waiheke1

I don't think they need to be a experienced rider. But you need someone who can help re set ups etc. that is where team GB really missed tai - not just the 15+ points he would have scored but the knowledge of polish tracks. As it was team gb actually gated pretty well but looked like they were riding lawnmowers, even compared to the Russians. Anyone think if King had been in the squad we may have squeezed the extra couple of points needed for 3rd? Worrall was very impressive, Harris battled, Cook and lambert were surprisingly poor but no lack of effort - just totally off the pace, which was surprising given cooks great form this year. 4th is a decent effort without tai, with tai obviously would have picked up a medal, but to finish ahead of Aussie and Denmark is a sold result. I don't buy that it is purely to do with home advantage either - if we'd finished behind Latvia in the first round of behind Laguta less Russia in the play offs there would have been plenty of criticism of the Brits, no one would have blamed the draw.

Are people really complaining about the racing in the place off and the leszno track? Seriously? Not as good as the meeting in Sweden, but how many are? . Thought the play off was an excellent meeting and hopefully tonight is too

So g lagutas test was 4 weeks ago. Any link between failing that and him not being given a wildcard for the gp challenge in Russia? Some early information leakage while waiting for b sample testing?

People seem to be missing the fact that pf the 8 teams in the last round, the British round featured the sides ranked 1,3,6 and 7 last year. So theoretically neither meeting was harder than the other. The fact that USA were weakened this year without Hancock and that Latvia massively over performed shouldn't be taken as an issue with how the draw was done.

Bit surely the issue was that Newman has been averaging around 3.5. So once he got a "real" average based only on 2017 he would not have been able to be covered adequately.

Was he a 7 when he signed for Leicester this year? In which case presumably a 5 Mads can come in as a swap for Klindt?!?

If u need someone else to say take it to pm I'm happy to add my voice to that. Brum v flange Gavan and c4g v shovvy and starry Robert72v Gavan How many threads are cluttered with bollocks because those combos cannot stop irrelevant arguing. Not going to pass judgement on who is right and who is wrong but fml the forum would be better without that rubbish. Most of those posters are also quite capable of making good points when not simply arguing

Being a kiwi I'm reasonably aware of where Tasmania is! My point is that there is a difference between being born somewhere and being "from" somewhere. My brother was born in Huddersfield, but he's say he's from NZ given that he's only lived in the uk for 3 out of 34 years of his life.

Thanks arnieg. So out of 58 guest uses, 20 were more or less unavoidable as caused by injury/illness. Possibly could be reduced by saying guests can only be used for hl, for other riders number 8 or nl rider to be used.Of the other 38 instances, I'd be amazed if at least 30 couldnt be avoided with better fixture planning. So, with just a little effort the number of guests could be more than halved.

The preferred spelling for those in the know is r/r

Ah, good point!

Not like you to highlight Matts failings Starry

Agree that the fundamental principle was a good one, and gas definitely helped bring through some good British youngsters.Averages were only an issue because of the utter incompetence of the BSPA in implementing it.

I think you are missing the point of this thread.It's very similar to the best riders from Lancashire thread. There's a good reason Declan ECCLES is included ahead of Peter Collins for example And can I just say wash your mouth out TWK. Ronnie may have been born is Tasmania but he's "from" NZ!

Last year?

Lebedevs for klindt?

Pairs run offs are awful.Hope it is a conventional run off. Cone on Lebedeva. .been awesome tonight Brilliant stuff!!!

See two posts up...

Hope Latvia can hold onto 3rd here....

Tbf with the US and Czech totally outclassed, I doubt any track in the world would have produced good racing...

Heat 15 - what a race! You don't get better speedway than that. Shame the swedes seem to be running away with it. What are the rules on tax sub/jokers - could Russia use one in the last 4 heats or is cut off heat 16?

Cracking meeting, well worth staying up til 2am to watch, though may have to watch the final heats before work. Not just great racing, but the four teams evenly matched so far.Would love to see the Russians take this, but have a feeling the swedes will sneak it by a couple of points from the Danes. And belated congrats to team GB for a superb display in the meeting at KL. Still think Roscoe got it wrong in not naming lambert at reserve - and his explanation as to why shows a tactical naivete that is frankly worrying -:but he has obviously engineered a superb team spirit so credit for that. Tai may not have been missed at KL but will for sure in the final - it'd the difference between potentially challenging Poland for the title and scrapping with the others for medals.

Not sure why anyone would think jack would be included ahead of Kurtz or masters?

Personally on form this season is have had Kurtz ahead of fricke in the reserve spot. With fricke ahead of masters to replace Morris. ReMadsen I think he would be a solid number 1 in this league, he's had a couple of very good seasons in a row.

I think you are right. Haven't seen a single other person complain about the viewing at the NSS. Totally amazed anyonecwouldxrather watch at Kings Lynn