,000. Reason? Lack of a winning team I was told. However, GP at Torun is already a sell-out with only a few of the top priced seats still available and they will go shortly.

ONE GP rider per club will not apply in Poland next year. Nice day here, very welcome after three days (Tues-Thurs) of heavy rain that left the Gorzow track literally underwater. There were still some damp patches, that rutted a little during yesterday's practice. Many riders didn't bother with all six of their sessions. Over 12,000 tickets sold but will be interesting to see how many just come on the day given the relative lack of Polish participation, although of course the main man (Gollob) is here and, it must be said, looking much better than of late after his heavy fall in Sweden. Could he become the sixth winner this year? Certainly wouldn't rule him out, it is just the sort of challenge he will relish especially in front of his own adoring public.

TEMPORARY tracks woeful ... where have you been for the past few years? Western Springs, Ullevia and Parken all great tracks this year. No doubt Cardiff will be too.

NOT what he said to me. Lots of improvements scheduled for the G&B Arena in 2013 and there must be doubts about the viability of a GP at Ullevi. Still think Malilla will be back sooner rather than later. Great news about Stockholm, however, and Warsaw is still a distinct possibility.

BECAUSE a last place rates higher than an engine failure or exclusion. Discourages riders from just pulling up if they are last. Has always been the rule so should be no argument.

DON'T be surprised if Malilla returns in 2014...

World Soccer must have gone downhill since I vacated the editor's chair! WATCHED Ole throughout his career and at all his World Finals. Vastly under-rated when people talk of speedway's greatest in my opinion. Super rider at club level, too. Wouldn't consider him dirty at all, certainly very different in just about every way to Nicki, in terms of temperament and riding style. Ole was classical, typical of riders of his era, no hanging off the side of the bike or right peg off the footrest. Brilliant round the inside line. Can recall one occasion when racing against Malcolm Simmons in an international at Reading. Simmo was hugging the white line and Ole passed him... on the inside. "Don't know how he did it," said MS afterwards."He never even touched me!" But he was never a true motorcyclist, like Briggo, Simmo, or some of the modern era. Not sure he ever really rode any motorcycle other than a speedway bike. But was and still is passionate about speedway. It's his life.

PRESUMABLY because a rider could score 16 points and not make the final whereas it is possible to win the final and go away with 15. But, as already stated, points are for the World Championship final placings ... the final determines the winner. See no problem in that and apparently nor do a lot of other people.

ANYONE winning 12 rounds would more than deserve to be World Champion.

WHY are they embarrassing? Winner of the final is the winner of the GP. Points accumulate for the championship. Good to see you posting again by the way (apart from this one!!) RIDERS on Saturday said the track was perfect. Not too slick, not too grippy, very smooth, no ruts. What more do you want?

LIKELY to be even more disappointed when he sees the Danish SWC squad. Looks like they are going for Nicki with the kids. Building for the future. Now, there's a thought!

IN the GPs it is the Race Director who determines when the riders are ready for a rerun and then informs the referee to start the two minutes. Quite simple. In effect that is what happens for every GP heat. The two minutes is started by the referee when the Race Director orders the pit gate to be opened and the riders enter the track. Craig Acroyd's semi-final decisions was also straightforward. The race had been competed the split second Hancock crossed the line and he could exclude Pedersen without a rerun. Simples.

WRONG! CROWD was 12,800

SORRY but the referee (Craig Ackroyd) was absolutely correct. CORRECT

IT'S one of the biggest nights of the year here in Sweden ... sadly I am not referring to the Grand Prix but the Eurovision Song Contest. I didn't realise how massive, and I mean massive, it is here. It's party time for the Swedes, they dress up and just love it the whole contest. And, to make matters worse as far as an attendance at Ullevi is concerned, Sweden are actually favourite to win the damn thing. At least the weather looks favourable. There was an overnight shower but this morning the sky is blue and its warm and breezy, although there could be a shower later.

NICKI Pedersen summed it up before the start of practice: "We should be racing on THIS track. It is terrific but who knows what it will be like after practice." The riders were full of praise for the track and hopefully with decent weather it can be replicated on Saturday.