Seb the Snail

Very true, but then again, they haven't been Australian Champion 9 times either have they? To be honest, as it's on a temporary track it could be anyone's meeting. I don't think that Leigh or Nicki even made the semis last year, did they?

I fully expect it to be fair to tiddly in the pub, with a few foggy intervals later on depending on the amount of moisture consumed. There's a chance of lightning if any Wolves / Swindon or Poole / Coventry fans happen to collide, but the day will have a glorious ending when the Clean One takes the chequered flag in the Final, leading inevitably to a sudden dramatic shower of champagne. There is also clearly the risk of wind, thunder and even a full moon on the coach on the way home...

I like your thinking B52! However you appear to have forgotten to tell us who is going to win the GP?

Beat me to it! Are you going, by the way? It's about time you bought me a pint for all the live updates from Blunsdon that I send you!

Narrow it down a bit shazzy; there's about 20 million of them that statement applies to! I guess you mean my fellow Leigh Adams fan (from the advert)?

Surely you need a new one after this week's news, FairyTasha? You can borrow my Leigh Adams one if you like!

Same here! Our tickets came yesterday - 9 of us in L36 and 1 in L 34 (sorry Bestie)

I just spoke to the venue to buy an additional seat and they stated that all tickets should be received a minimum of 10 days before the event (ie next Wednesday). I guess that people should therefore start to chase them up if they haven't been received towards the end of next week? L36 is now sold out.

Looks like they had better buy their own then; sorry! 15 days and counting...

Woohoo! You're round Lou! Don't worry, there's only 10 in our group...

The draw has now been made and is available here: Cardiff GP Draw The meeting should start with a bang, with both Nicholls and Howe out in the opening heat! Heat 3 also looks a cracker, with Bomber taking on Nicki and Jason in his opening ride; while Heat 6 will see Crump and Adams head to head again following their memorable duel in 13 on Monday, with Andersen and Gollob completing the line up. Bring it on!

Were it ever in any doubt, Rico booked his place in the GB side last night, showing Middlo at first hand that he can still beat the best. Harris and Nicholls are guaranteed picks, and even I have to concede that Mr Howe deserves his chance on the big stage this year. That just leaves pick 5, and with Eddie Kennett the most improved British rider in the league I think that the starting line-up is already assured.

Indeed. Best for a while I reckon!

I would imagine that Sir Gollob is somewhere around L2, L3 or L4. We've been up in the clouds for the last few years and so have decided to get down closer to the action this year; all the best people will be in L36 in 23 days time, just as the riders leave the 2nd bend!

Agreed. Agreed again. I can't see us having too much to worry about in the meeting at Brandon, but sadly there's no way that we can track a team capable of winning in Poland.

They also really frustrated me when I called them last Friday. I had bought 9 of the £45 tickets the day before for our group, and then typically another friend said that he wished to join us. I rang them back with details of our order, asking if the seat at either end of our block of 9 was available, only to be met with the reply that they had no way of checking, and could merely sell me the next best ticket in that price range. Rubbish; fat lot of good that is. I also recall frigbo having similar fun and games when he had the honour last year and tried to book 2 blocks of 5, one in front of the other so that we could all chat with each other during the meeting, only to be told that was impossible, and that we would need 1 long line of 10. 21st Century Technology, eh?

You'll find no argument with those sentiments amongst the Robins' fans, Dave! Great to see the Clean one on top of the podium again at long last, especially for those of us who snapped up the 14-1 pre-meeting! What a sublime pass to beat Hans to the chequered flag, after tracking him so stealthily for the preceeding laps. The only person with an anxious expression during the race was Rosco - he must have thought that the roof of his pub was going to come off when Leigh made his final move!

Stead has to be the choice for this year's event, but I don't think that there's much doubt that Kennett has the brighter future in the sport long-term. His time will come. And as for all those calling for Schlein, for once I'm lost for words!

The pizza is in the oven, the wine is in the fridge and the money is down - 10/1 Leigh and 16/1 Bjarne - so fingers crossed that I've got someone in the final to cheer for. Best of luck to Bomber too! Wouldn't it be brilliant if he was in the shake up at the end of the meeting?

Agree with that. He was well in the mix last season until his clash with Scotty in the semi-final. I don't expect that he'll win the meeting but he could well make the final.

I meant the Italian GP title; particularly after the meeting last summer when Hans led the final only for Crump to dive underneath him on lap 2. Hopefully Nicki, Leigh and 1 or 2 others will also be in the mix this time. It gets a little monotonous when you can basically write down the finalists half way through the meeting. Like you said, bring it on!

Carpanese ruled at the Italian GP last year! Best 0 that I have ever seen! I really hope that he gets a point or two next week. I can't see anything other than a Crump - Hans battle for the title, but as said 100 times before, hopefully the Cleansed One will carry his league form into the meeting and give us Robins something to cheer.

Down with Clare. You guys seemed to have the better hotel, but at least we were staggering distance from all of the local hostelries!

I think you're on the wrong Forum. As mentioned, Lonigo itself is a pretty desolate place, so stay somewhere else and hire a car to get you to the meeting if you're not going on an organised package. I went with "Travel Plus" last year and it was excellent - staying at Lake Garda for 3 nights with organised trips to Venice and Verona as well as the meeting itself.

I would love it to be Leigh, as this really is last-chance saloon, but realitically I can see a repeat of this year, with Crump way too consistent for the others and a melee developing for the other podium positions. Crump 1st with any 2 of Hans, Leigh, Nicki and Greg for the silver and bronze. Zagar and Andreas best of the rest.