WembleyLion

Unfortunately that's what you often get with Jim Lawrence!

It is 48 miles to my nearest track (Rye House) and then 58 to the next nearest (Swindon). I don't really mind where I travel and my attendance is usually based on the weather and likelihood of a meeting being on so last week it was Poole (110 miles) on Wednesday, Ipswich (116 miles) on Saturday and a foreign trip on Sunday! This week if the weather is ok it will probably be Ipswich (116 miles) on Thursday and Somerset (136 miles) on Friday.

This is part of what a former top rider of the 70's said earlier on Facebook. "With the old 2-valve and 4-vale upright bikes, you could still race on wet or bumpy tracks (bring out the sawdust!) but these laydown missiles are easier to ride on a slick track but just take off when they hit a bit of dirt" I think this summarises much of the problem as the super tuned 'missiles' are best suited to dry billiard table type tracks and many modern riders are just unable to cope with bumps, ruts, patchy surfaces and the wet. Tarmac it is then cityrebel!

I'm with the riders on this one. No problem with MJJ riding in Poland as that is his choice but it should mean the end of his SGP/SEC involvement if he chooses to opt out at Esbjerg!

Nick Phillips and Charley Powell lost quite a few points today by falling when in good scoring positions. I'm sure they will both improve with more track time!

Yes Kildemand was out of control but no more than usual!

From the practice it was clear to see the track was not perfect particularly on a small part on exiting turn four but most riders adjusted after a lap or two and chose to miss the soft spot. However, it probably should never have got to this point but as it did I felt the riders should have continued on what Chris Harris told the crowd was a rideable track! Whoever you blame it was another very bad day for Speedway.

I agree Jonas. I also found it strange that they were expressing concerns on Saturday about whether it would run at Mariestad and that was two days before any announcement was made that it wasn't running at Otterbacken. I am really pleased I went to Ostersund and Stromsund now! I completely agree GW!

Hi Jonas - It's a real shame it is cancelled. http://www.laget.se/OtterbackensBK/news/4448336/Tyvarr-ingen-isracing-pa-Otterstrand I think they are trying to run it at the Canvac Arena Mariestad though!

Line up for the Swedish pairs final at Otterbäcken on 2 March - I am looking forward to watching Ove Ledström again! http://www.svemo.se/sv/Grenar/Isracing/Nyheter/ParSMFinaliIsracing/

Thanks Jonas - I think I may pay a visit then!

Thanks for the weather updates GW. What do you think about Otterbacken's chances for 2 March? Does the fact it is used for Bandy help?

With return flights to Gothenburg at less than £30 I am tempted!

The latest Malmo one to sell on eBay fetched £172 last week!

Sadly the Gavle meeting has already been called off!

Tickets for Berlin https://www.etix.com/ticket/v/10099/horstdohmeisstadion-berlin I believe there may also be a meeting on the Thursday beforehand.

Thanks GW - I am hoping that the Ostersund and Stromsund meetings on 15 and 16 January will not be effected as I am planning to travel to these!

I note the Santa Cup at Gavle due for 27 December was called off last week. Also I wonder if the league fixture at Stromsund on 2 January is off as it has disappeared from Svemo's fixture list!

Ah you will need to read the question about the A No idea what it is though!

I attended the meeting and my programme has F REM 0 (as in zero) which would mean he finished the race so I think the 0 could be zero. No idea what the A is though.

I saw Woryna ride earlier this year when he won the Silver Helmet in Pila and he looked quite impressive. There again many Poles do look good in their own country! Time will tell!

Must just check where Covatti rode most of last season!

Having walked around the stadium and watched from different vantage points I would have thought it was about 2,000, possibly a little more.

A lot of the riders struggled between bends one and two with a number of uncharacteristic falls. Well done to Poland who were exceptionally good and Maksym Drabik at 17 years of age was great to watch!

I didn't chance them yesterday Tony but it reminds of a visit to Smallmead many years ago when I took a mate to his first ever Speedway meeting and he remarked how it would have been handy to have had luminous 'equipment' when using the facilities there!