Reviresco

Shouldn't the reigning British Speedway Champion be considered as the 'British' wildcard if one is to be considered at all?

Just back from Cardiff. IMO there were 35,000 there at the most for what was IMO an awful speedway meeting as, after turn 2, there was no passing apart from Holder and Emil. I have been attending speedway for 44 years and World Finals/GPs since 1972 and that was one of the poorest I've ever seen. The track that was there last year wasn't this and was so slick it was ridiculous. I used to enjoy my visits to The Millennium but the whole experience was not good this year, from the lack of programme sellers, the lack of food, to the firework display. I will be saving my money and staying away next year as many I spoke to said after the meeting. Looks like BSI are favouring Greg over Tomasz this year, IMO. Oh, and if Gate 1 doesn't win a heat all night - how can it be a fair track?

Agreed, sorry mate managed to get my comment in the middle of yours first go. All the best.

Your info comes from Wikipedia? Enough said. All I know was that when I lived and worked there for 3yrs it was alot drier in September than May. 1980 & 84 Individual World Finals were pretty dry from what I remember too.

Totally agree. I can't belive the utter rubbish ImpartialOne and BWitcher have been spouting on here. Riding a speedway bike is about balance and throttle control. If you are tipped going into a corner you will lose balance. Pedersen tipped Harris, Harris lost balance and fell. Pedersen has no throttle control. What Riders & Ex Riders, ImpartialOne? Name them please. Little Nikki is a disgrace to himself, the sport of speedway and his country.

Ooooooooooooooh I am SO sorry. Telling off accepted. I was just speaking from experience having lived in Sweden for 3yrs but please do accept my humble apologies. Pr!k.

My question is why do they stage a SGP in Gothenburg in May? It rains. Surely stage it in July or August when the summer is there. IMO another bad show for speedway on TV. Nobody's fault and huge credit to the riders for giving it a go. No damage done to TG on his bid for back to back championships which looked the case after 2 heats. Hopefully conditions will be good for the rest of the series.

Many congratulations to Tomasz for his well deserved and overdue solo speedway world championship. TG's win I suppose re-opens the debate again about who is the best rider now not to have won the individual world crown. Well done also to Jarek and Jason for their podium finishes. Jarek's come back to the SGP has been very welcome and Crumpy's top three record is hugely meritorious. A quiet mention to Rune Holta too for his steady progress into the world's top eight and to Bomber as he looks as if he's relieved the embarrasment of a British rider having to be nominated next year. More of the same next season Chris please.

My math isn't great, but with 48pts available to the winner of the last 2 SGPs, I think that Tomasz needs 6pts 'more' than Jason and 5pts 'more' than Jarek to win the 2010 Solo Speedway World Championship and not just 6pts. A long way to go yet.....

Congratulations to Tomasz, still the best rider not - yet - to have won the World Solo Speedway World Champioship, but geez how much I hope he does. Is 19pts with two GPs to go enough........

Unfortunately.

As far as I'm aware there is no such rule in speedway, but I'd be happy to be told otherwise. Gollob could've finished his own World Championship hopes in that move, but it does appear that he doesn't like the Russian for some reason - doubt if it is political history but do remember a couple of incidents last season between the two of them. I do hope it was not deliberate as that would tarnish the title if Gollob is to win it at last and I really did think he had rid himself of these mental aberrations. I am TG's biggest fan when it comes to riding a speedway bike, but this does have me shaking my head again. Well done to Rune - 4th in the Championship is quite an achievement and a strange looking top 8 after this GP, but that is not a bad thing. A couple of seasons ago people were telling me that Nicki would rule the world for a number of years with his attitude and back up team. Where has it all gone?

Absolute rubbish from you and your mate 'Sudden'. As it transpired the poor decision to exclude Gollob from his first heat made no difference as when the track became 'danish' TG showed his true class and, along with the rest of the Polish team, were too good and won. Well done Poland. As for the idiots who keep going on about Holta riding for Poland - get a life please and drop the subject. There are enough examples in other sports - athletics, Mo Farrah born in Somalia - all the South Africans in the England cricket team - Greg Rusedski - Zola Budd - Lennox Lewis - Owen Hargreaves - Briggs & Mauger riding for Great Britain (?!), etc. etc. There have been many examples of speedway riders riding under different licences.

Where was Woffinden born?

Another Masterclass from TG on a track that by all experts' opinion shouldn't suit him. Heat 14 was just magnificent from the best motorcycle rider in the world. AJ should know by now that he can't just bail out and expect to get back in a race. How many times does he do this? Cracking language for the TV too AJ - you should learn your responsibilities buddy as a lot of children watch the Sky coverage. A Second SGP lost by Hampel from a bad choice of Final gate position. Well done Zorro - you have proved many people wrong. I hope that the Championship stays this open until the end.

Brilliant as always DW. Thanks very much. Your contribution to the enjoyment of the SGP has been invaluable when watching the SGP on TV.

Just back from Ullevi. Well done to everyone for getting the meeting on and finished. All the riders should take great credit. Brilliant to see KB winning an SGP at last. Tomasz was very fair to him when he'd got back under him and going round 3 & 4, no doubt others would have shown him the fence. Good to see TG and Greg back amongst it again. Holder is a fine addition and Zorro looks quick and up to GP standard - two last blue gates finished his chances off for a Final. Tai looks slightly out of his depth, but you have to start somewhere. Championship shaping up nicely after 2 GPs. Lets hope it continues. Incredible race down the back straight and into turn 3 in the Final. Amazing effort by Hans to squeeze past Bomber, but it just didn't work. Glad both weren't injured. Just watched it on Sky+ and damn it was close to being unbelievable tekkers by Hans. Guess he wished he'd waited until turn 1 now though.

Well said Tomcat, one of the few last great characters of the sport and a real nice bloke too. Hope it is a great success and be good to see a big attendance.

LOL, brilliant comment. It's good to see that the ex-TeamGB manager is fostering so much BRITISH talent down at Wimborne Road this season. It will no doubt profit the sport in this country in the long term and help create the next BRITISH world champion..........

I have read and abide by the rules and hope that the contributors who invaded the post about Billy's Memorial Meeting to defame him and accuse me do give it a rest. This was meant to be a tribute thread to one of the most stylish, fair riding and damn nice blokes you could ever meet and I am very upset with how certain people have posted on here.

Yes, you lied just like Dekker. No further comment necessary. What a pitiful comment as you couldn't be bothered to read any of my comments properly (bring your mum and a bag of sweets, smacks of intended violence doesn't it, doh). There is onloy one arrogant person here, the one who assumes but fails to understand = YOU! You just made the situation worse.

Thank goodness for that, butting in where you weren't wanted. A shame you read negatively all the time and can't apologise.

Yes outside, where hopefully a conversation could be had rather than inside where all Dekker's aggresion is manifested and focused on all things anti-Billy Sanders and the people who respect him and respect speedway for what it is - a decent family sport. I can only assume that you have been raised to believe that a meeting "outside" refers to implied physical violence, which is a great pity for you and your upbringing. At my great age, I have learnt that disputes are best resolved through conversation, but it is apparent Dekker is not one for conversation, only unsubstantiated malicious innuendo and re-working of the facts. Oh and why would I want to pay to go inside Blundsdon to be threatened with physical violence by somebody whose views are so bigotted? It is also the last place I had the privilege of watching Billy ride (13pts from 5 rides I think) and I would prefer to leave it that way. Defend Dekker if you wish, I hope you are content in your viewpoint.

Thanks Tomcat, you are quite correct 'people' like Dekker are not worth any comment. Yes Dekker, sometimes I was in the pits with Billy (1981/82) and sometimes on the 3rd bend. I never said that I was in the pits on the occasion that your drunk friend tried to assault him and was evicted from the stadium. As in every sport, the spectators should never invade the performers space, especially not in a dangerous sport like speedway. Fancy taking a swing at you? You are a total idiot aren't you? Dropping to your very low level is not for me buddy. And as for Midnight Lady's comments, I hope you are not suggesting that I had anything in mind other than talking with Dekker and I am unsure how you could possibly read that into my comments. As Tomcat says, Dekker is a disgusting object who obviously has no grip on facts or reality and is his own fool. Billy Sanders a true speedway rider, stylist, national champion, member of 3 British league winning sides including 2 doubles, one as captain and a true friend to the sport, his club and country who he never turned his back on. 25 years later, remembered and celebrated.

Not much point in corresponding with you is there as you are so bigoted against Billy Sanders? I am due to be in Swindon in July and would really welcome meeting you then to discuss your biased viewpoint - although it sounds as if it may be best to arrange this outside the stadium rather than in it. Feel free to bring your 'gang' and your friend from the back street bar whose actions you so obviously condone. Maybe you could bring some sweets and your mum too? I doubt whether being saintly or not leads to a "poor pairs meeting". And who said Billy or any speedway rider was "saintly" or is whitewashing history exactly? Just like you no doubt we are none of us "saintly" but to accuse a deceased person of taking drugs with no evidence of same and distorting the truth as to Billy's status at the time of his death and the incident with your friend from the back straight bar smacks of desperation, a lack of knowledge and a long held grievance that maybe you should seek some help with. Maybe you are the one that tried to attack Billy, got smacked and evcited from the stadium and you are still feeling sore about it still? What a sad person. No rose tinted glasses here Dekker. Just remembering Billy as the speedway rider he was - at the time the best rider not to win the individual world championship, a multi national champion and one of themost liked and respected riders by his peers due to his classic riding style, fair riding, knowledge of the sport and the assistance he always offered any rider who asked. And he didn't turn his back on his country - unlike Phil Crump. I believe in Australia annually a memorial is held in Billy's memory too, possiblt the U23 championship. I guess that that is "half assed" recognition too then? I was stood on the 3rd bend that night the bloke from "the back straight bar" had a go at Billy, got offered a chance to ride his bike if he thought he could do better, was beckoned closer to the track and got smacked before being evicted. No glasses of any tint - just fact. You bracketed Billy with Gary Gugliemi and Steve Payne, two riders who were banned due to drug use. Billy was never accused or banned, so where is your connection? Basically your post is lies, innuendos and full of libel. A real shame you jumped on and tainted this thread. I trust you will be treated to the same respect when you are dead. PM me with your contact details and we'll arrange that meet at Blundsdon.