STEVEHOLS54

Skidder - You mentioned that a couple of times now, but I can't find DK 2nd Div stats/scores from last season anywhere. Any clues where I can find them if you have ? Thanks

If his gating is consistently good it will certainly help. To quote Danny's own words in the Echo he stated: “I’ve been watching his meetings from last year as much as I can, on YouTube and stuff, and he’s certainly got the gating gloves, which I feel will help him massively He also stated that he has improved as a rider over the last few years since we last saw him in UK. Time will tell, but let's hope that's the case. The reality is that much as i would love to have seen a potential young future World/GP Star, the Champ is now a weaker Lge than it ever was with the 38 point limit and with so many young/inexperienced and also not so great riders lower down. You don't need to be a star to score decent points if you can gate consistently well. I'm slowly talking myself round to accepting him .

Just found this link for Tobias Thomsen from a meeting in Summer 23. Was round 8 of the Div 1 Championship https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hyLXCdCwj If you can cut though the adverts worth seeing if you speed up between racing. He appears in the first race and wins. Shame he had bike problems at the tapes just before last race and had to switch to his second (and definitely slower) second bike. Was fast out the gate in his races, which with Poole favoring gaters, could be an advantage when he is racing against some of the other lower point riders. Maybe it was this meeting that the Ford's saw what he could achieve in a weaker Champ in UK in 2024. I may have been a bit harsh earlier, but we will see.

I have only seen some You Tube videos (I had to trawl though to find some). Are his Brovst scores available anywhere as I can't find them and would love to see where the Ford's came to the conclusion he was worth a shout. To be honest I got it horribly wrong with Ben Cook when he first came over as thought he would struggle. He has been a revelation and proved me wrong big time. Also need to get my head around the fact that maybe at 29 he is a 4 pointer in our League but hope I am wrong.

Must admit my jaw dropped when I saw the news last night. I'm not sure what You Tube video's he watched but can't say I was impressed from what I saw of his Brovst rides in that DK 2nd Div or his rides in last seasons DK Ind Champ semi finals. Bike control seemed pretty poor and even when gated he was getting overtaken fairly easy. At 29 he sure isn't going forward. Just can't see what made them go for the guy. As a supporter and observer of the port for 53 years, don''t be surprised if he out before the first GSA come in 1st June if/when he drops below 4. Of course he could become a reserve if Sam Hagon lifts his av above him . Just hope we are not out of the BSN Series or the first round of the KO Cup by then as we face Oxford twice in the BSN and Ediburgh twice in the KO Cup first round by then. Let's hope I am wrong.

After the latest news on the Dane a big yes.

Plus plenty on the forum insist he is a 5 pointer based on 6 meetings and 23 rides in the POL U24 Lge last season. Personally I ave my doubts whether 6 meetings in that junior Lge plus the fact in the official POL stats he was classed as unclassified due to riding insufficient meetings makes me think maybe he is not a 5, but a 4. I could of course be wrong but I don't know the full qualifying criteria for this 5 point rule. If he rode only 1 meeting and had 2 rides does that make him a 5 pointer ??.

Well its going to be interesting if it is a young Dane as last signing. Can see plenty of fixture clashes with say Vojens home fixtures, and considering the away fixtures will also be on Wednesdays as well I wonder how that would play out. I always thought the Danes have to ride a good percentage of their lge matches in order to qualify for the various National Champs plus also International/SGP 2 and qualifiers. Also bearing in mind plenty of them are eager to sign up for the POL U24 squads with an eye to the future with the POL Ex Lge Clubs and race on a Tuesday will be interesting. I'm sure the home work has already been done though.

Think he only rode as a junior guest. Would that really make him a 15 year old under aged 5 pointer rather than a 4. Personally I question that. Are we really saying that if a young rider raced 1 ride as a 15 year old he now qualifies as a 5 ??. But if POP is correct we will find out finally this week. If it is him I am sure the Ford's would have clarified the rules well in advance as well as his Danish race dates for Vojens who he will make his Danish Prem first full season with as he turns 16 on 28th April. Of course I could be wrong and way off the actual signing .

You mean Mikkel Andersen ?. He has been burning up the SGP3 scene the last 2 seasons winning it in 22 and third in 23. His FB page posts some excellent results. Looks to have a good future in the sport. Was invited to train with Zielona Gora just before the play off final and is friends with Luke Bekker. His FB comments post a lot of good scores and did plenty of racing around Europe incl International meetings. Also seems POL teams want him for U24 Lge in 2024. Could be interesting considering he was only 15 last season. Although not 16 i think until 28th April and already signed in DK for Vojens so possible fixture clashes if going to Poole.

Of course Danny Ford could put it to bed by announcing this new talent to us this week as it's Christmas near enough. Going to miss trawling through the POL/DK/SWE stats for a clue until then. Of course we can't discount the possibility that an untried Aussie new to these shores could be in the mix (I mean one who has not ridden in Europe). Must admit I am still not sure if the POL U24 league qualifies as normal league for the 4/5 point discussion as the POL in effect deem it as a junior Lge ?? I just have a small concern about having a rider inexperienced in Lge racing joining our other 2 young reserves and leaving us very exposed. Anyway we will see hopefully soon.

Hence. the confusion. Or the rules are not as clear as they really are supposed to mean. Question I have is if there is some kind of qualifying criteria that a young rider where it be Dane/Swede/Pole/Czech/Aussie has to ride a minimum of xyw meetings BEFORE they they get upgraded from a 4 to a 5 pointer. For example if a rider does say only 4/5/6 meeting in POL U24 or Dk/Swe/Czech he gets upgraded to a 5 automatically ??. If so would mean cannot sign any foreign rider unless he has NEVER ridden in Europe/POL/Scand leagues of any kind. Would mean only an Aussie who has NEVER ridden in POL U24 league or anywhere else in Europe Leagues. Would Poole really sign a rider with NO league experience anywhere bearing in mind we have 2 inexperienced young reserves. There must be some qualifying criteria otherwise the untried Euro or Aussie rider doesn't make sense.

Okay one to put in the mix. Bastian Pedersen - Nicky Pedersen's nephew. Has a familiar all action style like his relative and won 2 of 3 races when riding as a reserve in one of the SGP 2 rounds (excl in the other). That is of course unless he is a non starter on a 5 as has ridden a bike in POL U24 and in DK . Will be 18 in April but already shown lots of speed and promise in DK & POL U24.

Have posted 2/3 times about who our last signing (up yo 4.20) might be. Haven't seen a single reply/response or comment other than Skidder one liner that it might be a Cont/Scand untried rider new to our shores. Would have thought there would be plenty of interest in who it might be, considering how important the role could be with the new young reserves we have with the lower points limit. Any thoughts ?

Yes but some of these promising young riders have ridden only 3/4/5 meetings (also in POL u24 Lge) which would seem a bit unfair that they would get given a 5. yet you have young Aussies who come over on a 4, do near enough a full season keeping their 4 but can race a full 11/12/13 league season in POL U24 teams yet still retain their 4. Then someone like Tate Zischke who only rode 6 matches in POL U24, but many on here say he is a 5 because he raced last season in POL only (due to his injury delaying his season until July). Was hopeful a few who were so in the know on the 6 named for so long before it was official, might know who the 4 pointer MAY be. Another name I checked is Michael West who did some after meeting laps at Poole in July (has said on his instagram) he will be returning to Europe after Aussie season. Did 5 POL U24 meeting for 19 rides last season so goes as officially unclassified in POL Lge stats but so does Tate Zischke who only did the 6 so is he a 4 or 5 ???

Some expressing concerns over our 2 young reserves but should hold up against a lot of the others. Not seen a single comment on who our last signing may be on a 4 as he is obviously an overseas rider. Would have thought with younger/more inexperienced youngsters in both slots, it will be even more important that the young 4 pointer hits the ground running. Still struggling to come up with names as not sure at what stage a rider jumps from a 4 to a 5 if raced in Pol U24 or Scand. Could it be you have to ride a minimum of ?? meetings or rides to get upgraded to a 5 ??

Considering a good few knew well in advance our 6 named riders, any ideas/clues on who the last one is. Have seen comments from it being a new Aussie to a untried Continental/Scandinavian rider. One would assume they already have him signed up. I'm intrigued if he is an untried Eur/Scand rider how they would get around the 5 point limit for these riders if they have already ridden in Leagues around Europe/Scand. Same applies to an Aussie if he has ridden Europe prior to UK. An thoughts/ideas who it could be ??

Wonder why he would not nominate himself having I assume put himself forward when the Aussie's notified he was going to be one of the starting 15/16 in Oct & Nov. If nothing else it was a chance to showcase his undoubted talent against more experienced and the top Aussie riders. His FB page has not updated since mid last year when he finally came over to POL for a late start in the POL U24 league when it was nearly over (hence only 6 meetings - 24 rides). Apologies as this is the Poole Page but I had high hopes he would sign for Poole in 2023 & also for next season. Alas seems that may not happen.

Have been checking various young rider Euro stats for possible clues. Trying to avoid those who have ridden regularly in Europe or have done near enough season long racing in POL or POL U24 and other Euro leagues. The latter would be on a 5 which too high. Sure there must be some criteria that a rider has had to have ridden X number of meetings to have been upgraded from a 4 to a 5. Are we in effect saying that if we are signing a European/Scandinvian young rider then he need to have not raced in any League to qualify for a 4 ??. If that's the case then who can it be as it would be like signing a third junior on top of Perry/Hagon. Just an aside footnote. Tate Zischke was my choice of rider but many say he would be on 5 due to his 6 meetings in POL U24 last season. Just saw in POL article today he is not named as one of the riders for the Aussie Champ or even as wild card or reserve over the 5 meetings. He was named as one of the main field in previous releases in POL & Aus Oct/Nov. Bowes and Pearson are named with west as Wild Card. I wonder why ??

Well just for fun and as I love playing guess the team game I am going to throw this one out there. Check this recent press release on Polish Speedway site Speedway News about a young Adam- Bubba-Bednar dated 15th November. https://speedwaynews.pl/zuzel/stal-gorzow-z-nowym-nabytkiem-kim-jest-adam-bubba-bednar/ Some are making noise that this young recently turned 16 year old (2nd September) could be a potential World beater. Just signed up for POL U24 Lge. Sounds exciting and could be anything going by the reviews. Has modled himself on Tai Woff & Bewley for driving style and pesonality. Matej Kus an ex Czech Riders quotes: Adam is undoubtedly the most talented player I have seen in years. He has an amazing feel for the bike and is very good at being in the right place at the right time. He has the heart of a warrior and no position is lost for him. – Lists its advantage Reading that article and signing somebody of that potential would be a real statement of intent. Probably wrong as there are a whole host of promising Europeans out there.

I originally thought West at one stage as I also looked at his FB page after he won the Aussie U21 title (more by default after all 3 other riders were excluded incl Zichke & Rew). I found a video on his Youtube page where he rode some laps around Poole pre or after meeting about 5 months ago. But then I checked and he rode POL U24 Lge last 2 seasons (full seasons not like Tate who only rode about 6 meetings last season after his injury ruled him about until July). That would mean he would probably be on a 5 which is too high. Haven't seen any rumours on Hook so maybe ??.

So, that indicates you know who it may be . Last nights sponsors meeting seems to have been informative by the sounds of it . Brennan news was good. Not unexpected for us on the forum but the majority of fans don't come on here so it would be viewed as exciting news for sure to get an exciting 22 year old Brit signed up. I take it you mean the assumption on the other 2 probably being Zach & Tom Perry as rumoured here for some time. As for the possible surprise last signing. With only approx 4.20 left you have Nielsen/Starke/Joe Thompson - The Dane Borke who we can probably exclude as a Dane with a Wed track - Aussies Pearson (rumoured to be going to Glasgow) or Hook. Besides them its a young untried Aussie ??. Can you maybe throw us a teaser/clue or two so that at least a few of us maybe able to work it out without naming said rider. Or you could mail me as we have exchanged views before .

I'm still intrigued by who our 4 pointer will be if the other 6 are as expected. (Law/both Cooks/Hagon/Perry/Brennan) Still early days but none of Hook/Borke/Joe Thomspon (below 4), Starke or Pearson have been announced elsewhere yet, and of course any young Aussies being considered. Personally feel that could be a crucial slot. Anything the 2 young 2 point reserves do would be a bonus whatever they get in points, even with the lower points limit & some weaker reserves elsewhere compared to past seasons. Could the Ford's be waiting to see how the Aussie season develops to see who of the lower end riders performs as they have done in some past seasons ?.

Yes - Middlo really is an asset to the sport. Not only an excellent Manager for many years but the way he has supported riders (especially young Aussies new to our shores). Maybe a slight shame that Danny's special announcement maybe slightly tempered by some of the forum contributors having worked out the likely signing of Brennan, coupled with Lisa's post about Brennan posting on X the closing date for his final club naming date in Champ for his win a beanie competition, which coincides with Danny to make a special announcement on the 8th. Could be wrong of course and it may be totally unrelated. Must admit I am more interested in our 4 point signing now as the other 6 seem to be known by either shrewd select posters in the know or good guessers of the team for 2024

No - Wasn't referring to Zaine being at Poole. Only an option maybe for Declan. I agree though would make a lot of sense for both to ride at one club similar to the Cook's. If i recall from the past didn't Zaine stay up that way as his base for UK making it sense if they both stay together like the Cook's did which worked well at Poole. Handy having Middleditch having lodging available which has worked well for Poole's young Aussies over the years.