Parsloes 1928 nearly

Well I know Simmo most certainly didn't look around in the deliberate fashion seen at Cardiff in 2007.. I've NEVER seen a rider do that - not at that level or any other..!! Don't know about the Neilsen/Rickardsson run-off as I've never sen that.. BUT the MASSIVE difference was that in the others the World title was a stake. You'll notice my very point was/is that IF this too had been a World Final, there's no way on God's earth Harris would've got past Greg.. And as I said before, witness the guffawing of the Sky commentary team this year when referring back to that incident of the year before.. BTW, did Harris score a maximum or finish top scorer in the heats preceding the Final..?? Surely if he was in the peerless form shazzy talks of, he would've..??

That's right... You used to see the same peanut seller at White City on a Wednesday, Wimbledon on a Thursday, Hackney on a Friday and then I'd see him on the Clock End at Highbury on every other Saturday (doubtless he was slumming it at White Hart Lane the alternate weekends! ). My goodness, what a lucrative trade - and one which was destroyed by the combo. of the Speedway tracks closing and all-seater stadia across London's senior Football clubs.. A shame...

Well, that's right.. The question is, "why".. And when WILL the next rider come through to become 'world class'.. As you say, hasn't happened lately... Personally (and readers won't be surprised to hear this!! ) I think it's related to the closed-nature of the world championship. I personally think that under the old system someone like Eddie Kennett (the more eagle-eyed of you will have picked up on the fact that Eddie's my favourite!!! ) would've been incentivised to push on and challenge for a place in the international elite.. But I concede that, that could be fanciful.. The fact is though as Rob says, there IS a dearth of young riders coming through at the necessary level and I'd have thought that the great & the good MIGHT want to look into why that's the case...

Was the '76 Final that poorly attended..?? I was there but can't recall it being that bad..? This was the very hot summer wasn't it; I remember a stunt man who was going to high-dive into a tank on the centre-green had to be cancelled coz of the 'drought', meaning they weren't allowed to fill the tank.. No rain in a Speedway season..?? Sure WAS a long time ago..!!

I think we have to be more ambitious... A World Cup/Series HAS to be held in one country to be credible as an event. Sure it was a long time ago, but there's no model better to refer to than the 1973 International Tornament (the one sponsored by the Daily Mirror). Unless we can be ambitious enuff to attempt to duplicate thast event, there's no point in going down this road. Spreading over several countries takes away any integrity that such an event would have: it would be less a 'tournament' more a series of linked international matches. My understanding of '73 was that some of the most well-remembered and popular matches were those involving the Eastern Europeans taking on each other: eg Poland vs. USSR etc. Right now, personally, I think a match between those two countries (Substitute Russia for the Soviet Union, obviously..!) held on a GB track would be a fantastic spectacle..: I'd certainly go!!!!

Okay, the 'scenario' I recklessly painted was based on young Emil missing out on a place in reality (which hopefully won't be happening) rather than as you say, some random musings on the subject on the BMF..!! One would sincerely hope and fully expect NO young riders are bothered to read all the old clap-trap the lot of us muse over on this Forum!!!

And with respect, do YOU know what actually young riders feel about a system which exludes them from competing in the GPs.. Eddie Kennett made his opinion pretty clear the other year when deciding against the long qualifying process, knowing that after all the effort, a paltry THREE places were up for grabs. Does anyone truly believe he'd have done that if, say, eight places in a penultimate round saw him through..: into either a WF or indeed a season's long competition. Becasuse when push comes to shove, we may well now be lumbered weith the latter but it DOESN'T have to be a such a closed-shop..!!

Steve: I think that is an absolutely brilliant plan.. As you say, the RU World Cup contains many early matches which are massacres and that' just the way it is... The idea of combining those obviously less appealing to the paying public matches with the big 'uns is a great one. On that model, though, the tournament could be expanded to several other nations (who, less would be more genuine whipping-boys) so that for once the full breadth of the Speedway racing world could be shown. Would be a great way of raising the global profile of the sport and the fact that more than anything else, Speedway IS a team sport...

Why is it? The Under 21 champion doesn't have the luxury of knowing consistent thirds and fourths in a season long series of meetings will get him the title. Among his peers, he has to beat the best and get thru' QRs, very tough semis and then a proper 20 heat Final. The trouble with those in favour of the GPs is you've blinded yourself to some basic facts. Okay, it may (arguably..) be a fair way to assess the world's best to have several rounds and the top aggregate points scorer claims the crown; but nothing can replace the sheer excitement of the one-off Final. To get through such a challenge is the mettle of a true champion.. It takes a lot to know that EVERY race matters totally in pursuit of that ultimate goal... Emil (no, I can't spell his surname... ) has proven twice he can win at that level and this is a huge achievement. It is demeaning then for people to suggest that somehow he's not "ready" for the GPs. To do that really does devalue the championship you obviously rate so highly. I also suspect, in part, it's because he is Russian..: can't believe anyone would be saying this of a Holder or a Tai if they'd won the World U21s two years running...

Er, didn't you hear the commentators at this year's British GP chuckling about it...: actually commenting that Greg might do it again with Scotty (who then broke the tapes to ruin that possibility.. ). Personally I was astonished when I first saw Hancock turn around, clock it was Harris (as opposed to say, Crumpie) and then appear not to take the action necessary to prevent him being passed.. EVERY person I've been with (and yes, non-Speedway people..) when the clip's been rerun on TV have commented, "why did he let him past"..?

Cheers for these...: these are extremely impressive figures (yes, rather like Sam Fox!! ). No mention of '72.. '72 was the first World Final I 'saw'..: not in the flesh but LIVE on national ITV; on a Saturday night!! That's another indication of how big the event was as relatively late as the early '70s!! And amazingly then there was little realistic home interest (ie English rider with chance of winning) in the Final. Though Tiger Louis did do very well on his debut. The stars then were Kiwis who we 'adopted' as Brits...

This says all one needs to know about the GP 'system'. A rider wins the World Under 21s TWICE in a row (an outstanding achievement - and harder won than Pedersen's stroll to the senior title, surely.. ) and it's said he should wait another THREE years before being 'allowed' in the GPs.. If I was said young man I'd say, you can stuff your world championship...: sounds like - and is - merely a old boys' club to me!!!

Probably won't make it thru' tonight!!!!

Well, do you honestly think that if the world title had depended on it, when Hancock looked back and saw Harris, that he wouldn't have taken him wide and held on to win..??!! I thought you were arguing Greg was still world class. World class generosity to ones hosts is what that little incident was about...!!!

A brilliant post, Roberto my friend!! Just for this, I promise never again to suggest that Oxford didn't deserve their glorious 2005 CL triumph!!

Hmm, remind me how many GPs he actually won this year.. One to Adams' two, Crump's two (and should've been three) and Gollob's three. If you think by this, he is completely dominant it can only be because winning the world championship in these days of GPs is truly a matter of the lowest common denominator...

Okay!! And I'll stop having a go at that "full stop" after your name..!!!

Seems like you must've forgotten making this post yesterday, eh..?!

A gentleman called Jeff. (don't ask me why there's a full stop!! ) has taken to perpetuating a myth that, in fact, the World Finals when held at Wembley were poorly attended. Here's one example of this mantra: Does anyone have info. on what sort of crowd figures there were from '36 to '60 and then for the Finals held there after the 'monopoly' was broken up to '81..??

And I think you are a disgrace.. The BSF is meant to be about people sharing opinions and lively debate. You obviously have a massive downer on the old World Final...: I do wonder if you ever went to any; most who did would not agree with your point of view.. But that's what it is: a point of view. Why you think it's acceptable to hurl personal abuse I do not know. I expect the Mods to warn you - but won't be holding my breath.. BTW, if you had such a strong argument you wouldn't resort to being abusive...

Your logic (sic) amazes me...: run this past me again..??! The World Final (sold out Wembley for decades!!) would attract no supporters but an early 'qualifying-type' round would pack out Cardiff 10 times over..?? And you say I'm a "fool"..!!!

If the rider who finishes 9th. every year automatically gets picked they may as well say it's the top nine whio qualify!! And if they did that then I suppose people would be arguing for the rider who came 10th. every year. For the life of me I can't see why (if one accepts that the top eight remain in..) that there aren't then EIGHT positions up for qualifying into. IF because one is in the GPs and can't or won't enter the qualifiers then strikes me as hard luck - after all why should being in the GPs give one an advantage over those not in it. They have all year to secure a top eight position while others outside currentluy have the tiny pickings of only three qualifying places. To try and restore some credibility to a currently totally morally-bankrupt competition they should go with at least 8 qualifying positions. And one of those should surely be reserved for the World U-21 champ...: under the current system if Sajfutdinov doesn't get a slot then one might as well pack up the toys and all go home.. And for the record I certainly think Eddie should get the nod ...: surely no-one believes that Lee Richardson would contribute anything..?!

Wot...: you seriously can't recall an ocassion when Greg Hancok was passed by a 'home' rider on the final bend of a GP final heat..?? Where have you been..: the moon..??!!

Here's a name I'd not heard of, who came up in conversation today, with Ricky Scarboro - coz Ricky bought his first Speedway chassis off this (was he..!) former Hull rider. Any details about Pascal would be mucho appreciated..!!

Not to mention having in "front" of him, someone seemingly unwilling to do what would normally be the case to stop an opponent past.... Maybe, THAT was evidence that Mr. Hancock has given up any ambition actually of winning the World Championships - though I do take the point that, remarkably, he remains firmly a top 4 or 5 rider in this so-called championship series... BTW, I don't really get this general argument... NO-ONE has lost out more due to the GP system than Gollob. He'd have been World Champion, what, at least twice, surely, if the old indiv. World Final still existed and had gone on a four year cycle to Poland... So the 'home advantage' argument against him seems a tad ironic!!