Make The World Cup A True Team Event

[Bavarian]

I find this week's RED FLAG column in the Speedway Star very interesting and I agree 100% with the author. The current SWC competition as a 4-Team event is a big handicap for the general acceptence of Speedway's version of a World Cup tournament. It is not really team racing, but each man on his own.

 

It really should be done as with all other major sports - Team versus Team - that's how it should be. And that is also what the casual spectator is used to from watching the Elite League matches on Sky. Even the one preparation match for the SWC was a match between GB and Australia and not a 4-Team event.

 

With either six or eight teams involved the SWC tournament could be staged as a knock-out competition, or with a couple of groups of three or four teams, followed by semi-finals and a grand final. And yes, I would go for Red Flag's idea to stage the SWC just once every two years - with the other year for qualifying matches, involving the emerging nations. It would make this competition so much more prestigeous.

[frigbo]

The problem with making it a team event is that apert from the top 5 nations the other sides will be even less competitive than they are now. I agree with you in principal, but it just wouldn't work in reality. Who's going to watch Poland spank Germany or Sweden v Hungary for example?

 

I do agree that the tournament shouldn't be every year. Bi-annualy or even every four years would add much more prestige to the tournament, and even Tony Rickardsson might try in it then!

[Grachan]

It all sounds very nice and proper and footbally. Trouble is, if the host nation don't reach the final you have no crowd.

[Richspeedway]

You could say no one would watch Poland thrash the Germans in the group stages but how about other sports? Like Rugby in the World cup you have New Zealand beating people like Japan 100-0 and people still watch. I think some countries could use them meetings to try out there younger riders maybe put couple old heads in so shows the future of the nation. Think country v country would be good maybe have so many groups of nations but spaced out so the big nations are in seperate groups like a seeding. So say example you had 5 team in group you have 5 gradings so Sweden, GB, Poland etc be seeded 1 then you have Czechs etc seeded 2 and so on down. Then if Poland have to face Italy or Ukraine then they may use younger riders as to try them out. Think more nations would join it and also would help the lower nations as would get to ride against best riders and get experience and also the lower riders would get on tv to help them get sponsors and maybe if put solid performance in a ride for a club in Poland or here.

[arnieg]

1 Nobody wants to stage the world cup as it is (hence the spread over three countries this year)

 

2 With 6-8 man teams even fewer nations would compete - either because of cost or lack of strength in depth (remember USA found 5 man teams too much and didn't take part last year)

 

3 too many matches not involving the host nation would be a financial risk

 

However what I would like to see is a format that allows team racing so that every race involves two pairs of riders from two of the four participating countries

[Silver Bee]

That's how it was at Coventry in 2000 I think. Having 2 from each side would be better IMO.

[Guest nobby nomad]

How about doing it this way

 

The top six teams qualify for the final - these SHOULD be

 

England

Sweden

Denmark

USA

Poland

Austrailia

 

The teams would be seven riders

 

There would be a week of qualifing meetings - each of nine heats with the following formula - the number seven being a non programmed reserve

 

1 2 1 2

3 4 3 4

5 6 5 6

1 2 3 4

3 4 5 6

5 6 1 2

1 2 5 6

3 4 1 2

5 6 3 4

 

The rota could be as follows

 

Monday

 

Eng v Swe Den v USA Pol v Aus

 

Tueday

 

Eng v USA Swe v Aus Pol v Den

 

Wednesday

 

Eng v Den Swe v Pol Aus v USA

 

Thursday

 

Eng v Aus Swe v Den Pol v USA

 

Friday

 

Eng v Pol Swe v USA Aus v Den

 

These meetings could be run ht 1 of each, then ht 2 of each etc

and every track would have a England meeting to promote.

 

Then there could be two semi finals of the old 13 heat variety at the same track

along with a 15 heat final intertwined with a 9 heat 3rd/4th place play off for the final.

 

Could we not stage semi finals and final at Wimbledon?

 

What do you think?

[frigbo]

Why have 3 different heat formulae?

 

Wimbledon's track is too small and narrow for such meetings.

 

The Yanks can barely muster a 5 man team, nevermind 7.

 

This also creates a closed shop, just like the GP's.

[Guest nobby nomad]

Why have 3 different heat formulae?

 

Wimbledon's track is too small and narrow for such meetings.

 

The Yanks can barely muster a 5 man team, nevermind 7.

 

This also creates a closed shop, just like the GP's.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

I suggested qualifing for the final and saying these should be the teams

 

The formula starts at only 9 heats to allows three matches to be in one and the home nation to be involved in all the qualifying meetings.

 

Why Wimbledon? Because it is the best speedway stadium in the UK bar none.

Non fans must laugh when they see us hold international events at tracks with no more than a garden shed for spectator cover.

[Richspeedway]

another thing would be if there was group stages and that then it may take longer and that means the elite league would either have change fixtures or maybe the elite teams would have use there younger riders if they could not move fixture dates.