ipswichwitches

Monsoon has just happened - well it has at Martlesham Heath, a couple of miles down the road.

Check out Morten's Twitter feed Half way to the UK and flight had to turn around and go back to CPH due to a problem with the flight! (6 Hours ago) And a slightly iffy translation by Google from Danish to English 'niks kører i ipswich i aften' which translates to 'niks runs in ipswich tonight' My 2 + 2 says he's at Foxhall tonight, assuming the flight was Ok eventually.

According to Regulation 18.2.2 section e. e) Absent #7: NL G* NL G*: a Rider eligible for a NL Team who has never achieved an actual PL MA of 4.00 or above

According to the Witches site it's Kasper Lykke for both Ipswich and Edinburgh meetings.

According to the Witches Fixture list, remaining Home fixtures: Thursday 18th Rye House PCT Saturday 27th Reserved Rainoff / Final Wednesday 31st Reserved Rainoff / Final It's going to be tight.

Based on current average, Klindt is 5.97 for EL, so this would convert to 9.95 PL. EL to PL and PL to NL divide by 0.6. PL to EL multiply by 0.6. So, in theory, you can go up to 7.2 in EL for a 12.00 PL. How about Miskowiak at 9.68 (EL 5.81)?

Added to this, Masters average is 7.43 and Witches combined average is 42.64, so to bring Masters in, you would have to take at least 2 out and bring him plus 1 other in AND still fit in to 42.50. I think you can only replace like for like, so that pretty much rules that out as a non-starter.

Agreed. In the EL, you need to be 10 behind before using the tactical ride. If that works to plan and you get the 8-1, you're still 3 points behind. Maybe in the SWC, the joker should be used when you're 8 or 9 behind, so although you can wipe out most of the defecit, the team that was in the lead is still in the lead, but now only by 2 or 3 points. Would seem much fairer than the current ruling.

Luckily for me I was at home watching the meeting and notcied that Sky+ had stopped recording. I think Sky then replaced the scheduled event with a new programme covering the final few heats. Can't have been easy for them having the meeting postponed once and then seriously over running. Just seems a bit strange that it ended up being split over 2 events in their schedule.

Here's what I don't understand. A lot of people 'seem' to be blaming Nicholls for any bad team spirit that was around last year, with the persistent rumour that him and Harris didn't / don't get on. Then the same people criticise Nicholls for not being in the pits for the SWC. Surely if Nicholls is that bad an influence on team spirit within Team GB, why would he have been in the pits anyway? There seemed to be more than enough people in the pits to offer advice etc. Many more and it could have been 'too many chef's etc'. Team GB has a squad of 12, but I don't recall seeing all of those present, but only Nicholls absence get commented on.

Whilst I understand that some engineering works are unavoidable and can run on later than planned, that doesn't alter the fact that FGW were giving out misleading information. Surely staff at Swansea should have been aware of any special timetables in place and not said that the last train from Cardiff to Swansea would leave at 10:20, only to find out via posters at Cardiff station that it was due to leave at 9:45. Anyway, my parents will try to claim for all the extra expenses incurred, but I don't hold out much hope. Ian

I would be interested to hear from anyone who travelled to Cardiff by train from Swansea way for the GP. My parents, plus 2 others, stayed at Swansea, with relative, and planned to get the train to Cardiff as in previous years. At Swansea they were told the last train back to Swansea would leave at 10:20, not 11:01 as in previous years. A bit of a rush, but achieveable. Based on this information they bought their tickets. When they got off the train some friends who they met at the station, pointed out a notice telling them that the last train back to Swansea was 9:45. Customer services told them they had decided not to run a late train. This meant my Dad had to get the next train back to Swansea and then drive back to Cardiff, or miss the end of the GP. A strongly worded letter will soon be arriving at First Great Western seeking full compensation for all journeys made etc. I would like to know how many other supporters were affected by this as ammunition for the letter? Ian