arnieg

It still very much depends on what the line ups look like in two months time. For example an on form Kenny Bjerre instead of Tungate would make Swindon a lot more competitive. Ultimately though Poole have a greater capacity (thanks to their extensive asset list and their ability to offer the right deal) to make improvements. As for guests see here: http://www.speedway-forum.co.uk/forums/index.php?showtopic=81756

Well if that doesn't persuade the councillors to vote for planning permission nothing will

Meanwhile, back on planet earth.... Any news on Nick Morris? As the averages stand his absence would be a big blow to Swindon.

For the record I am no great fan of Jason Doyle, but I recognise a good rider when I see one, and nothing I have said suggests I am. As for supporting Swindon (with all due respect to the decent Swindon fans I know): go wash your mouth out with soap. You seem to have trouble dealing with independent, free thinking and impartial comment; you only seem capable of seeing things through an absurdly distrorting prism that paints everything as pro or anti Leicester.

I think you've just proved what an idiot you are by suggesting I am a Swindon fan. I didn't win tonight (and nor did my team). I don't have a big hitting number one. For the avoidance of doubt I am a member of LSSC.

Grow up - the exclusion of Summers was correct (and most Lions fans near me thought so too) and Doyle was generally well received by the home fans around me. Most of the booing seemed more of the good natured pantomime variety. Any Leicester fan that isn't grateful to JD for the two seasons he gave the club really has lost touch with reality - or do they think it is absolutely splendid to have a number one with a sub 6.5 average?

I fully understand the argument you are making and the position you have taken, and have considerable sympathy for it, but it appears the referee was not minded to accept that interpretation. Let's add it to the ever growing list sections of the rules that need rewriting.

No bats, and a transport plan - seems like progress. However if the fire station is built there will be less than 250 parking spaces - can't see that working well. http://pa1.swindon.gov.uk/publicaccess/files/40F38735A36ABEFC9AD70C94C0A429BF/pdf/S_RES_16_0036-GENERAL_ARRANGEMENT-535372.pdf

The relevant rule is 17.9 NOT 17.12. The phrase 'that meeting' does not appear in 17.9 - maybe it should, but it doesn't. The referee was clear last night that IRR was available, but I suppose he could always have asked the SCB co-ordinator for clarification.

You appear to be confused. You are imputing the requirement for the injury to have occurred in the meeting into the rules because you think it should be there. However it is not there. Furthermore it has been confirmed by last night's referee[\b] that IRR was available. So I can say with complete certainty that you are on this occasion wrong (although I do think the availability of IRR in such circumstances is odd).

Perhaps that should be the case but it is not what the rule says. IRR was available.

I hardly think that Belle Vue can take much of the credit for nurturing the talent that is Scott Nicholls (started over 20 years ago at Ipswich and Peterborough) and all of Cov's Brits started elsewhere. BUT Both should get massive credit for persisting with National League teams. Most of the riders they develop will never make it to the EL, but it is vital to the survival of British speedway that riders like Martin Knuckey and Rob Shuttleworth get those opportunities.

It is a factor, but not a major one. The use of RR is up but not by a great deal.

The examples you have quoted are not equivalent as IRR only applies for two rides or more. There is nothing in the rule about whether the injury is new or pre-existing. And as coombedog pointed out it was confirmed elsewhere by the referee that IRR was available.

Yes - two. ...and there were two left so definitely available.

No, I think we are all a bit bemused. But it is intentional. Apparently the expectation is that the requirement to go off gate 4 when on a 15 metre handicap in heats 1 to 14 will probably be removed from the rulebook next winter.

Very embarrassing for Rossiter - he could have used Injury rider replacement for Tungate (and tracked Grajczonek and Morris instead of Nielsen and Wright)... but either chose not to or it never occurred to him!

Ahem!

Where have they gone? Last year only 14% of EL matches took place without a guest (just 16 in total). this year the majority of matches have been guest free (61%) - already less than half way thru the league programme nearly twice as many matches have been guest free as the whole of last season. Just 24 guests have been used in 44 matches or 0.55 guests per match. That compares with 2.20 guests per match last year and 1.96 in 2014. It looks like the total will be the lowest since 2010 (0.60 guests per match) or 2009 (0.47 guests per match) Most guests used: Cov 8, Poole 7 .................. Least Wolves 0. Matches to date: 44 Total absences 38 (excludes instances where third EDR rider replaces one of the other two EDR riders) 24 Guests, 14 rider replacement Reasons for absences ...no of absences...absences per match...2015 absences per match Injury 17 0.39 1.63 riding in FIM mtg 4 0.09 0.13 riding abroad (other) 7 0.16 0.15 doubling up 4 0.09 0.36 riders w/holding services 2 0.05 0.17 ill 3 0.07 0.04 other 1 0.02 0.00 So the principal reasons for the fall in guests are: 1) a dramatic fall in injuries [nb 2015 was exceptionally bad, but this year's figure is still good compared to 2014 - 1.10 per match] 2) far fewer clashes involving double up riders 3) more use of rider replacement 4) the inclusion of a third EDR rider/second double upper It is good be able to say this all looks very positive :)

Given the rationale for moving the handicapped rider to gate 4 was safety this does seem a perverse decision. Surely the number of situations where one rider off gate 2 and the other off 15 metres benefits a team is so limited that it isn't worth legislating for?

Russian Junior Team Championship Togliatti, May 24, 2016 TURBINA (Balakovo) - 40 1. Viktor Kulakov (3 3 3 3 3) 15 2. Ivan Lvov (xt 1 2 2) 5 3. Vladimir Morozov (f 2 1 3 2) 8 4. Ilya Chalov (3 1 3 2 3) 12 5. Vladimir Bogma (fx) 0 Vostok (Vladivostok) - 38 1. Cyril Hwang (0 1) 1 2. Gleb Shevchenko (3 3 3 2 1) 12 3. Mark Carion (3 f 3) 6 4. Pavel Laguta (2 2 1 1 1) 7 5. Sergey Logatchev (3 3 3 3 x) 12 Mega-Lada (Togliatti) - 29 1. Mikhail Litvinov (2 3 2 1 2) 10 2. GlebChuganov (fx 2 2 2 3) 9 3. Novel Lahbaum (2 2 2 1 r) 7 4. Vyacheslav Monakhov (fx fx) 0 5. Ivan Bolshakov (1 1 1) 3 SBD ODYUSTSH (Togliatti) - 9 1. Sergei Sokolov (1 0 2 0 0) 3 2. Semen Zuev (2 0 0 0 2) 4 3. Eugene Saidullin (1 0 0 0 0) 1 4. Mikhail Afanasiev (1 f 0 0 0) 1 5. Denis Belyaev Results of the races: 1. Kulakov Litvinov Sokolov Hwang. 2. Shevchenko Zuev PI Chugunov-Lvov-F. 3. Carion Lahbaum Saidullin Morozov-P. 4. Chalov P.Laguta Afanasiev Monks-PI. 5. Litvinov P.Laguta Lions Saidullin. 6. Shevchenko Lahbaum Chalov Sokolov. 7. Logatchev Morozov Bolshakov Zuev. 8. Kulakov Chugunov Carion-P-P Afanasiev. 9. Chalov Chugunov Hwang Saidullin. 10. Kulakov Lahbaum P.Laguta Zuev. 11. Shevchenko Litvinov Morozov Afanasiev. 12. Sokolov Logatchev Bogma-PI-PI Monks. 13. Carion Chalov Litvinov Zuev. 14. Morozov Chugunov P.Laguta Sokolov. 15. Logatchev Lions Lahbaum Afanasiev. 16. Kulakov Shevchenko Bolshakov Saidullin. 17. Logatchev Lions Bolshakov Afanasiev. 18. Chugunov Morozov P.Laguta Saidullin. 19. Chalov Zuev Lahbaum-C-And Logatchev. 20. Kulakov Litvinov Shevchenko Sokolov.

I don't think it is the correct interpretation, but one could argue that there are other 'qualified riders' if the situation is one where the "FN" rider is taking a rider replacement ride. I think this rule is clear and clearly in the right place. There are no issues at all with the wording of this rule. Whether it was as necessary change is another matter.

What is Michelsen on?

Daniel Spiller named in German Under 21 World Cup team. Does this mean he has a German passport and is no longer eligible to ride in the National League?

Sedgmen had an average that would have made him number one at Berwick and Plymouth last year, so although he was fourth in Edinburgh averages to call him a second string is misleading. Tungate was second in the Ipswich averages which suggests he too was a heat leader - and he would also have been no 1 at Berwick and Plymouth. However both of them are 'over-matched' at heat leader positions, although Sedgmen produced a pretty good display today.