The 2009 Premier League Riders' Championship

[The~SAINT]

Looks like one of the poorest line-ups in quite a while, especially compared to 2008. Woffinden, Barker, Doyle etc to Ashworth, Lawson and a few others in the space of a year, where did it go wrong?

Surely it didn't go wrong it went according to plan!!! ie/ better riders moved up a league

[Trees]

BTW...I don't think the Half time entertainment will be invited back...although he seemed to be enjoying himself

Some of the stuff he did was impressive but it went on a little too long tbh, as for the chap commentating and his whooping ............... for god's sake OTT or what!!!!! He should tape himself, he'd be well embarrased LOL

[tigerblues]

BTW...I don't think the Half time entertainment will be invited back...although he seemed to be enjoying himself

If you mean the guy on the bike, that's the second time we've seen him at Sheffield this year, so he must be doing something right.. although I still haven't quite worked out what

[Bagpuss]

An enjoyable day out and certainly deserving winner....I don't want to take anything away from Ashworth as he rode bloody well but I hope in the future they try again with the neutral track idea.

 

The action was certainly compeitive but there weren't too many passes after the first lap. Watched the meeting in the company of Chrissy, Silver Bee, SCB, King Jamie, Vog, Jenn and a couple of familiar faces in Trees and em1500uk. Great to see yer all

[jonesy]

Congrats to Ricky Ashworth - a deserved winner. Would have liked to see David Howe win the final as his blasts round the outside from gate 4 were some of the highlights of the meeting and he threatened to push from fourth to second in the final before being passed on the inside on bend 4. He still did the Scorpions proud though. Shame about Magnus - he's a lot better rider than he showed yesterday althogh to be fair there were more fancied riders who also disappointed.

Overall I thought it was a good meeting with plenty of hard riding and some, not loads, of overtaking. The crowd seemed large (did it meet the 4,000 anticipated?) and the atmosphere on bend 3 was great. Respect to the drinking capacity of the Glasgow fans!!

A final thought - Darcy Ward is already a special rider and will only get better. It's easy to forget how young he is. Forget team affiliation, we should enjoy watching such speedway talent.

[spin king]

(1)One more lap and Darcy would have got him, sure of it. Some nice moves made by our Boy Wonder, he didn't disappoint although no doubt he was disappointed himself not to have got top spot! Fantastic race between TT and Darcy in heat 4, thought experience was gonna win over youth but no, the little whipper snapper snuck through

 

(2)The action on the 1st and 2nd bends was not for the less committed riders, pleased to see that the only faller was the winner himself!

Glad to be home, could hardly keep my eyes open towards Lynn ....................

 

(3) Sorry I missed the pub gathering, didn't go down the road far enough and in the end wasn't in as good time as I hoped, I heard that the beer and convo flowed nicely though

 

(1) Speedway has only over 4 laps,or maybe we should change the rules for the Boy Wonder and have the race over 5 laps or perhaps someone should have turn out the lights and start all over again.

 

(2) I think you left your memory at Sheffield, Kenni Larson fell in the same spot in same lap.

 

(3) Sorry you did not make it across to the pub, a pity really has we all had good fun.

[Trees]

(2) I think you left your memory at Sheffield, Kenni Larson fell in the same spot in same lap.

Oh yeah so he did, it was bleeding late but I do suffer with severe memory loss lol

Speedway has only over 4 laps,or maybe we should change the rules for the Boy Wonder and have the race over 5 laps or perhaps someone should have turn out the lights and start all over again.

Some races simply neeeeeeeed more laps

 

[RobMcCaffery]

Makes me the Laugh the people what are complaining about the Home Track advantage are people what didnt even go to the meeting. If they d been there they d have seen that Ricky had to battle for Every Point.

 

Of course it doesn't help that he rides the track every week does it?

 

Funny how home advantage quietly gets ignored when the rider or team that you want to win does so. It's clear in Ashworth's case that he could have won it on any track but it does not in any weaken the argument that it is ridiculous to take such a meeting seriously when one rider has such an advantage. That's not to belittle Ashworth's ability or effort but the judgement of those who allocate these meetings.

 

Others have tried to excuse matters by claiming it's unviable to stage this meeting on a neutral track. I don't seem to remember having problems attracting great crowds to Coventry for this event, or Wimbledon and even Hackney before it.

 

I have no axe to grind against Sheffield. It's an excellent set-up but staging the PLRC there just serves to diminish yet another major PL event. Still, plenty of people enjoyed it, especially Sheffield supporters who were in fact robbed of seeing Ashworth win the title fair and square on a neutral track.

 

It goes back to Workington, a commercial success but a sporting disaster and another reason why many find it so hard to take the sport seriously. Think about the effect meetings like this have on the sport's wider reputation?

 

Still lots of money was made and a lot of fans happy with the result so there's nothing to be concerned about...is there?

 

Rob McCaffery.

[Drac]

Home track advantage = YES

 

Deserved winner = YES

 

PLRC @ Sheffield in the future = I GOD DAM HOPE SO!

[mythman666]

I thought that Ricky Ashworth was deserved winner of this, picked himself up after his tumble and did the business. He was superb. Special mentions to Willie Lawson, David Howe, Jordan Frampton and Jason Bunyan (who certainly deserved more than he got), for making it a very entertaining afternoon of Speedway! Good to meet up with a few of you off here too.

 

Never thought i would say this...

 

Well done Ricky!

[Halifaxtiger]

Of course it doesn't help that he rides the track every week does it?

 

Funny how home advantage quietly gets ignored when the rider or team that you want to win does so. It's clear in Ashworth's case that he could have won it on any track but it does not in any weaken the argument that it is ridiculous to take such a meeting seriously when one rider has such an advantage. That's not to belittle Ashworth's ability or effort but the judgement of those who allocate these meetings.

 

Others have tried to excuse matters by claiming it's unviable to stage this meeting on a neutral track. I don't seem to remember having problems attracting great crowds to Coventry for this event, or Wimbledon and even Hackney before it.

 

I have no axe to grind against Sheffield. It's an excellent set-up but staging the PLRC there just serves to diminish yet another major PL event. Still, plenty of people enjoyed it, especially Sheffield supporters who were in fact robbed of seeing Ashworth win the title fair and square on a neutral track.

 

It goes back to Workington, a commercial success but a sporting disaster and another reason why many find it so hard to take the sport seriously. Think about the effect meetings like this have on the sport's wider reputation?

 

Still lots of money was made and a lot of fans happy with the result so there's nothing to be concerned about...is there?

 

Rob McCaffery.

 

A little strong, Rob, but you have a very good point.

 

I think its reasonable to suggest that had the meeting been on a neutral track (or another PL one) most of us would not have been surprised to see three of the four finalists there. Ward is the top PL rider;' Howe is in superb form; Proctor is one of the best young riders around. Ashworth would have been a surprise.

 

As you have accurately said, it is not the supporters that tarnish his win but the organisers.

 

I can appreciate the BSPA not holding the meeting on a neutral track if it is going to make a loss there, as it did at Swindon. But what's wrong with Birmingham ? As far as I am aware, they get bigger home gates than Sheffield, other tracks are closer, its still centrally located, the covered accommodation is at least as good and it has a reputation as a superb, very fair racing strip. The car parking is better, too.

 

It should not be the case that this meeting is handed out in an auction with the prize going out to the highest bidder and nothing else being taken into account. Surely the supporters and their wishes should be considered ?

[spin king]

Funny how home advantage quietly gets ignored when the rider or team that you want to win does so. It's clear in Ashworth's case that he could have won it on any track but it does not in any weaken the argument that it is ridiculous to take such a meeting seriously when one rider has such an advantage. That's not to belittle Ashworth's ability or effort but the judgement of those who allocate these meetings.

Funny how nothing is mentioned when Tai Woffenden and Magnus Zetterstrom were winning the PLRC at the last two occasions the meeting has been held at Sheffield,like I say this was more or less the cream of the PLRC.

 

I can appreciate the BSPA not holding the meeting on a neutral track if it is going to make a loss there, as it did at Swindon. But what's wrong with Birmingham ? As far as I am aware, they get bigger home gates than Sheffield, other tracks are closer, its still centrally located, the covered accommodation is at least as good and it has a reputation as a superb, very fair racing strip. The car parking is better, too.

Fair comment,but looking at geography of the Premier League, and Sheffield is probably the most central of the all the tracks, and the one which could cope with the type of crowd that attends this meeting.

 

I think no matter where you hold the meeting someone or some riders are going to have an advantage.

[Fozzie4388]

Whats Wrong with Birmingham?

 

No offence to them but wouldnt the council have something to say about the noise etc and aint they only allowed to hold 1 meeting a week at the track aswell.

[mythman666]

I think no matter where you hold the meeting someone or some riders are going to have an advantage.

Have to say i agree with you here, no matter where it is held, the chances are that certain riders will have ridden there before etc

[Jenn]

Not the worst meeting I've ever been to but certainly not the best!

 

The highlight was adding many more faces to forum names including the Kings Lynn fans that I adopted as my own for the evening!

 

Gutted Darcy couldn't pull it off in the last race but Ricky was always going to be tough to beat on his own track from gate one!

 

Impressed with my first viewing of Kenni Larsen and Jordan Frampton was fab too.

 

 

 

A side point - Sheffield needs brighter flood lights!!!!

[em1500uk]

P.S cya tomorrow

Where the bloody hell were you?! Sorry I never text to ask where you were, but I got so engrossed with things I just stayed on the 4th bend. Sorry I never found you either Drac!

 

An enjoyable day out and certainly deserving winner....I don't want to take anything away from Ashworth as he rode bloody well but I hope in the future they try again with the neutral track idea. The action was certainly compeitive but there weren't too many passes after the first lap. Watched the meeting in the company of Chrissy, Silver Bee, SCB, King Jamie, Vog, Jenn and a couple of familiar faces in Trees and em1500uk. Great to see yer all.

Agreed with the neutral track idea! Can't take the win away from Ashworth though. Well done to him!

 

Nice to see you and all of the names mentioned above as well Sorry I never took time out to actually speak to you though Nice to put faces to Silver Bee and SCB, even though I don't think they really knew who I was Was good to speak to King Jamie once again (always hilarious - "what are you trying to saying to it, special branch?" - Trees will know what the hell I'm on about ) and to finally speak to ChrissySW after we kinda met in August at Lynn (thanks for the sweets - I didn't scoff them on the way home in the end BTW as I wasn't as hungry as I first thought).

Edited September 28, 2009 by em1500uk

[Shadders]

Congratulations to the big winner today

 

SHADDERS!

Went home with a jackpot of £25.

Thanks to all who took part for your contribution to my pension fund

 

 

Whats Wrong with Birmingham?

Where do I start? ..... It's full of Brummies for one

 

 

Sorry I never found you either Drac!

How the hell did you miss him?!!

 

Not the greatest meeting I've been to, but seeing as twenty four other people paid for my admission who cares? ..... I won't get into the debate about home track advantage, nor should fans of Scunthorpe or Workington after the U18's and the PL 4's ..... Sheffield is a pretty good stadium, although the car park is a nightmare to get out of, took us almost fifteen minutes!!

Had a good laugh at the Barracks down the road with some forum regulars, too many to mention, and a pretty decent carvery lunch there too ..... I was watching from the first bend amongst Drac and his Redcar cronies, my ears are still ringing!!!

 

[SCB]

I thought it was a poor to average meeting myself. Passing that I remember was Bunyan passing Compton, Compton and Ashworth having a good battle, Howe going from 3rd to 4th in the final, Jordan Frampton passing Magnus Karlsson, Darcy passing TT and Neath passing someone (Makovsky?) in his final ride before his bike went. Not great in 22 heats really. It's all about diving out of bend 2 and down the backstraight in the PLRC at Sheffield from what I've seen there now the 4 times I've watched it.

 

Good to meet a few new people and a few old people again.

 

Personally, I'm amazed King Jamies didnt win the £25 after picking William Lawson! To think most of us laughed at him too!

[Drac]

Thanks to all who took part for your contribution to my pension fund

 

 

Where do I start? ..... It's full of Brummies for one

 

 

How the hell did you miss him?!!

 

Not the greatest meeting I've been to, but seeing as twenty four other people paid for my admission who cares? ..... I won't get into the debate about home track advantage, nor should fans of Scunthorpe or Workington after the U18's and the PL 4's ..... Sheffield is a pretty good stadium, although the car park is a nightmare to get out of, took us almost fifteen minutes!!

Had a good laugh at the Barracks down the road with some forum regulars, too many to mention, and a pretty decent carvery lunch there too ..... I was watching from the first bend amongst Drac and his Redcar cronies, my ears are still ringing!!!

 

 

[topaz325]

Well done Ricky Ashworth, a deserved winner with some great overtaking manouveres.