Bostonian

Thought Sheffield did well to only lose by 2 with the team full of guests again. Bellingo looked great, next season mr bates? Agree with 'tigerish' was a very end of season feel, could tell by the lower crowd also. Did anyone find out who the 'mystery rider' was? Didn't hear anything and didn't stay for the fireworks. And is it true Mr Screen won't be back next season? Be a great shame as I love the bloke and I'm sure he has helped out a lot of the riders this year with his experience and knowledge of the sport

Not sure on averages etc, but the sheffield promotion should be looking to keep Stead, Poole, Bates and Nico (depending on average). Lanham, wilson and compton are decent'ish riders but if they are to improve on this season they need to be looking at better. Certainly think the promotion will do well with team selection with a full winter behind them.

I got so wrapped in my first point I didn't even get chance to comment on the final itself. What a finish! Whether you agree or not with the joker, that's why it was brought in. To have a final race like that! Can see it from both angles, it penalises the team doing well, but without the joker, we would of probably had the last 5 heats of dead rubber racing which doesn't create entertainment. Fantastic from Iversen in the last.. Poor crowd AGAIN for the second time this year, think that'll be the last we see of Bydgoszcz which is such a shame.

Jesus.. He comes all the negativity again!!!! A weeks ago 90% of people were praising rosco and the team for the result at KL and reaching the final, which was an achievement in itself. A week later, like expected, we struggled in a final full of some of the best riders in the world. Some fans need to realise that GB are not as good as 15/20 years ago! I'm proud of our boys, yes we struggled tonight but even being in the final was an achievement (which a lot of fans were saying after last Saturday). We didn't embarrass ourselves at all, we tried our best and that's all that can ask for. I think tonight proves we do need to try the youngsters BUT stead and king deserved their chance in the final no matter what anyone says, for their great performance at Lynn. Rosco has given us a better result than last season, he can now build on that. He's right about the test matches etc, and I think he'll definitely follow through with that, just depends if the BSPA are willing or not. I'm fed up of the negativity and drivel I see people write. Get behind your country, or what's the point in supporting them? I've always said, moaning about things gets you no where, it's about staying positive through the tough times that will help us succeed, not moaning at every thing that happens. Who wants to make a change to things when all they would do is receive in criticism?! One final thing, Tai Woffinden is British! If he wanted to be an Australian he would of not rode for team GB and he wouldn't ride in the British final. He has won it twice, and said countless times how much it means to him to win it. Put it this way, if you were born In England and spoke English but moved to Spain and spent years living their, would you class yourself as Spanish or English?

Any chance we can move these boring, arguementative posts to a thread so us fans who want to chat about the speedway can do so?! Give it a rest will ya! Luckily was working up near Sheffield today so popped along to watch the meeting. Really enjoy my trips to Owlerton, a lovely stadium and seems the new promotion are really trying hard to make a success of it, which can definitely be done. All the facilities are there for it. I thought was a very good meeting and another good one for sky to be at. The track is super fast, and the big bends gives the riders chance to sweep round in the dirt. Some good close racing at times and Sheffield were unlucky to end up being beaten by 12 points, injuries really seem to kill their chances, although young Taylor Poole was superb. Meeting certainly over shadowed by Andre's injury and really wish him all the best, as well as Olly Allen.

Well.. Reading this thread from start to finish, great to see everyone's opinions and comments on our great victory yesterday. Firstly, I'm so pleased for steady and king that they performed to the potential.. A lot of haters not giving these guys a chance before they had chance to show what they could do. Onto the meeting.. What a fantastic day out and absolutely thrilled for Team GB. Not a better feeling that waving my British flag to our boys, who rode superbly well all night. I couldn't care less if the other teams were under strengthen or whatever, I went to watch a good meeting (which it was), to take in the atmosphere, and to cheer on my country. The passion I saw from all of them was even better, seeing the boys fist pumping the crowd and cheering as they did their lap of honour was fantastic! Got to hand it to rosco, seemed like he really got them all motivated! A massive well done to Kings Lynn and their staff.. Put on a slick evenings entertainment, the track was maybe a touch slick, but it stayed true and at the end of the day, it was prepared well, it's up to the riders to put on the show. You cant blame Buster for the fact that for half the meeting there were 2 races in 1.. A full dull races but it happens, not every race is an edge of the seat thriller I'm afraid. When Woffy is racing ruml and castanga say, it's hardly going to be 4 way battle for 4 laps! It's not just about the track but the stadium is perfect for such an event, not many other British stadiums could do the same IMO. If you watched it at home, and are moaning it was boring, then a little tip would be to save up next year and go! The atmosphere was superb, all in great spirits, and the noise and flag waving was great to be involved with. Watching it again today and it just didn't give it justic at all. The fact Ward became the pantomime villain helped too! Speedway needs that sometimes I think. Anything else in the final is a bonus, because as a down to earth fan, I know just reaching the final is good for GB. But I'm gonna enjoy the win last night all week. Come on GB for Saturday!!

What an absolute bloody disgrace!! It baffles me how a court can take the side of 2 people, who by the sounds of it already knew the stadium was there, and then complain about it! How can they expect a small entertainment stadium to pay ridiculous figures like that when they didn't even bring up the case?! A small stadium that obvious gives jobs to people, and creates income for the local community and for families to go an enjoy a nights entertain will be lost because of 2 prats who can't handle a few bikes going round a track 1 or 2 nights a week!! Good luck Mildenhall, if only us fans could help out (Perhaps turfing these inconsiderate planks out of their house would help......)

Results from the first round.. 1 7 Piotr Pawlicki 3 3 3 3 3 15 2 14 Vaclav Milik 3 3 3 2 2 13 3 12 Mikkel Michelsen 2 3 2 1 3 11 4 11 Kacper Gomólski 3 2 d 2 3 10 5 15 Mikkel Bech 2 1 3 2 2 10 6 16 Krystian Pieszczek 0 2 3 3 1 9 7 9 Jacob Thorssell 1 1 2 3 2 9 8 13 Lasse Bjerre 1 3 w 3 1 8 9 1 Nicklas Porsing 1 2 1 0 3 7 10 6 Szymon Woźniak 1 2 2 w 2 7 11 2 Fredrik Engman 3 w 1 1 0 5 12 10 Jonas B. Andersen 0 1 1 2 0 4 13 3 Gino Manzares 2 u w 1 0 3 14 4 Nicolas Vicentin 0 0 2 d 1 3 15 8 Nikolaj Busk Jakobsen 0 1 1 0 1 3 16 5 David Bellego 2 u w 0 w 2 R R1 Michele Paco Castagna R R2 Giorgio Trentin

2 points on this for me.. 1. Why fix something that isn't broken? Cardiff is absolutely perfect! It's the biggest and best GP of the season, the city of Cardiff love and embrace it all weekend and there's not much more could be done to make it better. Hotels prices etc do go up, but London would be do exactly the same I'm sure, it's just the norm for most big stadiums. 2. Would 2 GP's a season affect Cardiff's attendance and importance? Like in my first point, Cardiff is known as the biggest and best GP, if there was 2 GP's a season I can bet a big percentage of the crowd couldn't afford 2 weekends a year, and possibly affect attendances at both GP's. Like I said, don't fix what isn't broke.. Keep on improving Cardiff if that's even possible!

Watched the meeting back again today on TV and I don't think the TV gives out the atmosphere as loud as it was during the heats, maybe something to do with the commentators mic' s, I'm not to sure. Watching Tai's entrance again though was making the hairs stand up again, unbelievable atmosphere. Walking back to catch the bus last night, we over heard a family chatting 'so what you going to tell mummy about your first speedway meeting?' The little boy replied 'ooh it was just brilliant, fab, just amazing, I loved it!' Think that made my night the most, and I'm sure he wasn't the only kid saying that night. Fantastic stuff from everyone who was involved in making the GP what it was, thought the guy in the middle on the mic was superb as well, is he a regular at it for a club? Well done BSI and Cardiff stadium.. Bring on next year!

Wow wow and WOW! My first ever Cardiff visit, and what a showcase event for speedway that is! Can see why Cardiff is known as the main GP of the season. Atmosphere was absolutely electric, something I've never heard at a speedway event before. Without doubt having a Brit as good as Tai to cheer on as well makes the event just that little bit more special. So gutted he didn't manage to win the GP but can't begrudge a man like Hancock winning it, still showing the boys the way round at 44! Hard to describe how buzzing I still am now, 4 hours after it. Something like that must surely make more people want to watch speedway.. Huge credit to BSI and the track and event staff, put on a superb show. Just hope this can give clubs some idea that this is how you'll get more people through the turnstiles! Did I hear a nail taken out of the British speedway coffin?!?! (A reference to a post I made yesterday....) I did park and ride to and from Cardiff east.. £3 for both ways and back on the bus within 5 minutes after the event, if your anywhere near that for next year then try that

Really enjoyed my visit to owlerton last night. Having moved closer to Sheffield, think I will be visiting more regularly! The facilities and track is fantastic, certainly an entertaining meeting. Some good races with plenty of action and close racing. Ty Proctor has such an exciting style when he's in the dirt and screaming round the boards. Good to see Poole in the points, and stead looked a class act again. For the rockets, Kennett was poor, the young French man (can't remember his name) was their best rider. Enjoyed seeing Garrity ride, not the most gifted but can tell he loves riding a bike and nice to see his passion after a 5-1. I'd say the crowd was around 450-500.. Unsure if that's a healthy crowd or not. All In all an enjoyable night, look forward to the next visit!

Pleased for Simon Stead, really tough on him last season with his leg and ankle break. Done well this season seeing as though he missed 75% of last year. He's unbelievably good round Sheffield, a circuit which is big and fast, hence his inclusion I would say. Lynn and Poland both quick big tracks.

What superb, well run programme that was. Anyone who seems to have an 'issue' with Woffy I highly recommend you watch that programme. Can't work out if some posts are tongue in check, or they're just plain idiotic. Refusing to watch a speedway programme about the youngest world champion ever, who is also a Brit, whether your a fan of his or not, is ridiculous in my eyes. Watching the programme has only made me see even more how much Woffy has been through and what a top guy he is. Really appreciate all he is doing media wise etc for British speedway. Think it's obvious that Woffy has learnt the errors he made as a young lad and that's only helped him more. Superb stuff from sky sports, really hope guys watching who aren't into speedway, has given them someone to 'follow' and maybe entise more fans to speedway. Well done Tai and all the sky sports producers.. 10/10!!

How did the Brits do? Seen only Harris got a reserve spot but were cook etc close to qualifying?

As much as I dislike Perdesen's antics and his down right dirty, unfair and unsafe moves at times, the GP's will be worse off when he packs up. The guy is totally box office and you can guarantee entertainment when he's around. As a person I cannot stand him, as a speedway rider and entertainer he is fantastic! For what it's worth, Zagar is as much of a Pratt as Nicki but totally agree with why he kicked off, was a silly and un-necessary pass he tried to make which could of caused serious injury. Made for great entertainment too!

As a neutral fan, and my first ever visit to Owlerton, was very impressed by the facilities around the stadium. Good viewing areas, superb food and drink available, well presented inside, a large upstairs bar area to watch the racing from and up to date replays on the tele (presume would be re-run productions). Superb noise made at the start line too, seems the stand really amplifies the revving bikes, and sounds fantastic! Enjoyed my visit on the whole, will definitely go back again. Too many stoppages for track grading mind which dragged the meeting on. Thought Stead looked superb and a cut above the rest of his team mates. Think Sheffield will need to make a few changes, or riders like Poole, Compton, and the 2 reserve boys need to pick up their form, if they're to make anything out of the season. Scunthorpe on the other hand look a strong unit, helped out by a superb score from Jorgensen. Thought it looked a healthy crowd there too.

I must say I quiet enjoy the build up to each race? Getting the line up read out as the riders are at the tapes, seeing who's off what gate, anticipating who's going to make the break first, who's the better gater, who looks comfortable on his bike, who looks raring to go, who can take the pressure better than his opponent.. All this in 2 minutes. I think it creates the excitement of the race, especially if it's a last heat decider etc. Maybe it's just me....

Think you'll struggle there mate, can't imagine many pubs will show speedway over the more mainstream sports. Best thing to do is just try find any free streams over the internet

Sure he signed for Daugavils. Heard he's done a few 'friendlies' for them, but from what I've seen hasn't raced for Daugavils in any league meetings as of yet

Just watched the meeting on sky+. Good points where without doubt seeing speedway back on the box! And see some of the top boys going at it. Personally thought some of the races were decent and i thought the Brits would of done ok. Maybe not like the Aussies or Danes but without doubt would of beaten the Latvians and Germans! Swedes looking better than lasts seasons GP's though. Negatives where the regular mistakes by the commentators. I quiet enjoyed jacks enthusiasm and knowledge but the amount of times he got riders wrong was crazy. Sure he'll get used to all the guys leathers etc for the next round. The other negative has surely got to be the points system! How can you gain more points coming 2nd and 3rd together than being the winner?! Really didn't understand it and thought it totally un-necessary.

I would agree Grand Prix, although I think we're getting to the stage where it's at the limit of how many gp's per season. The one off final is a great crowd puller and riders would go out on full gas no holds bar, but I would think 90% of the time the best rider in the world that year wouldn't win it. Whereas the Grand Prix, most the time the best rider of the year will earn it over the course of the season.

Also signed. Really REALLY grates me to see that people move to an area where there is a sports arena, and then complain about the noise. And worst still, councils then backing them up! The track was there before they moved, people can move houses, towns or even countries but stadiums are there and there to stay.. If they didn't like it why the hell did they decide to move there in the first place!

Thank you all for your replies, really appreciate it! Looked into the tickets and what rows I would be put on and think I'll go for the top tier, found a few areas with seats in first few rows so no flags/people in the way, but not too far out of sight. Thanks again

Only just seen this news.. Fantastic idea, and even better that hagon shocks (a massive sponsor of speedway) is backing it. Really hope this will hit off and bring youngsters through!