TwoMinuteWarning

Starting gate invented 1933. Technology unchanged until now. Don't they have elastic bands in Sweden?

Darcy is one of my favourite riders too, very exciting to watch. But I don't think "bad luck" completely accounts for the regular injuries that he has. He rides closer to "the edge" than most riders (e.g on another riders back wheel), as does Emil. Great to watch, but more susceptible to injury. Sometimes I think that air fences are a double-edged sword - safer, but they encourage riders to take more risks. Just my opinion.

Live Swedish Elitserien on British Eurosport starts next Tuesday 6 May at 6pm - Dackarna v Indianerna

I don't think the NJL is being secretive at all, it's just that the results are (mostly) all on the net anyway. The referee's official scorecharts, including full heat details, are normally posted on the SCB website on the morning following the match. This applies to most MDL meetings too. In fact, the Stockton v Castleford meeting on this thread, is also available (filed under Redcar). Have to admit I haven't found the Northside scoresheet though! Just go to http://www.scbgb.co.uk/download_results_2014.asp

Konopka in Poland 2013 : 3 matches for Lodz (Div.1) - 3 pts from 10 rides 4 matches for Krosno (Div.2) - 12pts + 4 bonus from 14 rides He is 21 (born 12th Nov 1992) Now returning after suffering a spinal injury in July 2013

Full marks to the SCB for acting so decisively and so quickly

Felt real sorry for Sam, he spent the first part of the meeting trying to correct all of Jack Burnicle's errors, then seemed to give it up as a pointless exercise. However, he found time to add to the normal Ermolenko dictionary of words such as straightaway, high-line, and raceway with an excellent new contribution - broadsliding. Nice one, Sam.

Aaron Fox interview at http://www.msd-photographyandvideography.com/Media-Press-Publications

Nicki P (mostly for the wrong reasons)

Exactly. We totally agree. They have NO right to prevent riders earning money elsewhere. They can't stop riders taking part in individual, pairs, or team events anywhere in the world, so long as riders are not contracted to ride for their UK teams on those dates. The pairs competition has nothing to do with the FIM, FIM-Europe, or the BSPA as far as I can see. The fact that the prize money is large, or that it is on TV, is irrelevant.

This is nothing to do with the BSPA, surely. It's just an unofficial boring old pairs event (but with decent prize money), so popular a format that only 3 or 4 pairs meetings are held each year in the UK. As long as riders have no official meetings in the UK on those dates, I don't see how the BSPA can stop them accepting a booking for such a meeting. Whether or not they can be called a Great Britain team is not the riders' problem.

Thanks for that. What I can't understand is why the match-by-match stats are not now part of the Track Reviews as published in the Star. You surely can't plead "lack of space" in the winter months???!!!

No XTRA this week. Is it delayed? Or has it been stopped now there's an online version of the Star? If so, can you please print the Rye House match-by-match scorers to go with the published track review?

No XTRA this week. Is it delayed? Or has it been stopped now there's an online version of the Star? If so, can you please print the Rye House match-by-match scorers to go with the published track review?

Nor can I, it's not necessary. Make the PL league cup 2 groups of 6, instead of 3 groups of 4, and that gives each team 2 of the extra home meetings that they seem to want. In a similar way there should be an EL League Cup to start the season, with 2 groups of 5, instead of extra league matches. The EL needs an extra competition to help maintain interest.

The idea of releasing such a vague press release (with regard to NL riders as EL reserves) was undoubtedly designed to stimulate discussion on the forum - a roaring success! Then, when the dust has settled, they will discuss the fans fears and suggestions, pick the best ones and issue a final document. In this way they stand a lot more chance of coming up with a better system, and avoiding some of the pitfalls that they themselves had not foreseen. And they can say that they have listened to and acted upon the opinions of the fans! Very clever.

Not to me, it would be wide open to abuse! Out-of-form rider is "injured" so that an in-form R/R rider can be used. No thanks.

So one more saving has been made ... no team managers needed! I guess that Phil Morris was the first redundancy ...

What was FIM v. FIM-Europe now seems to be One Sport v. FIM & FIM-Europe!

Are they really going to give a GP round AND the World Cup Final to Bydgoszcz? Correction - Gorzow GP is 16.08, not 14.08

Have the BSPA decided whether to recognise the competition in 2014? Or will they pretend it doesn't exist?

So it's civil war at the FIM, and the paying customers and the riders will be the victims. Next thing we know they'll be running both competitions on the same dates. Surely this is restraint of trade?

Agreed, was that tedious or what? Sit through all that, and the commentators still weren't sure whether Vaculik was champion until the Final was run! Seems to me that, internationally and domestically, races are run on a timetable to suit the riders, and not the crowd or even the TV companies. Long gaps between races spoil any tension that might have been created (not that there was much of that at Rzeszow). I have little sympathy for promoters who whinge about diminishing crowds, most of them haven't dragged themselves into the 21st century. 22 races, each lasting little over a minute, in 3 and a half hours? That's not entertainment.