arnieg

Just looked up the result 43-35 to Sheffield. Coventry's top scorer was... Alf Busk (Olsen and Shirra also got double figures)

And I think that most people would assume my comment was slightly tongue in cheek (hence the emoticon)

This hysteria appears to be manufactured by the SKY coverage. I didn't get the impression that many people in the stadium thought there was anything amiss. Polite aplause welcomed Peter Karlsson, but I didn't hear any boos for Andersen. The atmosphere was basically one of dissapointment not frustration or anger. The race result and the first lap looked unexceptional given that: a) Nicholls was off gate 1 between heats 6 and 20 gate one produced one race win (Peter Karlsson!), no seconds, seven thirds and seven lasts c) the Danes basically gave up after BPs joker failed and were outscored by the Poles over the closing races

Me too - although I would still have chosen him for last night's meeting. This isn't the first time he has pulled out that something extra for his country in the World Cup and I'm happy to acknowledge that he was stunning last night.

I thought the most telling incident (heat 9) was when Gollob fell and was reluctant to clear the track, but the referee seemed strangely unwilling to stop the race. And who was leading? ...David Norris. Next time someone brings up the old canard about how refereeing could be improved by having ex-riders this meeting will be cited in evidence against the proposition.

If you are going to judge Middlo on his record then look at the GB performance over the previous world cups where severly weakened GB teams outperformed expectations. I also get the impression that Middlo has a great rapport with the riders. And I'm not clear what Middlo should have done differently last night PS If he was to be replaced how about Mick Bates as a successor

look again! http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...5114368008&rd=1

As in "Barry" Briggs? Did he have that tag? I didn't know - anyone able to enlighten me? Yes - read his autobiography about his first year or two at Wimbledon

I'm looking hard at a map of the UK and I just can't see Australia on it anywhere - can you help?

Whatever happened to: Rob Hollingworth Buzz Burrows?

But at least I'd be able to say something more intelligent than: "..we've never heard of Janusz Kolodziej"

some of the greatest riders in the sports history have been landed with this tag early in their career - because they are that little bit more adventurous and because of their natural skills try for things that most riders would never dream of. Think Gollob for a current example Think Briggs for an older example

After heat 21 the Poole fans behind me were saying how they must sign him (as if they haven't got enough of the world's young talent). I took great delight in pointing out he already belonged to Reading But unless we go Elite next year I doubt if we'll get to see him in a Racers jacket again

Certainly not cheating. And they chose not to use it earlier (and if they had used it for Adams in ht 15 they would have gone into heat 25 two ahead of Poland) Conclusion - there is nothing wrong with using the joker in the last heat Whether there should be any place in the world cup, or for that matter speedway, for jokers is a more pertinent question. Personally I think not and last night illustrates why. I was dismayed when I realised that because they were one point behind the Poles the Aussies would get a last heat bonus. It was very noticeable that the whole crowd seemed to think likewise and backed Gollob (slayer of Boyce) in the deciding race.

Did you have your crystal ball out?

Although it is a good job the Swedish team is not as strong as it could be: Jonas Davidsson Daniel Davidsson Freddie Lindgren Antonio Lindback

So when was the last ubnder21 final without a british rider?

I'll be there - anyone got tips for finding the stadium? (we'll be in a hire car heading from Verona)

So after five rides each it was: France 16 Italy 15 Slovenia 14 ...and Slovenia qualify

That makes me feel old - I remember MR junior riding up and down behind the main stand at Leicester on his tricycle before the meeting pretending to be Les Collins (or maybe it was Neil or Mark Courtney) - must have been about five

Best I've seen (in no particular order): Ronnie Moore Anders Michanek Ivan Mauger Hans Nielsen Tony Rickardsson Bruce Penhall Per Jonsson Ole Olsen (no 8) However none of these can compare with John Cook for entertainment value Best I've not seen: Vic Duggan Peter Craven Ove Fundin Vic Huxley Tommy Farndon Jack Parker Bluey Wilkinson Bjorn Knutsson (no 8)

Of all the stadiums in the UK I have visited it was my favourite. Even if my first visit was a 24 hour round trip for a rain-off! Great racing great atmosphere

I'm holidaying in Verona the first week of July. Co-incidence ... ..of course not Looking forward to seeing those Latvians

I find the suggestions that Tony Steele 'bottled it' laughable. Why? Because I remember him excluding Kryszaniek in the lastl heat decider of the 2001 World Team Cup @ Wroclaw (Kryszaniek's home track) - when he could have taken the easy option and gone for all four back. Equally laughable is the suggestion of bias towards Rickardsson. There is a view in many quarters that Steele's exclusion of Rickardsson cost TR the 2000 GP Championship. He called them the way he saw them, and I think his decisions were reasonable. I was suprised that the tapes weren't sorted out though

I can't resist mentioning: Krzysztof Wankowski (rode for Gniezno in the late 80's)