SPEEDY69

Don't forget this is another opportunity for amateur riders to get racing within an excellently run meeting. If you're interested give Linda a call on 07875140019. (www.southerntrackriders.co.uk)

Can't afford it? Rubbish. The riders expenses for the meetings will more than be covered by the money on offer - especially someone expected to score well. Sometimes you have to see the bigger picture and take the hit of earning a little less in expectation of future rewards.

In my view the wildcard place, if it's required to be a Brit, should be the one with the highest EL average for this season - if they decline then go to the next highest. This seems the fairest way but this is speedway we're talking about!

It was a close meeting last night on typical slick continental track. I thought Bridger showed up ok given the circumstances but Barker & Harris were poor. We're not the only nation struggling, Sweden have little backup to Jonsoon & Lindgren and they have more opportunities for inexperienced riders. To say that we have nothing in the UK is not actually true. There is s thriving amateur scene in the UK with different tracks giving practice and racing opportunities such as STR, Scunthorpe, Dragons, Northside and others. Those riders with the desire and talent will still be able to come through. There were no more opportunities for riders starting out years ago when Britain dominated the world stage in the seventies, in fact possibly less. What is true is that league places are now taken by riders from across Europe that have already reached a certain stage. Reducing the EL schedule here from 40 to 28 meetings does nothing to encourage Brits to move up from the PL, where some of them earn a very tidy packet - and that is different from 40 years ago when most riders had full time jobs elsewhere. Where I disagree from many on here is that simply by chucking inexperienced riders into World Cup meetings will not turn them into credible international riders - in fact it could destroy their confidence and reduce sponsorship openings for them. For a World Cup, you have to pick the best side on current ability. When they're ready they'll get a place.

To all those on here simply focussing upon payment, that wasn't the primary reason for Scott removing himself from possible selection - if it was then he wouldn't have ridden in any of the previous World Cups. As mentioned by me in an earlier post detailed reasons were reported some time ago and they were principally about the lack of support given by the BSPA to British riders - nothing to do with pound notes in his own wallet.

Steve, the reasons for his absence were widely reported/commented upon previously - have you been in hibernation? It was a culmination of things to do with the BSPA i.e. support for riders' development; support for riders when competing for GB; knowing that the Cardiff GP wasn't to be based on the British Final a long long time before the event but not telling the riders; preventing GB riders from competing in the Euro Champs (he could still have done it, as Andersen did, but didn't want his club Coventry to be penalised). The latter point is now even more farcical in that they've gifted a place in the finals to Woffinden.

I think that with a full side including Scott instead of Kennett we could have got closer to the Danes but it was always going to be hard. I don't subscribe to youth is best in any sport - it should be the best ones that get picked irrespective of age. If a youngster wants to be involved then surely that's the motivation to get better! If you're good enough you'll be picked on merit (unless it's up to BSI of course ) The race off looks perfectly winnable for Team GB - who have the Aussies got bar Ward that is not beaten regularly in the EL. Tai cancels out Ward then it's Batchelor or Bridger, both are unpredictable and could win everything or lose everything. Next Harris or Doyle, fairly even and finally Barker vs Woodward/North, again honours even in my view. All to play for and this year is one of our better chances to get to the final of recent years as so many teams are very weak.

It really depends upon what 'floats your boat'. I went to Latvia a few years ago and had a great time - I got a coach from Riga (which is a lovely city) but Latvia itself is very rural and not at all like the UK outside of the capital. Daugavpils was also nice and is very cheap - the stadium offers decent viewing and the racing wasn't too bad.

Tickets are in S10, VII numbers 17 & 18.

Two tickets in an excellent position beside the riders/VIP area and pit entrance. Gutted I can no longer go due to a bereavement for a German friend I was going with. PM me for details if you're interested.

You would! I watched that meeting and it was dire, made the last GP seem like the best meeting ever - it didn't seem to matter who you were if you made the start then that's largely how they finished. Janowski was luck to qualify in my opinion due to a re-run and Dilger & Kroner got lucky with not having to race Smoli and Pawlicki due to falls. DIdn't Woffinden also fail to get through qualifying last season & not just Harris?

Darcy Ward plus 4th-6th in the challenge.

What an awful meeting from a spectators viewpoint - virually no overtaking. Shame that falls and the roll of the dice played against Nicholls who was always going to struggle on a gate and go track. Does he go forward as a reserve for the next rounds? Tobi Kroner through - only in Germany!!!

I don't think the BSI selection devalued the British Championship itself but it did remove one key item of interest for both riders and fans - who will get the wildcard for Cardiff. I wasn't that interested in the meeting simply because Tai was always going to win and I couldn't care less who was 2nd/3rd etc.

Somethign wrong with your stats there. I make it Nicholls qualified 3 times out of 8 seasons, Harris only qualified once out of 6. However the debate between the two is not really at issue, it's the lack of any announcement by the BSPA that the British Final no longer carried any GP incentive, when they knew a long time ago, that sticks in the throat. BSI have nominated Harris in my view as they think he's the best choice to help with their promotion of the event - not because he's the most deserving recipient.

Terrible decision in respect of the worht of the British Final. Woffinden should coast to the title this year and the interest was really around the wild card spot. If I was Kennett I'd be fuming right now as he has a real chance of second place. BSI are interested in the revenue and they probably believe that Harris, a former winner, will increase the attendance. We'll have to wait and see on that one. I wonder which Brit will get the wild card spot for the GP challenge at Poole later this year?????

Just watched the GP - there was very little to get excited about apart from the two very bad refereeing decisions. Iversen clearly laid it down and should have been commended rather than excluded, and if it was anyone else except Bunyan it would have been called differently. Where were all these new faces in the final - oh yeah, they weren't!

You may be in a minority but so am I as I agree with you.

One of Pedersen, Hancock or Holder. Sajfutdinov an outside bet with Ward a bit of an unknown - could make the rostrum. The rest also-rans with Gollob to drop out of top 8.

I too expected the replay to be available much sooner than this afternoon! It was pretty good racing, with Nicholls, Kennett and Lindback showing up well. Gollob was hopeless, this wasn't a full throttle and go type of track. The announcer was pretty interesting although his strangest comment was "we've all dropped our drawers here so it's time for you to drop your at home"!!

Does anyone know if this is being shown on TV or on the web? Presumably it starts around 3.30am so maybe I won't stay up to watch live!

I cancelled a month ago and from december enjoy the rest of sky TV but my bill has gone down by over £20 a month.

Ahh, but not for the same year whilst they're enjoying a purple-patch season

Completely agree about qualifying - sometimes riders have really great years which they never repeat and during that year they should have the chance to be world champion. The biggest example of that was NKI last year, 1st 2nd and 3rd in Poland, Sweden and UK leagues.

I don't actually thinks it's that bad an idea. Let's face it, for the first 20 heats the gate positions are a lottery so will one more race make that much difference? If you are unlucky enough to have the worst gate twice in your five rides, and scored poorly then it's unlikely you'd have gotten first pick in the semi's under the old system. Essentially if you are going to win one of these individual meetings, you need the luck on your side. Plus I seem to remember it taking about half an hour just for the last three races - which is why I always watched a recording if I did watch it.