Terry

I don't mind Natalie Quirke. She and Scott make a decent team, although they should get a third person to offer a different perspective. You're right about Kiri Bloor, she's bloody awful.

Suzi Perry was great in the early days of tv coverage. She had a superb rapport with the riders, (particularly Alun Rossiter!) Then she went off to chase the money, and was nowhere near as good when she returned. Mrs Nicholls wasn't bad, but my favourite was the ultra professional Julia Bradbury who did the Channel 4 show.

Yes the format they used from 95-97 was still the best with every rider battling for their place. Riders like Gary Havelock and Sam Ermolenko would definitely be handed picks today. For some riders now it almost seems harder not to qualify!

I think it's time to up Nigel's medication!

Scott talking to Nat about his special pants. The guy can't leave it alone can he

I think he spins a coin before each race. Heads I give it a go, tails I can't be arsed!

Ref fell for Emil's shenanigans.

I'd say current top 10 plus Lambert, Zagar, Berntzon, KK and possibly Thomsen.

Wroclaw 1-2-3. Well done Max Fricke

Shame Freddie didn't make the final. And then there were two.

I'll be glad to see the back of Lindback and Iversen next year. Michelsen hasn't cut the mustard either. Got to be Thomsen as the second Dane next year, although I'd love it to be Nicki

Ride of a champion from Zmarzlik there.

Better late than never He's gonna be a star that lad!

And do away with the semi and grand final. The old World Pairs Final worked perfectly well. What is this obsession with every meeting having to finish with a grand final?

Has Hellstrom Bangs had a ride tonight? He looked impressive the one time I saw him.

It didn't take them long to pull those 10pts back.

Great ht 13.

Time for ZG to wave the white flag

The first race was the dead-heat with Bo winning the second race. You're right though, if Mort had won a third race it would have been 1.5 each, and as he'd already beaten Bo 2-0 at Belle Vue he would've been the winter holder. I'd honestly never thought about that before.

But there is no benefit of the doubt. Lee just wasn't interested in abiding by the new tape touching rule whereas every other rider accepted it. Erik Gundersen for example, struggled big time with the new starting procedure, but he worked at it like the true professional that he was, and ended up as one of the best starters in the sport. Michael Lee just sulked and complained instead of adopting a professional approach.

Mark was such a down to earth bloke, everybody liked him, fans, fellow riders. He never changed from that 15 year old mascot having after meeting rides in 86 til the day he retired. (Such a shame it wasn't on his terms.) I remember the 75th anniversary meeting at Rye House. He and Ove Fundin had a match race with Mark on an old bike and Ove on a modern machine - just like Jack Parker and Simmo at Hackney in 78. Ove led until the last corner before suffering an engine failure. Mark didn't take part in the meeting so he was chatting away with fans in the bar, and I was chuffed when he told me he remembered me from the Saturday afternoon training schools which I used to help out at...As I said, a great bloke.

Sidney, could you really have a 1× champion ahead of a 4× champion? Obviously if you're talking excitement Gollob is way ahead of Hancock...But by that criteria I'd have Loram ahead of everybody!

I couldn't agree more. I'm finding all this "oh Michael was so hard done by" rather nauseating. He brought it all on himself and that test match display was pathetic..Ebdon told the riders beforehand exactly what would happen if they touched the tapes and they all abided by it except Lee who, as you say spat his dummy out and let down his team mates, not to mention the fans.

Luckily Mark Lemon's retired

Good race to finish the meeting.