Jemma

What time is it all starting on Saturday? I'm down in Newcastle at the moment, finishing off the New Year holidays, but we're back home to Brisbane, via Armidale on Friday. Might be able to see my first speedway meeting in about 3 years!

I stick with the riders I've named - because they have all been world champions and therefore have shown that they do have the mental toughness, that something extra required to do so. The fact that they may have been beaten (or put under pressure) by another rider who went on to win the title is irrelevant - no-one can be expected to be an automaton and be mentally tough enough to win on every single occasion. The day comes when even a champion meets his match or has had his day. However the point is that all those riders had shown they had what it took at least once. Most riders will never have the talent, or most importantly, the strength where it matters the most - in their head - to get there even that one time.

I suspect he just may not be mentally tough enough to up his game to the required level to win at international level. Maybe he never will be? He's not alone there, and there's nothing wrong with that - after all that's why so few ever make it to be world champions at their chosen sport. Talent, potential, sponsorship etc etc aren't necessarily enough. You have to have that something extra, that something that marks you out from the rest and leads you to beat the very best. Look at past champions - Hans Nielsen, Tony Rickardsson, Jason Crump, Nicki Pedersen, to name but four... All extremely tough competitors, and mentally very strong under pressure. That is what it takes to really succeed at the top level.

I agree, it might just help. Or at least give the impression that having a successful British squad is something British speedway actually wants and is prepared to invest in. Unfortunately I suspect the word 'invest' is where the problem lies - who'd pay for a week's training camp? British Speedway is run by a group of individual promoters and I'm not certain the promoters are keen to pay into anything that doesn't directly affect their own club. It'd be kind of typical to send our squad off to Latvia for a week's hard labour...er I mean training, and then expect the riders to pick up the tab. The whole British team just seems to have an air of lack of interest in it all round for whatever reason. On a separate note, I went to Coventry last night on a whim, only my fourth meeting of the year (last year I was going to two meetings a week). I've lost all enthusiasm to go this season, and frankly, if I needed any confirmation that my decision to draw a line under my speedway supporting years was a good one, last night provided it. The product, the track, the racing - p1ss-poor and lousy value for money.

I can't point out where you've gone wrong as I never got to grips with the scoring system! However Rob Peasley has put all the gory details on the Oxford website, so see here: http://www.oxford-speedway.com/index.php?name=News

I'll give him a cheer for you Sandie - though I'll be shouting for Oxford's very own Brendan Johnson as well of course!

Which of course will be totally free of bias. I wonder what David's account will be? Were you there at this meeting then Chris? If you were, fair enough. But if you weren't - then your opinion of what went on is presumably no more valid than Leanne's; and maybe you shouldn't be so quick to defend?

Interesting, just been looking at the Vetlanda link someone posted, http://www.vmselit.nu/grandfinal/index.php...=21&module=news, and the latest news item says that they have covered the track to keep the rain off... Wonder how this works, as haven't we always been told in the UK covering a track is 'impossible'?

To me it really boils down to what the organisers of the GP series want. If it's a fair competition, watching riders who are there by right battle it out to become the true world champion, then make them all qualify, and then there's no argument. If it's a circus where the main aim is to make money and keep sponsors/fans in the various countries happy, then pick and choose who rides in it. I think we can pretty much see which direction the GP series appears to be pointed, and sadly it's the opposite of what the majority of speedway fans want and expect - a true sporting contest based on talent alone, not based on who you are or who you know. On a separate note, in response to comments suggesting that if there was no British rider in it crowds would drop at Cardiff - well I'm not convinced. Most speedway fans I know often support whichever of their team's riders is competing first and foremost anyway, regardless of nationality. From a personal point of view a GP series full of riders who haven't qualified on merit is more likely to put me off going to Cardiff than seeing a series fought out by riders who are there by rights, but which may not include any British riders. Perhaps a few GP series without a British rider qualifying would make our own powers that be start wondering why we're not producing top British speedway riders in this country and come up with some strategies to rectify the problem.

Iguess it depends on who you rate and who you don't. My conclusion is drawn from the simple fact that I don't rate Richardson and I do rate NKI.

He'll finish above Richardson no problem.

Did I say that it should be? I just suggested that maybe it had some bearing on the decision. Incidentally though, many people seem to be of the opinion that a one off meeting is the perfect way to decide the world champion, and if say the world number 7 got beaten on the night by someone who was a wild card, that would be tough luck...

The trouble is there isn't any transparency in what the selection criteria has been - which leaves us to only guess. As we all seem to know, the only real way to run a credible world championship is to have qualifying rounds, then at least you can say whoever is there is there on merit. As for Puk, I'm pleased for him and hope he does ok. I don't think he'll be the worst there. As for being 25th in the league averages, maybe he is, I haven't checked, but he also came second in the Danish Championship behind Nicki Pedersen, so maybe that was taken into account?

I think I met you briefly Midnight Lady at Oxford the thursday before Cardiff - I was helping Cheetahhawk sell the raffle tickets!

What an appalling looking injury. I hope he heals up soon.

Well it definitely wasn't DutchBoy Gemini, because he was with me and friends, and I'm sure someone would've introduced to me you!

Well you'll be more than welcome if you come and join us at Oxford! I'm totally biased but I think we have a very entertaining side this year. But maybe you should just go along to all the tracks you mentioned and see where you like the best? How's that for diplomacy?!

Ryan Sullivan

Hmm, having considered it for ooh, three seconds, I'll pass on all the mobile numbers thanks! Little too old for all that kind of mularkey, and definitely too old for Lubos!! But hey, having never met Dekker, maybe I'm turning down a real stud?! Shame he supports the wrong team.

Why lucky? Presumably like most other individual meetings these days, whoever is first past the post in the final wins reagrdless of points. I guess that makes Sean Wilson lucky to win the Premier League Riders Championship even though both Carl Stonehewer and Adam Shields scored more on the night. That's the way the competiton goes. Or maybe Lubos was just 'lucky' because he has connections with Oxford?!?!?!