Chris

On Planet speedway yesterday Joel Hufford announced that the capacity was only going to be 3,000 due to health and safety. If thats the case there are going to be alot locked out tonight and Saturday.

Superb meeting after the first few heats. I do enjoy the world cup week. Can't think of one world cup where we haven't seen tremendous racing. The race off is always the best meeting as well, so hopefully a good one on Thursday. We'll win the race off and be up there in the final, but are going to fall short as we don't have enough world class riders when it gets to the pressure heats. Aussies will win it, but the bonus is they all have bad barnets. Wiltshire, Sullivan and Adams going bald, Boyce is bald and Crump has a ginger mullett(dear me!).

Don't think Eastie meant Ed should be in the team, nor do I for that matter, but questioning why Silver Cheetah is laughing. Was he looking at Oxfords league position when making that post? Oh and by the way Shazzy he is in the EL and has been for about 6 weeks now. Started to score nicely now as well.

It's got to be Carol Smillie at Ipswich. What a team manager! The ultimate motivator and tactical genius.

Not in this case though old boy. Top four qualify and two don't fancy it. The BSPA decided that Middlo makes the choice. It was never stated that 5 & 6 who didn't actually qualify would get the spots. Take it up with the BSPA. You shouldn't assume in speedway old boy. You have been around long enough to know that. The times are a changing. Lee Richardson finished below Hans Andersen in the GP rankings last season and Rico was chosen over him. Other examples as well including James Wright last season when he got an under 21 wild card. Why didn't the rider below the cut off mark not get it? Bit stumped old man? Many other examples as well. Get over it, it happens. Sending Smith is a waste of his and our time and your golden boy was given a helping hand last season. Two words for you, hipo and crit. Get up on your stat work as well. We in the PL take PT and PL averages into the equation and Ed is on 8.89 and Wright on 8.82. Anymore? Think you can take that particular Under-21 world final with a pinch of salt. Track was flooded and only 3 rides each and winner decided by toss of a coin. Proper championship eh? Give him a chance in the EL as he has only had a few meetings back at no.2. Can't judge him to early. Oh and he had an EL average alot higher than Wright has ever achieved last season. Oh and you look the fool now by the way. Who would you have chosen old bean?

Hmm bit of a nightmare for the Brits with Wilsons injury and the Kennett camp fiasco. Would imagine old Dave isn't in the good books. Situation didn't need to occur though as Ed should never have ridden at Eastbourne last night. Was always going to cut it fine and one mishap and no time to do anything. Appreciate Ed wanted to ride for Eastbourne, but should the BSPA do what the Germas done with Hefenbrock and pull him out of meeting? Would have been the sensible solution. A shame as Ed would have qualified from the meeting imo. Very embarrassing having only one rider in the final. Still think its farcical having a wild card for a world final. Just have top8 from both meetings and no Italian wobbler getting a ride. If the Italians can't support the meeting then give it to countries that do.

Any updates anywhere?

Meetings on Sunday CM.

1. Erm Danny King rode at Rye for a whole season and couldn't qualify. Next. 2. Lanham and Smith didn't qualify. They finished 5th and 6th so went out. Understand? Where did it ever say that 5th and 6th would get the qualifier spots? Screen and Nicholls didn't want it and it was left to Middlo to make a choice. 3. The level of the British championship is quite frankly awful. Lanham is a poor speedway rider. Doesn't go off the white line, but with his experience should be able to finish fairly high against such a poor field of PL heatleaders and EL second strings. Go look at his away scores this season and then you will see you are the berk old boy. 4. Need to get this chip off your shoulder bout Ed's treatment. Ed in the last two years has finished as 5th and 6th best rider in Britain. What other youngsters have done that? Where has King been? Oh didn't qualify for both. Lawson? Not good enough to get a qualifier place. Wright? Oh didn't qualify. Wilson? Ha Ha. Wouldn't qualify anywhere apart from Sheffield. He's averaging higher in the PL than all these riders and is now scoring points at no.2 in the EL. 3 times world under 21 finalist as well. Why take into account a meeting on a track he doesn't like? Is Ben Wilson a better rider cause he won that meeting? No of course he is not. Ed has ridden under Middlo and he rates him highly. Some people can't get over that for some reason. I'll say again well done Middlo. Where did it ever say 5th and 6th would be chosen? Smith and Lanham going would have been a waste of time.

What has Danny King got to do with the GP qualifiers pick? The kid couldn't even qualify for the British final so he can't be that good. He is of no relevance in this debate. Usual sulking from Ippo fans. Talking rubbish as well. Ed is at no.2 and King is at reserve for the second year in a row(or is it third now?), which is a massive difference. Oh and and Ed has a higher average in the PL. Agree completely with Middlo's decision to choose the next in line. What would be the point in sending a 40 year old wobbler and Lanham, who can only ride Arena to represent us? Richardson on form can qualify and it will give a youngster like Ed good experience for future years. Well done Middlo.

Whats the problem with Stange? Is he definately out as it will give Steve Boxall another go if he is and he has taken a guest booking on Sunday already?

Been keeping a watch on Klindt's scores this season and he looks to be performing very well. Looks to be the one to watch in the next few seasons. How old is he and has he had offers from England at all yet? Is he a racer or a gater? Germans will be strong at home, but Denmark look fairly strong. Will be between those two with GB and Latvia way behind. Shame most nations don't take this competition seriously as it could be very good, but with some nations sending poor teams and others not even bothering sending a team then it devalues it greatly. Also seeding the home nation into a world final doesn't do alot for its credibility. Understand they need the crowd for the final, but no one should be seeded to a supposed world final.

Anyone got the semi final draws?

Bridger too young?

Track was completely olsen'd and was shocking. No dirt, but a fine powder. Pretty turgid stuff and was struggling to stay interested after the first few heats. We have the worlds best on view and Olsen serves them that to ride on. Wish someone would have taken that clipboard off him and smashed it over the wallys head. Rickardsson didn't look right at all. Something wrong there, but blaming his performance because of flu is bullsh*t. Nicholls has a huge mental problem and until he gets over it is never going to progress into the top level. He just doesn't believe he is good enough when it comes to the crunch races. You can predict before the semi he will not go through. He doesn't have the belief, which means he rides poorly and his gating in the big races is quite frankly appalling. The less said about Richardson the better. He doesn't belong at this level. Time to give other Brits ago. With not being able to watch many of the GP's, due to Rye at home on same night I was hoping to be entertained by the worlds best, but the Danish wally spoilt the whole meeting. Easy World title unfortunatly for the Ginger whinger.

Good on the organisers for telling it how it was. <personal comment removed>. Why should the riders be exempt from a grilling because it could upset them. These are men and not little girls. Go on another forum Ron where there will be no criticism. Everyone knows that Schlein, Watt and Lyons are cry babies and have all seen them cry over track conditions before. Lyons and Watt are two of the mentally weakest riders about and if aren't happy about something then won't try. Look at Lyons' pathetic performance at Wolves last season and Watt has often cried over spilt milk and loves a moan. Schlein on occasions has shown he believes his own hype a little too much and Doolan and Batchelor thought they were some sort of superstars last season after winning a couple of end of season trophies against a weakened team. Notice the riders who wanted too ride are racers and not bottle jobs who believe they are something special and up their own backsides. Nice to see the Aussies telling it how it is. Shame we don't see more of it in this country.

Any idea what club has offered Ed Kennett a contract? Will obviously have to be introduced in the transfer window now, but sounds like he has an offer on the table.

Yeah that Rickardsson fella ain't a real world champion is he?

Absolute joke! What a shambles and agree with others that the under 21 title for 2005 should be null and void. Riders shot themselves in the foot though as they should have been tougher and refused to ride after a ride each when it became clear no racing could take place and their safety was in doubt. The poxy FIM then could have done sod all and would have had to rearrange it. Looking at the pictures I feel sorry for Kasprzak. He looks elated with the win but he didn't win it and his win will be tainted and he will know in his heart of hearts that he was not under 21 world champion. If I was in his position I'm not sure I would have accepted the trophy. Also why Suchanek and Lindgren even went on the podium I have no idea. They should have been disgusted with the decision to toss a coin to determine the winner and why they are all smiles goodness knows!! You would have thought they would have refused to take part in such a sick ceremony with the FIM officials after the days events. Sad day for speedway.

Thought there was some cracking racing on display with certain riders going over the edge on occasions but that is what made the meeting exciting and what will get the sport the publicity it needs. The Pedersen/Gollob and Andersen/Lindback battles were great too watch. As someone else has said it was great watching Andersen and Lindback trying to kill each other with their moves in one heat and Gollob and Perdersen going at it hammer and tong. It was great too watch and provided tremendous excitement. Some other moves like Andersen on Nicholls and Crump on Gollob added to the meeting and made it a cracking GP. We need this sort of action on a regular occurance and to see riders getting emotional like Nicki. Great GP. More of the same hard and sometimes dangerous riding with evey rider not giving an inch.

COME ON ENGLAND!!

Big up to the England boys. Come on England, come on England!!

You mean Steve Shovelling is not real?

Good luck to Edward and Tommy in Italy and Daniel in Tarnow.

Denmark-Jan Pedersen Scandanavia-Mikael Tuernberg Poland-Jacek Gollob Czech-Vaclav Verner Italy-Armando Castagna