Fourentee

Congratulations to all the riders who took part for their efforts and skill, but obviously especially to Tai Woffinden who was certainly the class of the field. A thoroughly enjoyable meeting, and congratulations also to the Lakeside track staff. I thought the track very well prepared, especially given the rigours of a 22-heat meeting, and the racing good. Pleased I went. Well done also to Lakeside for cracking on through the meeting with the minimum of delays. Leaving aside the heat where the announcer inadvertently skipped a race in his programme and began to announce the riders from the next one (easily done), a couple of niggles on the presentation front. Is it really necessary to keep the music blaring to within a hair's breadth of the green light going on? And could we not have had some information about how riders would be split in the event of a tie? Late on there was every possibility of Bridger, Roynon and Barker ending up tied for second on 13 points behind Woffinden. Who would make the final (in the heats Bridger had beaten Roynon who had beaten Barker who had beaten Bridger)? Yet after heat 19 it was announced that "by the miracles of modern technology we can announce that Tai Woffinden (top scorer) and Lewis Bridger (at that point tied on 13 with Roynon, Barker on 10 yet to have his last race) have reached the final". Only after heat 20 was it declared that race wins constituted the deciding factor. Perhaps I should have guessed, as it's a common enough method. But it would have helped to have been told (don't recall it being in the programme). But these are minor quibbles; an excellent night. Edit: Anyone know who was on refereeing duties?

Nah, just give me a ring and stream live commentary to my phone! Seriously, though, an excellent highlights package. Decent camerawork, the heats follow on quickly without too much faffing about and I'm sure the commentary is fine! Any chance of a scorechart (I was bumped off the computer pretty much as soon as the last heat finished, so I'm assuming there wasn't one before the end titles)?

Well, that's his privilege. I, on the other hand, do like Mr Lawson as a rider (and a person) and this has merely underlined my intention to go to tonight's meeting and give him a cheer to thank him for his efforts when riding for Wolverhampton, where I see the majority of my speedway.

I trust your other 1800-plus posts make rather more sense than this one.

Pleasant surprise in the final heat commentary: "Blizzard of consonants, blizzard of consonants.....Workington Comets....blizzard of consonants." Love it!

Hoping to get along to this one. Between Woffinden and Bridger, at a guess, but Lawson has experience of the track (saw him ride very well there for Wolves in 06) and would love to see him as a threat.

Difficult to see a 17-rider format! The story is a bit of a fudge, isn't it – I can't see somebody of Phil Chard's obvious acumen failing to ask the question. As no answer is forthcoming perhaps the promoters are waiting to see if there is a dropout through injury or whatever. Or perhaps they haven't come to a decision and some kind of qualifying system will apply. Anyway, cracking field either way and should be a very good meeting.

That would doubtless explain his lack of an apology.

OK. I'm hoping to go myself, it seems a long time until March! It seems to be an event that's staged in almost any meteorological circumstances (yes, postponed last year!) so there has to be every chance of some action.

Yep, you and me both. Anyway, it was my lad's birthday yesterday so I have more important and happier things on my mind. And to go on topic once more, are you heading Newport-way Shadders? I went last year for the first time and thoroughly enjoyed it. Always good to blow the speedway cobwebs out.

Hahahahaha. Comical. Remind me to print this one out and read it to my adopted son with Down's Syndrome when I get home.

Are the last two places yet to be confirmed then?

In danger of going off-topic here, but at a guess the Marston's name is probably better established among a broader spectrum of drinkers. It's also one of those premium brands that carries certain upmarket connotations of quality, tradition and so forth – just a better image, I guess. None of this is to denigrate Banks's (especially the mild, now renamed Original, grrr) – a fine brew but perhaps with more of a regional identity. Anyway, in a desperate attempt to justify the post from a speedway point of view, who wins the Olympique this year? Another PK master class? Personally I think Freddie might be in with a big shout... PS: Oh, and thanks, Superguest.

Not quite right! Wolverhampton and Dudley Breweries, owners of the Banks's brand, took over Marston's but the firm was then renamed after the East Midlands brew. SG, out of interest, where was Casper Wortmann confirmed please?

You're joking, right? I could hear you and I was in the restaurant which, for non-Monmore visitors, is on the second floor and behind glass. Very thick glass. And see Jeff Scott's remarks in Shifting Shale.

Surely it was the Banks's Olympique last year but becomes the Marstons Olympique this year? Anyway, on last year's evidence it should be the Babe619 Lung Expanding Concorde Sound Wave Crescendo Scream From Centre Green Freddie Lindgren Olympique (Ducks for cover and decides to give this year's meeting a miss)

Had a call from the father of one of the riders immediately after this meeting which got me thinking. The gist of it was: "We've just finished, everything's OK, so his mum and I can relax tonight after the drive home. He's really enjoyed it, desperate for another go. Oh, and by the way, he scored x points so he was really pleased with that." I wouldn't mind betting that this sentiment broadly reflected the view of every parent there. How appalling it must be to have a child who wants to ride speedway – that parental mix of 80 per cent encouragement and support for your offspring's dream mingled with 20 per cent of blood-curdling terror every time he or she throws a wheel over a bike. I would dread it were any of my four that way inclined. But, given that desire – and there's no way you can eradicate it from the human psyche – how fortunate that so many people give of their time and talent to ensure proper training under appropriate conditions for these youngsters. Congratulations to all involved and I trust the news on the injured rider is better than it appears.

Good grief! Very assured on a bike for a rider with so little experience. Monmore, though a tremendous race track, can take some getting used to for the uninitiated. He looked totally unflustered in his heat win, which he led throughout. No wonder his supporters made the trip. Thanks, e,skidz

Good post Scooby, and an interesting insight into what goes on behind the scenes. Take your point entirely about the rostrum reaction. For all that it came from a very small minority, I found it distasteful. For what it's worth, if you look through the postings on this thread you'll find very little that isn't extremely positive about Bridger. And look at it this way: If the rider didn't possess the abundance of talent that he so obviously does, there wouldn't be the same intense spotlight on all aspects of his behaviour. PS Aunty Sal: Wasn't aware that Jerran Hart was so new to the game. An even more impressive performance then.

I rather feared that last night's result and performance would open up this can of worms again. Of course British speedway fans would want the lad to go with the land of his birth rather than that of his upbringing – potential will always be in demand. Obviously at some point a decision will have to be made, but some of the rather belligerent postings in previous threads hardly seemed constructive. Perhaps we should all just recognise the conflicting pulls involved and leave the Woffinden family to get on with it in their own time.

Ben Taylor? Good deeds by stealth really, wjm. Always tidy and competitive, well worth his 10 points, without threatening the Woffinden/Bridger/Auty axis (and no shame in that).

Thank you. One gives as one finds. The Jerran Hart contingent was more of a platoon than an army, but good to see them nonetheless. Very enthusiastic for their rider, as is only right and proper. Even brought a banner! Edit: Shazz, are you volunteering to apply the firm guiding hand referred to above

Hmm, didn't see it that way myself, to be honest. Superb first bend cutback by Woffinden to take the lead, blistering outside pass by Bridger to regain it. But I felt the Eastbourne man eventually just overcooked it and opened the door for Woffinden. Perhaps you could say that Woffinden was near enough to exert pressure and force the error. Must echo Superguest's reflections on Bridger, who seems to get more than his fair share of stick on these boards. He slumped forward on finishing the race with his hand on his head and the disappointment was obvious. Yet he rode round, patted Woffinden on the head, had a chat, did a lap and a wheelie for the crowd while surely knowing that his best chance had gone. Woffinden certainly the best man on the night – the four quickest times to boot – with Bridger a worthy runner-up. Josh Auty could have forced a three-man title run-off with a last-heat win over Woffinden – it looked neck and neck coming out of the gate until Auty looped. And good for him on having the grace to turn round while walking off and give the crowd a wave, despite how he must have been feeling. Elsewhere, Joe Haines a slightly fortunate third but a very good (and very young) prospect. Very neat stylist. My dark horse Rob Mear could have finished third overall but for the mishap alluded to by TNT (though I recall he was second rather than leading?). Finally, good to see fans from other tracks making the journey to back their hopefuls, especially the contingent just in front of me rooting enthusiastically for Sittingbourne's Jerran Hart. Edit: And well done again CVS for giving the youngsters an Elite League setting at which to race.

For my money, Lewis Bridger still starts favourite. I think his greater experience (and what a weird phrase that is for someone who's still only 17) will give him the edge – two full Elite League seasons, the recent World U21 final, etc. I would also expect him to be more relaxed this year, having won in 2006 when all the pressure and expectation seemed to take its toll on the night. But Tai Woffinden should certainly pose a threat and has the benefit of recent Monmore practice. Looking for a longer-odds spoiler, how about Rob Mear? Good form currently, and I seem to recall (without looking it up) that he sprang to life in the later stages of last year's final. Looking forward to this one, though, and it's very much to Wolverhampton's credit that they give it an Elite League staging every year, often in the teeth of big action elsewhere.

Mervjankefanclub, great shout there for little Guy Wilson, how could I forget him? Immensely popular at Workington, fantastic out and out trier and top personality too.