Subedei

As I said, a weak team rules out the Czech Republic, although manifestly it has the facilities. And, after Poland, the next most likely nation to take a decent support to Prague and Pardubice is Germany. And they aren't likely to make the final either. It's a shame.

Why? It's hardly as if Nicholls and Richardson have proved themselves in the GPs.

I'd say the Czech Republic, with the Marketa and Pardubice, should perhaps get a shout at it. But a weak team probably rules that out.

Yes, all that overtaking. Who needs it?

Nonsense. The racing at Wroclaw was far superior and the racing at Eskilstuna was on another planet.

Don't you mean "hopefully not"?

My pleasure: http://www.speedway-forum.co.uk/forums/ind...opic=22113&st=0

And which British club is Kolodziej nominally an asset of? And which British club are BSI rumoured to be interested in taking over? I believe in both cases the club is Reading. Now, would it be attractive to have Kolodziej in the GPs if he was also riding for a BSI-owned Reading in the Elite League?

So, at the end of the day Tomasz Gollob, Wieslaw Jagus (reigning champion), Tomasz Chrzanowski, Robert Kosciecha and Krzysztof Kasprzak didn't turn up, for whatever reason. It could prove costly for young Kasprzak, missing through injury. Kolodziej adds the Golden Helmet to the Polish championship he won earlier in the season and surely takes pole position for Poland's third and final GP spot.

ZLOTEGO KASKU ------------------------------ Zlotego Kasku - Rybnik 1..P Swiderski (Wroclaw)..2,1,2,2,2 = 9 2..T Gapinski (Leszno)..3,0,3,0,0 = 6 3..Z Czerwinski (Rybnik)..1,0,0,0,0 = 1 4..D Cieslewicz (Gniezno)..0,0,2,0,2 = 4 5..K Klecha (Bydgoszcz)..0,2,0,1,0 = 3 6..R Sawina (Bydgoszcz)..3,1,0,2,1 = 7 7..M Kuciapa (Rzeszow)..2,2,0,0,1 = 5 8..G Walasek (Czestochowa)..1,1,3,1,3 = 9 9..M Rempala (Tarnow)..0,0,2,3,2 = 7 10..K Slabon (Wroclaw)..2,3,3,2,0 = 10 11..M Szczepaniak (Ostrow)..1,0,1,2,1 = 5 12..D Balinski (Leszno)..3,2,2,3,2 = 12 13..M Wegrzyk (Ostrow)..0,3,1,3,3 = 10 14..R Szombierski (Rybnik)..3,2,1,1,3 = 10 15..J Jurczynski (Lodz)..1,3,1,1,1 = 7 16..J Kolodziej (Tarnow)..2,3,3,3,3 = 14 R1..L Romanek = DNR R2..R Pawlaszczyk = DNR ------------------------------ Ht 1..Gapinski, Swiderski, Czerwinski, Cieslewicz Ht 2..Sawina, Kuciapa, Walasek, Klecha Ht 3..Balinski, Slabon, Szczepaniak, Rempala [E/F] Ht 4..Szombierski, Kolodziej, Jurczynski, Wegrzyk Ht 5..Wegrzyk, Klecha, Swiderski, Rempala Ht 6..Slabon, Szombierski, Sawina, Gapinski Ht 7..Jurczynski, Kuciapa, Szczepaniak [E/F], Czerwinski [Ex] Ht 8..Kolodziej, Balinski, Walasek, Cieslewicz [E/F] Ht 9..Kolodziej, Swiderski, Szczepaniak, Sawina Ht 10..Gapinski, Balinski, Jurczynski, Klecha Ht 11..Walasek, Rempala, Szombierski, Czerwinski Ht 12..Slabon, Cieslewicz, Wegrzyk, Kuciapa [E/F] Ht 13..Balinski, Swiderski, Szombierski, Kuciapa Ht 14..Wegrzyk, Szczepaniak, Walasek, Gapinski [E/F] Ht 15..Kolodziej, Slabon, Klecha, Czerwinski Ht 16..Rempala, Sawina, Jurczynski, Cieslewicz Ht 17..Walasek, Swiderski, Jurczynski, Slabon Ht 18..Kolodziej, Rempala, Kuciapa, Gapinski Ht 19..Wegrzyk, Balinski, Sawina, Czerwinski Ht 20..Szombierski, Cieslewicz, Szczepaniak, Klecha Ht 21..Slabon, Wegrzyk, Szombierski ------------------------------ Notes: 1..Ht 7 and there's a re-run after Czerwinski falls and is excluded. 2..Ht 18 and Kolodziej's win means he's got 14 points and wins the Golden Helmet. 3..Ht 20 and a win for Szombierski means it's a race-off for the bronze medal between him, Slabon and Wegrzyk. 4..Ht 21 and Slabon wins the race-off and gets the bronze medal. ------------------------------ Official Classification: 1..J Kolodziej 2..D Balinski 3..K Slabon ------------------------------ All details from: http://www.sportowefakty.pl

And here's the details: Ostrow versus Gdansk - 12-10-05 So, who'll be joining Tarnow, Bydgoszcz, Torun, Czestochowa, Leszno, Wroclaw and Rzeszow in next season's Ekstra Liga? Will it be Ostrow? Or will it be Gdansk? This is the first leg of a two-legged contest to decide the matter. ------------------------------ Ostrow..44 9..T Jedrzejak..3,3,3,2,3 = 14 10..M Piaszczynski..0 = 0 11..M Szczepaniak..3,3,3,2',0 = 11+1 12..P Dym..0,2',0,3,1 = 6+1 13..A Dryml..2,2,3,3,0 = 10 14..M Liberski..0,0,0,0 = 0 15..S Brucheiser..2,0,1,0,0 = 3 Gdansk..46 1..T Chrzanowski..1',1,2,1 = 5+1 2..T Bajerski..2,0,1',1',3 = 7+2 3..R Kosciecha..2,3,2,1,1' = 9+1 4..K Jablonski..1',1,1',3,2' = 8+3 5..B Pedersen..3,2,2,2,2 = 11 6..M Jablonski..3,1,1,1',0 = 6+1 7..S Dabrowski..1 = 1 Ht 1..M Jablonski, Bruchesier, Dabrowski, Liberski 2-4 (2-4) Ht 2..Jedrzejak, Bajerski, Chrzanowski, Piaszczynski 3-3 (5-7) Ht 3..Szczepaniak, Kosciecha, K Jablonski, Dym 3-3 (8-10) Ht 4..Pedersen, Dryml, M Jablonski, Brucheiser 2-4 (10-14) Ht 5..Szczepaniak, Dym, Chrzanowski, Bajerski 5-1 (15-15) Ht 6..Kosciecha, Dryml, K Jablonki, Liberski 2-4 (17-19) Ht 7..Jedrzejak, Pedersen, Bruchesier, M Jablonski 4-2 (21-21) Ht 8..Dryml, Chrzanowski, Bajerski, Liberski 3-3 (24-24) Ht 9..Jedrzejak, Kosceicha, K Jablonski, Brucheiser 3-3 (27-27) Ht 10..Szczepaniak, Pedersen, M Jablonski, Dym [E/F] 3-3 (30-30) Ht 11..K Jablonski, Jedrzejak, Kosciecha, Liberski 2-4 (32-34) Ht 12..Dym, Szczepaniak, Chrzanowski, M Jablonski 5-1 (37-35) Ht 13..Dryml, Pedersen, Bajerski, Brucheiser 3-3 (40-38) Ht 14..Bajerski, K Jablonski, Dym, Dryml 1-5 (41-43) Ht 15..Jedrzejak, Pedersen, Kosceicha, Szczepaniak 3-3 (44-46) ------------------------------ Notes: 1..Ht 4 and Brucheiser replaces Liberski for Ostrow. 2..Ht 7 and Brucheiser replaces Piaszczynski for Ostrow. 3..Ht 9 and Brucheiser replaces Piaszczynski for Ostrow. 4..Ht 13 and Brucheiser replaces Piaszczynski for Ostrow. 5..Ht 14 and it's Dym-Dryml for Ostrow and Bajerski-K Jablonski for Gdansk. 6..Ht 14 and Dryml gets himself into mischief at the tapes and is excluded. 7..Ht 15 and it's Jedrzejak-Szczepaniak for Ostrow and Kosciecha-Pedersen for Gdansk. 8..Ht 15 and a 3-3 means that Ostrow lose 44-46 at home and have a mountain to climb in the second leg in Gdansk. ------------------------------ Bonus points calculated per British Elite League. All details from: http://www.sportowefakty.pl

Sometimes you've just got to admit you've got no idea. And this is one of those times. I know it's 20zl to get in and 5zl for a programme. I know there's a place in the 2006 Ekstra Liga up for grabs. But I don't know how many they're expecting to attend. But there could be a few "sickies" being pulled in Ostrow tomorrow.

Think the tapes go up at 2:30pm BST, so I should be still out earning a crust. But we'll see. It'll be on "sportowefakty.pl" if not.

Exactly. And if it grows big enough, even the top stars will desert the GPs.

At the end of the day, this is a relatively new competition and may grow into something much bigger. Remember, when the GPs were first talked about the major nations considered dropping the FIM. The mess the FIM are allowing BSI to make of the GPs leaves an opening for the EUM to make a challenge. All it needs is for the EUM to get some serious money behind them and lure one of the big nations into their camp and BSI and the FIM are in trouble. And they'll have no one to blame but themselves.

But with the FIM, under the malign influence of BSI, making a mockery of the GP series, if the EUM can get a head of steam up with this competition it could be the start of a power-shift in speedway. A decent sponsorship package that'd bring in the top stars in the world would get the FIM and their pimps BSI worried. The FIM and BSI are making a joke of the GPs and opening the door to a competition with values and integrity.

And Brentford (Rzeszow) visited Chelsea (Tarnow) this afternoon: Tarnow versus Rzeszow And here's a taste of things to come, as 2005 Ekstra Liga champions Tarnow take on Liga I champions - and 2006 Ekstra Liga bound - Rzeszow. The foreign stars are missing, but TG's there. And this is a local derby. Next season's clashes are eagerly awaited by both camps. ------------------------------ Tarnow..59 9..J Kolodziej..3,3,3,3,2' = 14+1 10..K Zielinski..0,1,0,0 = 1 11..S Burza..3,1',3,2,3 = 12+1 12..R Wardzala..2',2,0,1',0 = 5+2 13..T Gollob..2',2',3,3,3 = 13+2 14..M Rempala..3,3,3,2',2' = 13+2 15..M Trytko..1 = 1 Rzeszow..31 1..D Sledz..2,0,1,0 = 3 2..T Rempala..1',3,0,1',0 = 5+2 3..K Baran..1,0,1',0,2 = 4+1 4..P Miesiac..0,1,2,1,1' = 5+1 5..M Kuciapa..1,2,1',2,1 = 7+1 6..D Stachyra..2,0,0,2,3 = 7 7..M Les..0 = 0 Ht 1..M Rempala, Stachyra, Trytko, Les [Ex] 4-2 (4-2) Ht 2..Kolodziej, Sledz, T Rempala, Zielinski 3-3 (7-5) Ht 3..Burza, Wardzala, Baran, Miesiac 5-1 (12-6) Ht 4..M Rempala, Gollob, Kuciapa, Stachyra 5-1 (17-7) Ht 5..T Rempala, Wardzala, Burza, Sledz 3-3 (20-10) Ht 6..M Rempala, Gollob, Miesiac, Baran [E/F] 5-1 (25-11) Ht 7..Kolodziej, Kuciapa, Zielinski, Stachyra [E/F] 4-2 (29-13) Ht 8..Gollob, M Rempala, Sledz, T Rempala 5-1 (34-14) Ht 9..Kolodziej, Miesiac, Baran, Zielinski 3-3 (37-17) Ht 10..Burza, Stachyra, Kuciapa, Wardzala 3-3 (40-20) Ht 11..Kolodziej, M Rempala, Miesiac, Baran 5-1 (45-21) Ht 12..Stachyra, Burza, Wardzala, Sledz 3-3 (48-24) Ht 13..Gollob, Kuciapa, T Rempala, Zielinski 3-3 (51-27) Ht 14..Burza, Baran, Miesiac, Wardzala [E/F] 3-3 (54-30) Ht 15..Gollob, Kolodziej, Kuciapa, T Rempala 5-1 (59-31) ------------------------------ Notes: 1..Ht 1 and Les gets himself into mischief for Rzeszow and is excluded. 2..Ht 14 and it's Burza-Wardzala for Tarnow and Baran-Miesiac for Rzeszow. 3..Ht 15 and it's Kolodziej-Gollob for Tarnow and T Rempala-Kuciapa for Rzeszow. ------------------------------ Bonus points calculated per British Elite League. All individual scores from: http://www.unia.tarnow.pl I worked out the heat results myself, so they could be incorrect, but they fit the individual scores.

If it was, it probably isn't now. Jesper B doesn't strike me as the sort of rider BSI want cluttering up their sand pit.

EUROPEAN INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL ------------------------------ European Individual Championship Final - Lonigo 1..S Drabik (Poland)..0,0,1,0,0 = 1 2..D Balinski (Poland)..2,2,3,2,1 = 10 3..A Dryml (Czech Rep)..3,3,2,3,3 = 14 4..L Szatmari (Hungary)..1,2,2,1,0 = 6 5..D Tessari (Italy)..0,0,2,0,0 = 2 6..L Dryml (Czech Rep)..3,2,1,1,3 = 10 7..P Swiderski (Poland)..2,0,0,2,3 = 7 8..T Gapinski (Poland)..1,1,1,0,2 = 5 9..K Laukkanen (Finland)..1,3,3,3,2 = 12 10..J B Jensen (Denmark)..3,3,3,2,3 = 14 11..R Gafurov (Russia)..2,2,3,1,2 = 10 12..D Ruud (Sweden)..0,3,2,3,1 = 9 13..M Ferjan (Slovenia)..2,1,1,3,2 = 9 14..P Ljung (Sweden)..1,0,0,2,1 = 4 15..H Moller (Denmark)..0,1,0,1,1 = 3 16..M Szczepaniak (Poland)..3,0,0,0,0 = 3 ------------------------------ Ht 1..A Dryml, Balinski, Szatmari, Drabik [Ex] Ht 2..L Dryml, Swiderski, Gapinski, Tessari Ht 3..Jensen, Gafurov, Laukkanen, Ruud Ht 4..Szczepaniak, Ferjan, Ljung, Moller Ht 5..Laukkanen, L Dryml, Ferjan, Drabik Ht 6..Jensen, Balinski, Moller, Tessari Ht 7..A Dryml, Gafurov, Ljung [Ex], Swiderski [Ex] Ht 8..Ruud, Szatmari, Gapinski, Szczepaniak Ht 9..Gafurov, Tessari, Drabik, Szczepaniak [Ex] Ht 10..Balinski, Ruud, L Dryml, Ljung Ht 11..Laukkanen, A Dryml, Gapinski, Moller Ht 12..Jensen, Szatmari, Ferjan, Swiderski Ht 13..Ruud, Swiderski, Moller, Drabik Ht 14..Ferjan, Balinski, Gafurov, Gapinski Ht 15..A Dryml, Jensen, L Dryml, Szczepaniak Ht 16..Laukkanen, Ljung, Szatmari, Tessari Ht 17..Jensen, Gapinski, Ljung, Drabik [E/F] Ht 18..Swiderski, Laukkanen, Balinski, Szczepaniak Ht 19..A Dryml, Ferjan, Ruud, Tessari Ht 20..L Dryml, Gafurov, Moller, Szatmari [Ex] Ht 21..Jensen, A Dryml ------------------------------ Notes: 1..Ht 1 and Drabik gets himself into mischief and is excluded. 2..Ht 7 and Swiderski gets himself into mischief and is excluded. 3..Ht 7 and Ljung gets himself into mischief and is excluded. 4..Ht 9 and Szczepaniak gets himself into mischief and is excluded. 5..Ht 20 and Szatmari gets himself into mischief and is excluded. 6..Ht 21 and Jesper B Jensen wins the race-off with Ales Dryml and is the 2005 European Champion. ------------------------------ All details from: http://www.zuzelend.com

You're obviously not Tony Blair then.

Congratulations to Matej Zagar on his victory on the night and overall. But a huge well done to Jurica Pavlic as well.

The memorial meeting is for his grandfather, also called Lubos, who died on-track many years ago.

Didn't Jan Andersson's sister ride in the Swedish leagues?

I notice attendances hit a 52-year high in 2005. Speedway in Sweden seems to be on a very healthy upward curve.

And when I get you, norbold and AndyM to acknowledge the genius of Tomasz Gollob, I'll believe nothing is impossible.