ballinger

The qualifier would offer no prize money just an immediate chance to enter SGP. If riders are not willing to enter a competition that offers them a chance to be World Champion then quite honestly what are they in the sport for.

For what its worth I agree, I was just throwing it into the ring as a suggestion. Ballinger's blueprint recommends Thursday qualifiers prior to each GP which is still the way to go in my opinion, top 8 from previous GP to start following GP, joined by 7 qualifiers, plus 1 wild card. Qualifier to be contested by positions 9-15 from previous GP, 3 local wild cards or nominations, and 6 paid entries. Any 7 able to qualify for GP, but the maximum 4 wildcards would not automatically enter following GP or GP qualifier. Positions 8 & 9 from qualifier ride as track reserves in GP, with any points scored in GP counting in overall GP classification (ie. Top 8 in GP to semi finals from total of 18 riders, not just the starting 16) Paid entries into qualifier would be accepted by FIM within 48 hours of previous GP, riders classified in top 8 from previous season to be provided with up to 4 free entries into qualifiers throughout the season should they be required. World U21 Champ and National Champions to be provided with 1 free entry per season into qualifiers.

2009 U21 final is at Gorican, Croatia

You can add Gorican to 2010 also.

Which if Australia is on the agenda for SGP on the 14/11/09 the semis and final will be staged at Christmas. Cannot see this getting ratified at October's congress, although I suspect some changes to the qualification system may happen, ballinger's SGP qualification blueprint is available for purchase if anyone at the FIM is interested ;-) How's about the 2010 SGP qualifiers happening prior the the first SGP in 2010. 2 semis at the start of April, SGP challenge 2 weeks later, the first SGP 2010 the last weekend in April ??

FIM calendar has it set for the UK on 20 Sept 2009 My bet would be that it'll be at Rye House

Sheer class Steve.

The time is so right to run a qualifier prior to each GP. Come on CCP you know it makes sense !!

Working for me here

Sky are not directing the show at SGP. BSI engage BHP Sport to film SGP, BHP will then engage local crews for the actual mechanics of filming (maybe in Bydgoszcz's case Canal+ Sport ?), and then BHP supply via BSI the feed to those taking the live broadcast. In the UK that is Sky Sports. Sky then wrap their studio format around it, and dip to interviews as and when. Sometimes Sky have Summer Bogh (sp?) as their SGP interviewer, sometimes they take the Steve Brandon interviews that he is doing for BHP. Remember that BHP create their 60 minute highlights show for sale to many other networks, where the language of the show is English. Confusion is caused as Steve Brandon works not only for BSI/BHP as their interviewer / presenter, but also ofcourse directly for Sky Sports as their floor manager for the regular EL stuff. The post Final race interviews which are now conducted on the infield are supposed to be in English as these interviews will form part of the close of the highlights show. With regards to the apologies for the language it is ofcourse more clearly heard by the commentary team as they are listening to the feed through headphones and with the sound mix again over done last night it would have been very clear to them

Looking good for next weekend and a place in SGP 09

Thanks Tomaz, any word on Holta ? Hope he isn't hurt.

Even if you're not going to this, check out the website. The video trailer is absolutely fantastic !!

Just got home and watched this on Sky+ What a joke decision ! Totally and utterly wrong. Darago should never ref a speedway meeting again. Disgraceful !

The German site basically states that 22 riders from a starting pool of 64 would qualify (from 4 Quarters I guess) to the Semi Finals. There they would be joined by riders placed 2-11 in the 2009 SGP (10 riders). The 2 semi finals would then perm 16 for the GP Challenge, the top 10 qualifying for SGP 2010 to join the 2009 World Champ, plus I guess 4 nominations

Its a great idea Qualifier to be contested by riders placed 9th-14th in previous GP (6), riders paying to enter (6), CCP nomination (1), plus (3) local wild cards. Top 7 to qualify to join 8 from previous SGP, plus 1 local wild card. So Motala this Friday could be Harris, Iversen, Pedersen, Nicholls, Dryml, Lindgren plus say Gjedde, Bjerre, Richardson, Walasek, Pavlic, Sajfutdinov, local wild cards of Ljung, Davidsson, and Jonasson, plus a CCP nomination of Hampel for example. I'd pay to watch that.

Ive posted this elsewhere previously, but as the question has been raised once again, I'd prefer to see the whole SGP qualifying system scrapped as it is, and replaced with a qualifier prior to each GP, so for example you'd have a qualifier this Friday at say Motala, with the top however many qualifying for Saturday's SGP at Malilla. So if for example Chris Holder fancied his chances he could try his hand at Motala and if was good enough he could find himself in the SGP full time. It would create a much greater churn of SGP competitors and would save the public seeing the same old strugglers at the bottom of each SGP

Good job Chris Holder got drawn at Rye House last month

Unsurprising given he has his World U21 Semi at Gorican on Saturday, at least I'll get to see him there

Agreed Steady looked woeful tonight, it would have been better if one of Poole's British riders had taken his place

I'll give you 38.85 reasons why Team GB scored what they did tonight.

Thanks

One wonders if the Brandon track will be ready in time for the SWC, given that stock cars last Saturday was run in torrential rain, it rained most of Monday, and has not stopped raining today, Colin Meredith must have a hurculean job on his hands getting it ready. I know from speaking to Colin earlier in the week that the stox had reduced part of the second bend down to the bricks and when I was at the stadium on Monday there was a lake on bend one that had a group of wood pigeons bathing in it ! I fear for Fridays EL match at Brandon already.

Apologies if this has been answered in an earlier post, but does anyone know what time this meeting starts ?

Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom, not Great Britain