IainB

As is always the case the power sits with the riders, if they choose to use it collectively. Poland seem to try something like this every year but always have to bow to the strength of the riders, they maybe able to make the rule attractive for the big polish hitters like Zmarzlik, Janowski, Dudek etc. But as we've seen this last season if your face doesn't fit for whatever reason you're very quickly thrown on the scrap heap, Batch, Bewley, KK, Kurtz etc. Can't see the riders of this class signing up to these rules unless they're guaranteed a fixed income retainer

Have you been?

I don't want to turn this into a Covid argument and this is probably one for the nutjob Covid thread but New Zealand, 2 Islands, are "living with the virus" just fine, sport being played to full stadiums

Tidiest I've ever seen it though...

Speedway is not a reflection of society though is it and that's part of it's problem imo. You can count the number of "BAME" people involved in the sport on one hand, Women? Can anybody name more than 5? Nobody in Speedway is Gay? The crowd is, in the majority, aging and male

Money!

Depends which reports you've read, GB Speedway sponsor the Daily Star led with a Speedway Star Garrity etc. etc. headline

It could be better for the Speedway fan as instead of paying £40 a month for a Sky package, you can get the Eurosport Player for £40 for the year

Again, I'm not an apologist for Garrity but just a point of fact... the victim's ages have not been disclosed, one of the victims is described as "an elderly woman"

Maybe it'll be shown on the Eurosport Player, a subscription streaming service, it's on offer from time to time at a pretty good price too

That may be... But, Sweden managed to run, a truncated, season in front of crowds of 50 people, that wouldn't be anywhere near enough to fund a meeting. I assume that the shortfall was made up by sponsorship and a TV deal. All I was saying is that as the UK couldn't do the same I take it that the Eurosport TV deal with BSPL wasn't as good as that in Sweden

I was there for his first come back... at Long Eaton I assume he's back living in the US then, I always thought he was running a business in Tewksbury

That's fair enough... We can definitely agree on the latter though

Oh, OK, I thought it was both, easier for CL I think

Something that I don't think anybody has mentioned yet is the plan to just run 2021 as if it were 2020 with the same teams etc. I think, while this would be a nice idea, it's only going to take one club to break ranks and the rest will do the same. There are going to be some riders out there, who have had successful seasons in Poland who's stock has risen and I think they'll be looking for better deals. Jaimon Lidsey had a great season in Poland, came of age, finished WU21 champ, I'm not suggesting he'll be holding out for more money... but he bloody well should be as a self employed business man. Also he finished 2019 with a 5.16 average, he must be a 7 to 8 point rider now, can you see other clubs being happy with him starting on a 5.16? Robert Lambert has already indicated he may be giving UK a miss next season, who would he be replaced with? After his successful season in Europe is he better than his final 2019 average of 7.61? To run 2021 as 2020 seems rather simplistic to me and controlling riders demands and decisions is rather like herding cats

From reading the Police statement it doesn't say he brutally attacked anybody, he burgled one person and robbed another at knife point. He's used threatening behaviour yes but he hasn't actually physically attacked anybody in this case (from what I've read). I am in no way defending or condoning his actions, I totally condemn them, just pointing out the known facts.

Daily Star, sponsors of GB Speedway Team

It's all part of the overall package though isn't it. Dan could buy Tai's bikes off him at the end of the year but they'd probably deteriorate over the course of a season without the correct maintenance and upkeep. Whatever the reason it was clear to see he was a lot sharper from the start and instead of just drifting away at the back was normally challenging the rider in front of him when he wasn't in front himself. I'm sure deep down Dan knows what the reasons are, whether he has the wherewithal to do anything about it though is a different matter

The Ronnie Correy? Is he riding again? What's he up to these days? Did he do well?

CHAMPIONS! for one more day! Do we retain the title this year with an undefeated record?

without going into the whys and wherefores of mask wearing and social distancing etc, I don't think anybody that watched the TV coverage of Polish speedway this year would be surprised

I think it'll very much depend on Eurosport

Cook yourself a big plate of chips in Castrol R, make sure you eat many many tins of baked beans with it, close all your doors and windows, sit back and wait for nature to take its course

GB Speedway Team mission statement: The mission is simple; to make Great Britain the most successful and most professional National Speedway Team on the planet. Great Britain Speedway Team has developed and launched it’s Tracking Success Programme incorporating sports science experts, rider coaches, tactical analysts and branding specialists, the Great Britain Speedway Team consists of people that are not only experts in their chosen field but also people who are passionate about elevating GB to the very top. Great Britain race every year in the FIM Team World Championship - Monster Energy FIM Speedway of Nations and also the FIM U21 Team World Championship. In addition to these events Great Britain also take part in the Global Challenge Series against other leading Nations - the highest level of International Test Match Speedway staged between full 7 rider teams. Despite stunning early success, when Great Britain came within one race of winning the Gold medal at the 2018 Monster Energy FIM Speedway of Nations tournament, there is a long-term vision in place with the goal of Great Britain regularly producing elite level athletes who can compete on the World stage. In addition to its senior team, Great Britain have now implemented a solid foundation with the launch of the GB Academy, embracing young athletes from the age of 15 and steering them through their development and into the Under 21 squad, there is now a very clear pathway for British Speedway athletes to reach the very top.

I'm sure Kemp does show the right attitude and like I've said before I wish him well in his future my real issue is with the management and selection of riders. Having a good attitude and deserving a place in a world final are 2 completely different things, Adam Roynon had/has a superb attitude you'd never select him for a world final slot though. Surely you blood riders with potential in test matches, there was a world championship medal up for grabs at the SoN and with the likelihood of the track being weather affected always being high. My general point is how long do you keep sacrificing what you've currently got in the hope of what you might get? Sounds a bit like somebody with a scratch card addiction when I put it like that () GB Speedway needs to make it's mind up on what its mission is. Is it to develop a crop of young riders to fill up team places in league speedway or is it to develop all riders no matter what their age. Also if a rider doesn't buy in to the GB Speedway mission should this exclude them from selection?