iris123

General rule:take what riders say with a pinch of salt It was in an interview during last summer that Nikolai introduced his girlfriend to the world and again declared he wouldn't ride in the world championship.Just a few months before the season started......and i remember a classic on here.Someone posted that a rider would sign for a certain team.Another poster said,"no he won't,i was talking to him on the phone last night and he told me.....".Needless to say that he later that day signed on the dotted line....But i do at this moment in time believe he won't ride in FIM meetings next year

You are just picking two examples,neither of which is a world championship as far as my limited knowledge of cricket goes.And one,the FA Cup is just benefiting national teams from a national competition.Not really comparable is it? .But i bet the Hamburg Freezers don't gain any financial benefit from either the Ice Hockey world championships or the Stanley Cup.Do any rowing clubs benefit from the Rowing world championships or any cycling club in England benefit from the Cycling world championships?Or any Basketball teams benefit from the Basketball WC?

How can you say that speedway doesn't benefit from the GP's?It seems a ridiculous statement.If for instance Somerset get one of their best attendances the night before Cardiff,i would say that is a small benefit right away.Similar things happen in most countries.I have often seen people asking Danish teams to put on a meeting and a coach load will turn up.....how many people on here take in a Polish meeting after a Polish GP?Sponsors attracted to speedway because of the GPs?Facilities at Stadiums getting better as venues want to host GPs or SWC meetings.I'd say there were a number of benefits gained that trickle down.Not too sure what benefits,financially are gained at grass roots level from an Ice Hockey,Table tennis,Athletics or most other world championships,as i doubt very few actually make enough money to splash around.And another problem i would think is that most sports are goverened by their own particular body,unlike motorsports who are governed by a 'general' motorsports body.I would doubt even if speedway was making millions,that all that money would be held in a pot specifically for our sport.I don't know how the FIM works in that respect I fail to see any real problem caused by the GPs on this.The main problem,the very big problem is caused by the small pool of riders now,and that is totally down to riders riding in so many different leagues.But this is what the riders,promoters and i guess fans want.In fact if you look at some ofthe threads on here British fans want to see all the top stars that ride in Poland or Sweden,and that only makes the pool of riders even smaller.

I'd have to agree with Falcace to a large extent.You do seem to clutch at a rather large number of straws in your pursuit of doing a downer on the GP's.So many scenarios that will cause the ultimate failure of the GP's,usually and this is the funny bit because the promoters in the major countrieswillwant totakeover and run it themselves(when most can't even run a blooming league amongst themselves,let alone get together and run something as major as a world championship And then you want us to believe that the dropping of a handful of WC quali rounds has caused a major lack of talent.It wouldn't be anything to dowith the fact that riders are now riding in 3,4or more leagues and taking places that a few decades ago would go to numerous local youngsters?No,let's blame the GPs,not the promoters,who you want to take over the championship of the world League speedway is in pretty desperate shape around Europe,and your master plan is tol et these guys get run the one thing that is taking the sport forward.Help,Nurse

Totally agree with Parsloes.If someone wants to take the time and effort to set up a site,i fail to see why it should be questioned.Just hope a bit of care is taken over it,as i was quite taken aback by the thread title,but wasn't into taking a pop at someone for a spelling mistake

Unfortunately for you the SWC quali isn't at Arlington Let's see how your boy does against Kevin

Oh,you going!!!!If you pick me upon your way through I'll have to look at my dates.....i was invited on FB by German Speedway Fan

Thought that myself when i saw their team last week.Quite poor and will struggle i think if it stays like that

Well i will say that this time i do believe him,after being sceptical last year.And echo Mr.Ore's sentiments....this is the friendly thread Always look forward to it,and to hopefully meeting up with some of the posters.Sadly,Berlin dropping out of the FIM meetings meant i didn't meet up with Conkers this time,but met Dutchgrasstrack for the first(and second time) Fingers crossed for next year that the weather is kinder to some of the promoters and we have Inzell back as well as Berlin + Dresden.My one disappointment was that Mats Järf didn't progress as i thought he would.Hope one or two non-Russians come through.Henderson the best bet at the moment.So,i would also like tothank all that have contributed with facts and opinions over the last few months

Ya got in for nowt and probably got one of those super duper programmes handed to you along with all theose prawn sarnies and free beer.what more do you want?

Think you have forgotten something what link?

The French flag is on the official meeting posters + the French team for the meeting has been announced,so.....anyones guess then

Just wondering out loud really......we have seen it in football for instance when England have signed a deal with boot sponsors + players have a problem because they have personal deals with rival firms......I guess it is ok for Crump to have Red Bull logos displayed.Not sure about holding a can of the stuff inhis hand when being interviewed

Sure most of us a really excited at this.Well maybe Humphrey + trees excepted.But it might be a bit embarrasing if one of the Red Bull lads wins a GP or even the title

Berlin Ice Challenge + Golden Spike 24/25.03.2012 1.N.Krasnikov (Rus) 29pts 2.D.Koltakov (Rus) 28 3.F.Zorn (Aut) 26 4.G.Bauer (Ger) 24 5.A.Aakko (Fin) 22 6.S.Svensson (Swe) 18 7.A.Klatovsky (Cz) 16 8.M.Niedermaier (Ger) 15 9.P-O.Serenius (Swe) 15 10.J.Klatovsky (Cz) 12 11.S.Holstein (NL) 10 12.M.Leitner (Aut) 8 13.S.Pletschacher (Ger) 7 14.F.Mayerbüchler jnr (Ger) 4 15.J.Seppänen (Fin) 3 16.T.Wiest /Ger) 1 17.R.Häring (CH) 1 Final 1.N.Krasnikov 2.D.Koltakov 3.F.Zorn 4.G.Bauer Golden Spike series results 1.F.Zorn 42 2.S.Pletschacher 30 3.A.Klatovsky 30 4.T.Wiest 26 5.J.Klatovsky 24 Full results http://eisspeedway-dresden.de/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=11&Itemid=158

Strange.....wonder what they consider a "short track",as West Maitland in 1923 wouldn't really qualify surely?

Results(a bit late)from last weekends meeting in Dresden.First meeting in the stadium/city for 20 years and the +20°C caused a few problems for the ice on sunday,so it was decided before the meeting to only race 3 lap heats.The ice was pretty thin and there were a few spills.Jouni Seppänen told me he thought the ice cracked under him and was partly to blame for one fall.Harald Simon also pulled out of the meeting after a fall,as a precaution.Not wanting to risk anything whilst the world championship is still running.Also another incident with Klabo on the sunday riding hard and being excluded,then leaving his bike on the track and going up to the refs box to protest.... Sa. 18.03.2012 German Open Dresden: 1. Per-Olof Serenius (S), 15 2. Pavel Tschaijka (RUS), 14 3. Antonin Klatovsky (CZ), 13 4. Stefan Pletschacher (D), 12 5. Thomas Wiest (D), 9 6. Miroslaw Daniszewski (PL), 9 7. Pawel Strugala (PL), 8 8. Charly Ebner jr. (A), 6 9. Petr Klauz (CZ), 6 10. Markus Jell (D), 5 11. Charly Ebner (A), 5 12. Martin Posch (A), 5 13. Jo Saetre (N), 5 14. Jouni Seppänen (FIN), 4 15. Ronny Häring (CH), 2 16. Jürgen Reimann (D), 2 So. 19.03.2012 Golden Spike 1. Dmitri Khomitsevich RUS (3 3 3 3 3) 15 2. Franky Zorn AUT (3 3 3 3 2) 14 3. Pavel Tsjajka RUS (2 1 2 3 3) 11 4. Vitaly Khomitsevich RUS (2 2 3 3 X) 10 5. Stefan Svensson SWE (3 3 2 1 1) 10 6. Harald Simon AUT (3 3 3 X -) 9 7. Per Olov Serenius SWE (2 0 1 2 3) 8 8. Stefan Pletschacher GER (1 1 2 0 3) 7 9. Max Niedermeier GER (1 2 2 2 0) 7 10. Antonin Klatovsky CZ (1 2 X 2 2) 7 11. Jan Klatovsky CZ (0 2 0 2 2) 6 12. Sven Holstein NL (2 1 X 1 1) 5 13. Grzegorz Knapp POL (0 0 1 1 2) 4 14. Thomas Wiest GER (1 1 X 0 1) 3 15. Charly Ebner jnr AUT (0 0 1 0 0) 1 16. Jouni Sepanen FIN (0 X X 0 1) 1 17. Charly Ebner snr AUT (1 0) 1

Very important.And also important to understand just what is being said.As we know it certainly wasn't universally 'accepted'.So who was it accepted by?Where they in a position to know anything about the origins?And did those people who were involved in any of the meetings before Hoskins came on the scene accept the fact?know that Hoskins was claiming to have invented it or given a chance to have their say on the subject?Did anyone for instance ever ask any of the early Americans?

I did provide a link to a newpaper article from the States from around 1912 or so(might have been earlier or a bit later,not got time to search)which described track racing as 'speedway racing'.This coming from their use of the term 'speedway' for their tracks.Think it might have been from Indianapolis.But there were cars and also bikes at the meeting.I would think it just came to be used as a term in the States and the terms were copied in Australia at first then Britain when the sport arrived,because in 1928 it was Crystal Palace Speedway.I tend to go with the idea that the sport was developed in the States and then furthered in Australia.Some of the bike companies were even producing racing bikes without brakes in the States and we know they were broadsiding there well before 1923.And they weren't at Maitland i think at first and did they have brakes at Maitland?(i can't remember if it is known...)

None of this moves the debate forward though.Just yet again,Hoskins said he invented speedway and people accepted it.But we already have seen that not everyone accepted it back in the 30s and not everyone accepts it today.So..........

I thought Newcastle were,and even had him lined up for this season.Seems plans have changed.

Apparently Robert was in Germany over the weekend training with the various German squads and caught the eye of ex World Champ Egon Müller who seems to be contemplating helping him out....

I think if we talk about 'club men',we shouldn't forget Ronnie Greene who was at Wimbledon from the early 30's til the early 70's i think i am right in saying. Been a few at foreign clubs that have done more than 20 years service.Huszcza in Poland and was it Samuelsson in Sweden.But i think the rider at the moment with the longest unbroken service must be Matten Kröger at Brokstedt who a few years back recieved a medal for 25 years service,so must be going into his 27th or 28th season now.....

You asked "Now take today how many people would name any sportsmen from 70 years ago(i.e 1942)".I was showing you that sportsmen from before that date are remembered.As it is there was something a bit more important happening in the world in 1942,so i am not quite certain if any world championships were held that year......

Someone even wrote a book about Tom.Apparently there are also books out on Jesus Christ,Tutankhamun and Saladin,although i doubt anyone can remember seeing them in action