NeilWatson

Peterborough v Ipswich - 1st April Meeting POSTPONED

Whoops, I thought that was in the MDL meeting. It had been a long day...

The meeting was quite unusual to have not a single re-run or fall - that helps the timekeeping.

COVENTRY have moved quickly to snap up Connor Mountain as their new No.1 – after being forced into an eve-of-season change of plan. The Bees had been set to go into the campaign, which starts at Birmingham next Wednesday (March 28), with 17-year-old Jack Parkinson-Blackburn at the top of the order. But it was announced on Monday that the former British Youth Champion was taking time out of the sport, and will not be taking up his team places with either Coventry or Championship club Glasgow. Bees therefore rapidly re-established contact with Mountain, who had shown an interest in joining the club earlier in the winter. The 20-year-old suffered a broken back in 2016 but recovered to enjoy his best season in the sport last year, posting a 9.06 average for Mildenhall and progressing at Championship level with Ipswich. Promoter Mick Horton said: “Connor approached me several weeks ago about joining us, but unfortunately for him we’d just completed our team at that stage. “It was a shame for him that he missed out, but thankfully for us he was still available when the situation changed with the events of late. “Connor is without doubt a recognised No.1 in the National League, and we’re very pleased to have him on board. “He jumped at the chance of joining us, and he’ll be with us at Birmingham next Wednesday although we will need a guest at Belle Vue on Good Friday as he’s already committed with Ipswich on that day. “As a club we’d also like to wish Jack all the best. It’s clearly something he needs to sort out himself, and I’m sure he will be bouncing back in the near future.” With press and practice last weekend having been postponed due to the weather, Coventry are one of several clubs whose riders have been short of time on the circuit ahead of the official start of the season. Horton added: “We’re desperately trying to get some track time at Leicester but it’s not easy at the moment, the track has taken on a lot of water and they’re working hard on it as we speak.”

That's correct, only league matches count towards averages.

Art 18.8.A - Guest or RR for 1-3 by MA

Frankly 'HalifaxTiger', I'm astonished by your attitude to all this as you're one of the more respected posters on this forum. I'm at the Showground as I type this. There is no question that the meeting could have gone ahead - and that has been the case all week, hence the early postponement. There may be cases where 'fingers crossed and hope for the best' is appropriate, this was not one of them.

The call-off wasn’t solely because of the forecast though, it was the forecast in conjunction with the track already being under water, giving no opportunity to erect the air-fence or prepare the racing surface.

It's a fresh start in 2018.

From SpeedwayGB Facebook page posted by Ged this morning: Just to clarify the east of England arena is under water We cannot get tractors on the track to prepare a race meeting all land maintenance on the arena is on hold as the last few weeks weather conditions have left the entire grass land and track underwater Please remember my team and Paul have worked tirelessly putting this meeting together and we are as saddened as everyone else What we didnt want was a large crowd and very poor race conditions and the track ruined for the first half of the season We’ve called the meeting off early so people don’t travel and can cancel hotels We look forward to re-staging the meeting and hope supporters understand the joint decision that myself Paul and the grounds work team at the east of England arena made together

The organisers of the 2018 Ben Fund Bonanza due to be at Peterborough this Sunday have been forced to postpone the event due to adverse weather.It is the first postponement in the ten years that the event has been run, but a restaging date will be found.Paul Ackroyd said “We have had to call it off because the track is unfit, and can’t be made raceable in time due to the poor weather and the forecast of it worsening over the weekend, when we are told it will be cold and unpleasant.“We are extremely disappointed of course but we have made the decision at an early stage to prevent inconvenience and to allow people to cancel any travel arrangements they have made. I feel for Ged and his staff and the Showground people who have worked hard to prepare for the meeting.“It will be restaged at some point and we will make that announcement at the earliest time possible.”

It has been brought to our attention that fans have been emailing the East of England Showground direct about the change to the start time of the Ben Fund meeting. On behalf of the Peterborough promotion and the Ben Fund organisers we request fans NOT to do this. It will not help, and will only serve to damage the good relationship between Peterborough Speedway and our Landlords.

PETERBOROUGH co-promoter Ged Rathbone has moved to clarify the circumstances behind the start-time change for the Ben Fund Bonanza later this month. The club have been forced to switch the meeting at the East of England Arena to a 6.30pm start on Sunday March 18, rather than the initially planned 2pm. And Rathbone has urged supporters to still get behind the event, which has attracted a high-class field, with all proceeds going directly to the Fund to benefit injured riders. He said: “We do understand people had made arrangements for a 2pm start, which would have been absolutely fine, and the change disappoints us just as much as the supporters. “The simple reason is that there is another event going on at the Showground, and due to the size of crowd that is expected for the speedway, it can’t run alongside that other event, so we’ve been asked to move. “The only realistic option we had was to put the start-time back, and we were actually asked to move it to 7.30pm, but we’ve been able to negotiate the time that we have. The only other option really would have been to cancel the meeting. “We’re just as gutted from our own point of view as a lot of organisation has already gone into it, and we had a great many things planned for the day which are now going to have to be shelved. “But we do have to understand how busy the Showground is, and as much as they look after us with the speedway, it’s a business to them and they have major events there. “As soon as we were informed of the change we’ve gone live with it, and when you don’t own your own stadium and don’t have control of what happens, this is what you have to live with. “I can only apologise again, it’s something we are disappointed about as well, but it is outside our control and now is the time to rally round and support the meeting. “We have to remember what the meeting is for. It’s the Benevolent Fund meeting, and every penny from it goes to injured riders. “The club, or any individual at the club, doesn’t get anything from it, so it’s a lot of hard work from my team at the stadium, and also a massive amount of time and effort has gone in from Paul (Ackroyd) and his staff in putting the field together that we have. “We know it could inconvenience people for a few hours, but we beg them to still support it, because it’s for the riders. We still have to get behind it and make it the best possible event, and raise the most money possible.” Rathbone has confirmed the intention will be to run a rapid meeting with the main event expected to take place within a two-hour window from the 6.30pm start. He said: “Aside from any unforeseen incidents, there won’t be any meaningful breaks once the meeting starts. “We have SCB members there who will work with us in the pits, as we’ve done with the Fours, and when one race is on-track the riders for the next will be ready, so we will move on with it. “With a 6.30pm start we are realistically hoping to get the racing finished by 8.30pm, so people will hopefully be able to get underway for home by 9pm. “So even if people are travelling a distance and live two or three hours away, we want them to be home by midnight – and I can assure them that I’ll be the last one out of the stadium, I’ll lock the doors and then I have a three hour drive home myself! “I can only stress from both myself and Paul that so much work and effort has gone into this, with putting together the field we have done, and we really want people to support it. “I do understand there’s going to be criticism, but there has to be a limit to that. We still want this to be a special meeting, and now it’s time to get behind it.” Event organisers also politely remind supporters that if the change of start-time does mean they cannot attend, they can still support the Fund by making a donation at www.srbf.co.uk .

As the Press Release says this is an enforced change - certainly not ‘shoddy organisation of the speedway promoters’.

http://www.peterboroughpanthers.co/news.php?extend.3297.2

Scott Nicholls 7.48 PL - 9.72 CL

http://www.speedwaygb.co/news.php?extend.33920

Not at all

Emil's final GSA for 2017 was 3.88 PL which converts to 5.04 CL for 2018

They don't

On 11th January you referred to Emil's average being 5.20, which I said was incorrect - which was correct! Emil was given an assessed average in 2017 of 3.88 as per the Green Sheets (http://www.speedwaygb.co/files/downloads/p17_issue_final_numerical.pdf). With the 1.3 conversion Emil's 2018 CL average will be 5.04.

That wasn’t the case, 39.00 was the status quo after animated discussion didn’t achieve a consensus for change.

COVENTRY’S line-up for their return to the sport in the National League this season is now complete. The Bees can confirm the signings of Luke Ruddick, Jamie Halder and Ryan MacDonald to finalise the septet which will take to the track at their temporary Beaumont Park home in Leicester. 19-year-old Ruddick has been associated with Mildenhall in previous seasons, spending the last two years racing alongside new Bees captain Jon Armstrong at West Row. Despite a mid-season injury absence, he proved to be one of the league’s most improved riders as he raised his starting average of 3.10 to a final figure of 5.31. Halder (18) is already a familiar face with Coventry supporters as he rode for the Storm in 2015-16, initially in what was effectively a job-share with Callum Walker and then as a full team member two years ago. Last season he did not appear in the league in the early part of the campaign, before various guest bookings and a July/August stint with Buxton saw him achieve a 3.49 figure. MacDonald, 23, is looking to take his chance with the Bees after a spell with Stoke in 2016 and, briefly, a team place with Lakeside last season before the Hammers changed their plans on the eve of the official campaign. The former Northern Junior League Riders’ Champion starts on an assessed 3.00 average and will join Halder in the reserve berths. Armstrong said: “I’ve ridden with Luke for the last couple of years, and he’s been quite unfortunate with injuries. But if he gets out in front he’s so fast, he’s unbelievable. “Last year he looked a lot comfier on the bike and it was all coming together for him before he had another bang, but he was such an improved rider and how he didn’t get snapped up I don’t know. I said straightway that out of the riders around that average, he was the one to go for. “I know Jamie had a tough time last year but when the pressure got taken off him he was able to add a bit to his average, and he should be able to step up at reserve this season. “When I rode with Ryan at Stoke to be fair I don’t think he was really ready then, and that was down to a lack of confidence more than anything. “He’s matured now, had a lot more time on the bike, and I think he’s gone a bit un-noticed, only normally coming down as far as Redcar. You can’t fault his machinery or commitment, and he’s prepared to travel anywhere in the country for a job. “In all honesty I think we’ve got quite a potent little side, and as captain I’ll pass on as much advice as I can.” Bees start their season with a Challenge match against Birmingham at Beaumont Park on Sunday March 25 (4pm) with the full National League fixture list expected to be released shortly. ENDS

A very fair analysis. What is also important to remember is that Mick has a 'place at the table' at the BSPA. Were he to cease running the Bees, any new applicant wishing to bring Speedway back to Coventry would be treated as a 'new entrant' requiring significant bonds etc, in the case of Premiership speedway that would be a very significant sum. Running at Leicester DOES enhance the chance of returning to race in Coventry, contrary to what some posters here may say. Watching the Bees at Leicester is certainly not going to line Mick's pockets, but would be a positive contribution to the Bees' future. If not watching them ultimately contributes to failure, that could make any attempt to return Speedway to Coventry more challenging for a new investor.

The ‘major news’ is now scheduled for 8am today. Don’t be too dismissive of KK, on form he’s imperious around the Showground - he’s the current Track Record Holder.