Vic Ridgeon

I saw Jan Steachmann at Prague airport last year when I went over for the GP! Simple things...

Thanks Anders! Interesting stuff! So, as a Swedish EL novice, who should I support?! I saw a bloke in MASARNAAVESTA jacket at the Prague GP with it's cool logo but have no real affinity to them (maybe Billy Hamill but he is basically a Cradley Heath reject)!

Thanks guys! The top fixture looks like a good match! So, am I to assume that if this is a league where riders of the standard of Simon Stead, Travis McGowan, Chris Harris and Damien Balinski are all reserves then it is much stronger than the British Elite or do I assume the presence of Adrian Miedzinski, Adam Skornicki, Krzysztof Buczkowski, Michal Szczepaniak in the main body of the teams (and I did not mean to pick on the Poles) means simply that different riders perform well in Sweden to Britain. Sorry, you must get asked stuff like this all the time but Swedish speedway is something I'm only just really getting into and it strikes me as a curious point! Also, off topic, is Ludvig Lindgren any good? I'm a Wolverhampton fan and we have (as you probably know) a habit of signing siblings (see Ermolenko and Karlsson)...

Hi Anders! Thanks for all this info! Try As I might, I struggle to follow the rider's individual scores from Sweden in the Speedway Star simply because it is a list of names and numbers with no heat results and no indication of where in the team each person is riding. So, perhaps you can help me out? I see that both Chris Harris and Damien Balinski are riding at positions which would be "reserve" in the British Elite League. Are they actually riding at reserve or is the Swedish structure different? Also, the teams seem much stronger in Sweden than GB. For example, the heatleaders at Wolverhampton are Peter Karlsson and Billy Hamill yet they are only second strings in Sweden! Again, is this correct or down to a different structure? Thanks

Very possible Gav! Mind you, at least the "Pivo" machines inside the stadium worked! There were people going in through that entrance with the e-tickets but for some reason ours related the the entrance farther round? I've no idea why because we were on those wooden seats at turn 1 which is right next to the entrance you're referring to but there you go!

Indeed Gav, we were told there would be no problem but were turned away and had to walk past the flats to the other end of the stadium and use that entrance. Just best to check I suppose.

Hi everyone! I'm missing the Prague GP this year but a quick word of advice for you all. We turned up at the stadium with our e-tickets last year (and our Ivor Brown t-shirts 21st ) and asked a steward if we were at the right entrance to which we were told yes. We then got into an almighty crush only to get to the front and be told that we needed the entrance at the other end of the stadium. The walk was nothing but the crush was not nice so make sure you know which entrance your ticket is valid for! Also, if it's chucking down in Prague, a great little museum which is well worth a visit is the Communism Museum off Wenceslas Square. It's next door to McDonalds... Now if that isn't irony...

Slightly off topic but, having read the criticism of Nigel Pearson's commentary on this forum I think he was spot on with his comment last night when he said (amongst his 3 points for a win, two for second, etc. speech) something along the lines of "I know I must get on the nerves of regular speedway fans when I keep going on about these things but we are appealing to a wider audience and this may be many people's first taste of speedway". Yes, he may get over-excited about nothing. Yes, he may bang on about who rides for who. And yes, he may keep saying which conference league match he's off to next week. But at least he cares about speedway and it's future and makes sure that those amongst us who don't know that much about the sport are informed and up to date. Keep up the good work Nigel

I've read somewhere that Seb Alden is likely to ride for Sweden tonight. I assume this if AJ and Lindback aren't fit. I don't know much about Alden. Obviously he's not going to be an AJ or Lindback but am I correct in assuming he's a better bet than Magnus? Hoping for a Sweden (Team Wolves) win tonight but above all a good meeting which on paper it promises to be! Can't see beyond the Poles on home soil though, irrespective of the Polish form of the other teams riders.

How to beat the queue... I travelled with my mother and father in law (to be) and their friends so there were 5 of us in total. Upon arriving at the stadium my father in law (to be) handed me my "ticket" which said "Free Programme. This ticket does not allow entry to the event" Given my wedding is 5 weeks away I chose to make light hearted conversation about trying to find the meeting on the radio on the journey home (inside I was ) whilst my father in law (to be) tried to negotiate entry at the VIP gate by explaining the situation. Needless to say it didn't work and we were told we'd have to queue (in the snake of people that stretched as far as Leicester) and pay My father in law (to be), clearly embarrassed and angry at himself, walked to the front of the queue to ensure tickets were being sold on the door and was promptly waived to a turnstile booth with the four of us in tow and in we went beating the entire queue My father in law (to be)'s friend sold 3 free programmes (yeah, we kept those "tickets") for £12 to help recoup my father in law (to be)'s loss which put him in a slightly better frame of mind. Then I noted to my father in law (to be) at the end of the meeting that at £44 it was the most expensive lump of crumbling concrete I'd ever stood on I wonder if my wedding is still on...?

I thought the Russians provided quality entertainment last night! All action stuff and a real never-say-die attitude It also gave me an opportunity to come up with a new joke:- What do you call a Russian handyman in the Black Country? Denis Gizatullin Well, I laughed...

Totally agree. Just nice to see the Max again

I know that there has been much questioning of the inclusion of Mikael Max in the Swedish team last night but as a blinkered Wolves fan I have to say I enjoyed seeing him back in action Not so sure about the inclusion of Magnus Karlsson though (even from a blinkered Wolves fan point of view ) Does anyone else think that when AJ dropped out and Max came in the Swedes thought they'd save themselves a few bob and select a reserve who wouldn't have far to travel Anyway, enough of this Sweden natter. Much as I enjoyed Wolves taking on Team GB, Russia and Greg Hancock last night ( ) and cheered them all the way, big congratulations to Team GB on a very professional performance and big thumbs up to the Russians too for being very entertaining Edited for time travel

Forgot about Hefenbrock! And he's only been gone half a season (from Wolves)

Hi 21st! I'm new on the forum but you may have seen a few of my posts recently Anyway, probably not the right place for this but I wanted to say good luck with the petitions for bringing back the Heathens! I'm a massive Wolves fan and I miss the old rivalries with Cradley! I've got a petition printed off myself and I'm going to get my friends and family to sign it and post it off to you! It's a little known fact but, despite my being a Wolves fan, I went to the GP in Prague last year wearing a t-shirt with the "CH" logo on the back and a pic of Ivor Brown on the front! (My dad still hasn;t forgiven me ) Anyway, great thread on the Dudley Wolves trophy! Do you recall the encounter where Scott Smith did something to Sudden Sam's ankle in the first leg and he couldn't ride in the second? Which year was that? 94? Also, and this is probably worth a new thread, how about the Golden Hammer meetings?! Sam used to love winning those!

Well the stats speak for themselves! Was looking forward to seeing him at Coventry too! And Hamill for that matter! Never mind, should be a good meeting! I don't remember Vic Ridgeon (I'm 26!) but the reason I chose this username (with apologies to Speedyguy who knows this) is because when I was at primary school, my dad (who is Mr Provincial League) kept on about a rider called Vic Ridgeon. I didn't know any better and, one day at school, I was asked who my sporting hero was. Bearing in mind this was probably about 1985/86 my answer was "Vic Ridgeon"! My dad had to phone the school the next day to explain! From then on I stuck to riding my BMX with a Wolves scarf round my neck pretending to be Neil Collins! I just thought I'd use something a bit different for my name!

Hi Christy! I'm new too and, likewise, I'm off to the GP in Germany with friends and family! Hope you have fun! I've read the thread and would just say that having looked at the 'traditional' budget airlines websites I can't believe that the airport in Weeze is being described as Dusseldorf! As someone has said, it's about 80km away! It's nearly in Holland! We're flying Air Berlin to Dusseldorf which is £50 return including taxes. Just need somewhere to stay now if any one has any ideas? Also, not sure if I'm raising this in the wrong place so apologies if I am but, any idea who the wild card might be? Presumably German - Smolinski? Kessler Muller

I like it Matt but imagine (and you'll really have to work hard to imagine this) Wayne Carter has to enter... "Well, you know, like, I reckon, like, I should, you know, be riding like, because"... Unlucky!

Has anyone got any thoughts on why Sweden have chosen Jonas Davidsson ahead of Mikael Max? I would have thought Max's experience would be a great asset to their team. I'm braced for replies about looking towards the future and fully accept that I am a biased Wolves fan who already has his tickets for Coventry!