Blackie

six of us from the North West going to Prague, as per last year.

I sent an e mail to the address on the Zlata Prilba website on Wednesday, asking if they could clarify the dates for CZ Golden Helmet in 2007. Last evening ( Thursday 14th Dec. ) I recieved an E mail back from a Petr Moravec the Press Officer, who said that the Golden Helmet weekend for 2007, would be the weekend of the 6th - 7th October. Zlata Prilba you are quite correct in what you are saying about there main web page and the dates stated. I also remember, I think it was you who said about the Pardubice Steeple chase, if you go to the Czech Tourism main website, which is:- www.kalendar.czechtourism.czvypis-top100-en You will see that the Pardubice Steeple Chase mtg is being held on the weekend of the 13th - 14th October. On that website the Czech Golden Helmet mtg is also listed, but it just gave it as October, with no specific weekend mentioned. It looks like they have been waiting to see which weekend was free, so that they could slot the Golden helmet mtg into the Calendar.

I want to book my flights for next years CZ Golden helmet weekend, and there seems to be some confusion with regards to the dates. Zlata Prilba is stating above, that the weekend is on the Sunday 21st October. On the official Zlata Prilba website, it states that next years event takes place on the weekend of 13th and 14th October 2007. Can anyone confirm the correct weekend dates, as you know the sooner you book your flights the cheaper they are. Thanking someone in anticipation. A Frequent Flyer to CZ.

I would think the Winner will be Darren Lockyer, he plays Rugby League for Brisbane Bronco's in the Australia's N.R.L. and is also there Captain. He has just won the " Golden Boot Award " which is the top award for a World Rugby League player. He is also the Captain of the National Rugby League team, and will lead his side out on Saturday against the New Zealand National team in the Final of the Tri Nations Series. Rugby League is one of the top sports in Austaralia, and is equivelant to football in this country.

the best Tram to catch as it says, is the 22 Tram to Vypich, thats just before the traffic lights at the Cross Roads, turn right at the lights and then walk about a couple of hundred yards, and you will see the stadion on the right.

We are flying out on Saturday morning from manchester Czech Airlines, me plus 5 coming back on Tuesday evening. Hope the weather is better this year.

Hi lawrence, Thankyou for the invite to watch the meeting with you at Bydgoszcz on the 21st may. I will write to you and let you know if we are coming to the meeting on that day, what time does the meeting start at Bydgoszcz? We have stayed in Bydgoszcz on two previous occasions, both times at the City Hotel, I will have to e-mail them to see if they have room on that Sunday night of the 21st may. Thankyou once again Lawrence for your kind invitation.

Hi Lawrence, Thank you for that, it is most helpfull, I can now plan where to be on both Weekends. We are flying into Gdansk on the 20th May, so we will more than likely go to Bydgoszcz on the first Weekend, then maybe go to Wroclaw on the 28th may. We are going to see friends also in Lodz, and I have been to the track there, but not seen any racing. Thank you once again for your assistance.

I will be in Poland from 20th May, untill the 1st June this year, could someone please tell me where I am likely to see some domestic racing between these dates. Thanks in advance.

So B.S.I. have asked the Stadium Owners to take the roof of the back straight stand. Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't someone on this thread just say that they ( B.S.I.) wanted to take all the High Profile meetings to Capital Cities or high profile venues. Well in my opinion I don't think that Smallmead fits the bill somehow. Of course once the roof has been taken off the back straight stand, everything will be alright I presume. I seem to remember saying on another thread, with a similar theme, that it was a Shambles, and from what I keep hearing I cannot change my mind. Has anyone mentioned the seat prices that will be charged at this HIGH PROFILE VENUE. Maybe there will be reduction if you have to sit in the OPEN AIR STAND.

What an absolute Shambles, that the Speedway authorities in this Country decide to run Important Meetings like the World Team Cup, at a Stadium like Reading. But wait for it, they can only run there if the Stadium owners take down a Stand. That will Impress the Media, and no mistake, is it any wonder we are not taken Seriously by the National Press thes days. I wonder if it would have been held at Reading, if it was still owned and run by Pat Bliss, under the Premier League Banner. I very much doubt it, I would like someone to tell me that I am wrong in the Statement I have just made.

The World Cup should be held on a proper Speedway track not a hen run like Reading, no prizes for guesing why its being held there, is there? The meeting should be held at Sheffield, its a racers track and a good surface well prepared. The Stadium and Restraunt / bar facilities are second to non, and that includes the likes of Poole or Coventry. Its a neutral track for most of the top riders who mostly ride in the Elite League, so come on Speedway Authorities, lets get together and stage an important meeting like this at a good race track and also a Stadium with excellent facilities. Its within easy reach of the M1 Motorway, and its a central Venue for fans from both the North and South of the Country, good car Parks etc. Why should the fans from the North have to travel down to Poole or Coventry every time a major event is held in this Country?

Listen Printer Ace, you have no time to mess about with Speedway Fixtures on your Honeymoon Man, Just get on that 22 Tram and get off at the Flower stand just before Charles Bridge, you know the one I mean. If you want something to do, go and Czech if my Trabant is still there, you know the one, The Lime Green one outside the Supermarket near Marketa.

As you say, its nice to see Viatsheslav Nikulin back to something like the rider we know he can be. I remember him at Saransk in 1992 when we did the trip, he was very good in those days, but seemed to lose his way with injuries etc. He came back on the overnight train with us back to Moscow, before he flew back to his then Home in Vladivostok, when he was riding on his Russian licence, but of course things have changed since then, with him now riding on a German licence I presume. I can't get to Assen this year, ( as you know conkers) so I will be looking for reports on here, and elsewhere.

Hey MikeB I hope you won't be disapointed when you watch the racing at Wiener Neustad, we went a few years ago for I think it was a Grand Prix challenge or qualifier as they were then. What a disapointment it was I can tell you, you have not seen a slick track untill you have been to this one, you would not have created a dust if you had swept it with a STIFF BRUSH. You talk about a gaters paradise, well this is it I can tell you, if Kenneth Bjerre gates like he did at Belle Vue last Monday night (22/08/05) the title is his, or anyone else who can put 5 gates together. It will be a long time before I revisit that track I can tell you, and to say that we decided to go there instead of the Czech Golden Helmet, (they were run on the same w/e) was the biggest mistake of my life.

Does anyone know what the website is for the CZ Speedway site, it used to be a very good website and then it changed now I can't find it at all. I want to find out if there are any speedway matches on at Slany or Plzen etc, when we go over for the Golden helmet weekend, we normally go for about 8 or 9 days and take in a match at one or other of the tracks I have just mentioned either before the weekend or after the Lubos Tomicek on the Monday night. I would be obliged for any information or CZ Website address.

Hi baz I printed my e-tickets directly from the site last year (2004) for the GP, and I had to go to a tent outside the stadium to exchange the e-tickets (vouchers) for admission tickets for the Stadium, maybe this year they will accept the e-tickets as actual tickets.

Hey Matousek, Sorry I'm only just replying to your request about Roman I am also a big Roman Matousek fan, I first saw him in 1986 at Ipswich when he rode for the witches. I have always admired his all action style of riding, I have seen him on several occasions when I have been in the Czech Republic for the Golden helmet weekend. He lives just outside Slany in a little village, although I'm not sure of the name, his mother used to run a small bar quite near to his house. I saw him last year in Slany, he is working for a roofing company and he doesn't look any different, and he still shakes your hand with a vice like grip. Sorry I don't have any contact details for him, but if you get to the track at Slany someone would be able to tell you the information.

Can any of our Polish fans assist me with the Fixtures for the 2005 Season in June please. I will be going to Poland on June 7th 2005, flying to Warsaw going down to Lodz onto Torun, Bydgoszcz and then towards Szczecinek, we will be in Poland until the 18th June. I would be very much obliged for any information when it comes available.

Do I read this right about Nikulin riding at Assen in march, didn't he ride on a German licence after he had a fall out with the then Russian authorities?. We travelled back from Saransk on the over night train to Moscow in 1992 with Nikulin, thats when he lived in Vladivostok on the far eastern coast of the Russian state. We drank Vodka long into the night on our return trip, and what a trip that turned out to be.

Hey Bila Hora, I've been to Czecho for the Golden Helmet weekend for the last 12 or 13 years, and I always stay at Bila Hora just by the 22/25 tram terminus, I think that your estimate to walk from Wenceslas square to marketa in 30 minutes is to say the least a little ambitous. As I recall it takes the tram 20 minutes from just over Charles bridge to Bila Hora and its all up hill at that, so your 30 minutes as I say would be a very quick walk indeed. Anyway its a cracking weekend, and anyone who has not been before don't know what there missing. I was sorry to see the Czech Speedway info site was no longer available, and has been replaced as far as I can see with another site that is all written in Czech, and is not as explanatory as the last site as far as I can see. There was supposed to be a meeting at Slany on the Tuesday after the Lubos Tomicek meeting, but someone said it has been cancelled, does anyone have any information about this?.

Your quite right there is a M&S store in Prague now, its in Wenclaslas Square on the right hand side going up from the bottom end. Been going on the Golden Helmet weekend for about 12 or 13 years now. To get to Slany you have to go past the Airport, it takes about 30 minutes by car, its Roman matouseks old track and is flat and very big.

Chris, Sitera rides for Mseno in both the Czech Extra League and 1st League, never heard of him before this season. Very impressive on those big Czech tracks, think he might demolish somewhere like Eastbourne though... Afternoon meeting at Prague just didn't seem to be advertised at all - apart from on the cover of the programme for the evening meeting! Brian Collins <{POST_SNAPBACK}> The afternoon meeting was advertised on the " Speedway Info " site which gives you the full years meetings in the Czech Republic in advance, also as the next batch of meetings get closer it gives you the start times of the mtgs. The Slany mtg on the previous Wednesday to the Golden Helmet weekend was added to the Info site about a couple of weeks previously, and replaced a junior meeting at Marketa on that Wednesday I have just stated. I have been useing this site for a few years now and its always upto date with information about mtgs and the start times.