arnieg

speedway-press.ru reporting that Daugavpils participation in Nice One League is in doubt. I imagine they'll cross their fingers and hope that quarantine restrictions in Latvia are eased in the next couple of weeks.

Yes - and it didn't prove to be an ideal remedy.

I have actually seen custard powder used on a speedway track - to mark out the white line (@ Poole)

Lenarduzzi and Goret seem to be rather eccentric picks. There must be about 15 young Danes/Poles better than those two. Even if this has been done as one rider per country (plus second Pole as they provided last year's champ) I'd have put Pacalaj (Slovakia) above those two. Slightly surprised that Kotlyar is the Russian pick over Saydullin. I imagine Chulpac will be the wild card. And only two Poles so no Chugunov.

And they even let in a Gorzow fan!

I'd expect another Pole ( instead of Vaculik or Zagar). Either Pawlicki or Kolodziej. Otherwise a pretty good list

You are so right - forgot about those.

After a gap of 81 days since Scunny's Ben Fund event, the first (and so far only) meeting of the European season, speedway's back. Pardubice stage a Czech Championship meeting in front of a small crowd. Milik and Jan Kvech will be in Poland and one or two others are missing (such as Sam Simota) but it is close to a full strength field. Krcmar and Franc should be favourites.

And notable for giving a thorough and candid explanation. (Contrast with BSI's prevarication over Cardiff)

True, but based on my sponsorship experience - a superb ambassador off track.

I'm going for Alan Mogridge https://wwosbackup.proboards.com/thread/1773/alan-mogridge

One day I'll explain Chilton Foliat to you

None of which are unique to Britain

The rankings for 2017 and earlier are here: http://russpeedway.info/forum/showthread.php?t=2130 They were done by a guy in the Ukraine (with a few tweaks and adjustments added by me) When he stopped I did my own for 2018 but it was quite a chore. I only did 2019s because I suddenly have more time on my hand!

I remember that one - really nasty.

Probably not, but I imagine it will be on standby for the second wave. Certainly the noises from the Welsh rugby authorities seem to suggest that it will probably not be available to them over the next 9 months.

All the busiest riders are those active in the UK. We have the largest leagues and doubling up (unless you are Ellis Perks - then its tripling). By my reckoning thd busiest rider last year without a GB team berth was Bartosz Zmarzlik. There were 19 riders who took more rides than him. All had a PL and/or CL team. Three of the top five were Swindon riders. Rasmus Jensen came out top (followed by Doyle, Fricke, Klindt and Perks). All but two of the top 16 busiest riders were British, Danish or Australian - Covatti (at 12) and Bellego (at 16).

Three tracks stage regular solos: Moore Park, Christchurch Rose bank, Auckland Oreti Park, Invercargill. Apart from Bradley Wilson-Dean top riders are Andrew Aldridge, Jake Turner and Ryan Terry-Daley.

He had work permit problems in the past, does this mean he is now a British resident or is he working outwith his visa restrictions?

Unlikely. Australia has only a handful of tracks that stage regular meetings, and unless they ride for free they won't get enough rides to make it worthwhile.

What has the public reception to these proposals been like in Poland? Is there any hostility from non-speedway fans? ( e.g. re use of over-extended medical resources, zloty being put ahead of public health (cf some of the discussion about Premiership football restarting in England)

Pretty much what I conclude to. The key test is how are they doing compared with their peers, and I discuss this here: http://speedwayplus.com/

OK Swindon 2007 v Swindon 2019 looks like a win for the '07 squad to me. Looking at world rankings (caveat - all world ranking sources have their limitations, and involve some element of judgement, and my sources have changed over time too) we get: 2007 Leigh Adams (2) Lee Richardson (22) Seb Ulamek (35) Charlie Gjedde (36) Tomasz Chrazanowski (38) Mads Korneliusen (97) Andrew Moore (158) ..............................................................average position: 58 2019 Jason Doyle (9) Troy Batchelor (28) Tobias Musialak (47) Rasmus Jensen (56) Adam Ellis (97) Claus Vissing (142) Ellis Perks (210) ..............................................................average position: 84 Replace Perks with (say) Kenny Bjerre and the two teams come out equal. I'd also suggest that Chrazanowski never really produced his international form in the UK so that also narrows the gap.

Not to mention the number of volunteer track staff who fall in the 'should be self-isolating category'

The UK still has one advantage over other countries - that is the number of opportunities to race that it offers. Compile a list of 2019's busiest riders around the world and it is very stark. All of the top 19 raced in at least one British League. If we are to persuade any non-Brits to base themselves over here then that will be the pull. (There is a problem, in that some of these riders may need but not qualify for work permits in 2021's post Brexit world).