El Pairs

[Trees]

Yeah you're right Lovey I think I'll send em a new one!! Have to say though the young Poles today restored my faith in some riders. After noticing that not one of the riders who fell today acknowledged the crowd whilst walking back to the pits (not that fans expect acknowledgement but it would have been a nice gesture!) these boys walked off the track at the end of the meeting and shook hands, had a word with and had photos with their supporters, totally off the cuff, great

[Lovey]

Yeah you're right Lovey I think I'll send em a new one!! Have to say though the young Poles today restored my faith in some riders. After noticing that not one of the riders who fell today acknowledged the crowd whilst walking back to the pits (not that fans expect acknowledgement but it would have been a nice gesture!) these boys walked off the track at the end of the meeting and shook hands, had a word with and had photos with their supporters, totally off the cuff, great

 

Good stuff. There needs to be so much more of that in British speedway, ie. not staged, just natural. The presentation at Ipswich has been so poor for years (all due respect to Kevin Long), it's the whole package, not just the presenter.

 

Apparently there was only one interview during the pairs meeting

[P T Preece]

The first time at Ipswich since 1990, had an idea this would be a good meeting,PL supporter so no team to follow just wanted to view this meeting, as never been to it before.

Ipwich much as I remember it, Ice cream was nice, met up with a few people I knew and had a chat, nice big crowd, clear warm night and thats the best it got.

The meeting was rubbish, no shows, no grid girls, no bloke in the middle to gee up the crowd, flat all night, the riders ignoring the supporters as they went round on the 7-2 truck, we pay there wages and not one of them acknowledged the Crowd, poor race card and crap bloke in the box.

Liked Ipswich, but wont be bothering with the EL pairs again.

Went to Peterboro for the PL 4s and it was a fantastic meeting, but then again no bugger in the middle geeing up the crowd, maybe get somebody esle to organise these meeting next season, so one who has a clue.

[tas]

Could someone correct please if I am wrong, and I will apologise if I am, but wasn't it a case of Hans Andersen not riding in the Pairs last night due to an injury ???? Must have been a miracle recovery as he is riding tonight in Poland !!!! Is there a wonder health spa in Poland ???? I'd better go and take cover as it appears there is some more rubbish falling from a great height on us UK speedway fans !!! Bl00dy disgraceful !!!

 

 

This post will probably be changed by the mods and I may well get my first warning but it has to be said.

 

 

Ok I have to admit I was disapointed that Hans wasn't there and I really wanted to see him win the title for the 3rd year in a row. I even took someone who wanted to meet him and I didn't go online to find out he wasn't there so got the shock when I got to Ippo. Had this planned for ages and had brought advanced tickets as well. But Hans has a bad injury to the hand and his last performances GP- 3 points and Coventry 7 points prove that he is suffering. I know he can ride Coventry better than that. He has tried to ride for his British team through the pain. It is bad because it is the end of the season and he is now struggling in the GP's and needs a good result. I don't think he would just do this to let people down.

[Panthers99]

Ok I have to admit I was disapointed that Hans wasn't there and I really wanted to see him win the title for the 3rd year in a row. I even took someone who wanted to meet him and I didn't go online to find out he wasn't there so got the shock when I got to Ippo. Had this planned for ages and had brought advanced tickets as well. But Hans has a bad injury to the hand and his last performances GP- 3 points and Coventry 7 points prove that he is suffering. I know he can ride Coventry better than that. He has tried to ride for his British team through the pain. It is bad because it is the end of the season and he is now struggling in the GP's and needs a good result. I don't think he would just do this to let people down.

 

Are you his mother Hans like the other riders who didnt show for a valid reason, dont give a toss about the fans, they want whats best for themselves, and TBH why not.... I mean, play offs in Poland, Id rather have a day relaxing than show up for the best of the rest pairs meeting.

[tas]

Are you his mother Hans like the other riders who didnt show for a valid reason, dont give a toss about the fans, they want whats best for themselves, and TBH why not.... I mean, play offs in Poland, Id rather have a day relaxing than show up for the best of the rest pairs meeting.

 

 

No I am not his MOTHER I am a FAN. Sorry but Hans had been friendly to my family and to my autistic son so I disagree he doesn't care. Yes Poland has control over riders and thats something the BSPA should do something about.

 

He cared about this meeting for the last 2 years cause he won it

Edited September 5, 2010 by tas

[CardinalSin]

The first time at Ipswich since 1990, had an idea this would be a good meeting,PL supporter so no team to follow just wanted to view this meeting, as never been to it before.

Ipwich much as I remember it, Ice cream was nice, met up with a few people I knew and had a chat, nice big crowd, clear warm night and thats the best it got.

The meeting was rubbish, no shows, no grid girls, no bloke in the middle to gee up the crowd, flat all night, the riders ignoring the supporters as they went round on the 7-2 truck, we pay there wages and not one of them acknowledged the Crowd, poor race card and crap bloke in the box.

Liked Ipswich, but wont be bothering with the EL pairs again.

Went to Peterboro for the PL 4s and it was a fantastic meeting, but then again no bugger in the middle geeing up the crowd, maybe get somebody esle to organise these meeting next season, so one who has a clue.

The crap bloke in the box was either Bryan Knights or Steven Foster. Both are equally crap at doing the job they're supposed to do which is presenting. Foster in particular makes an utterly rubbish presenter. A one toned voice that rather than gee up a crowd and generate an atmosphere, actually sends half the crowd to sleep and makes the other half want to committ suicide.

 

Our ex presenter on the other hand was the complete opposite. Kevin Long could whip up a good atmosphere and make you believe that the crap meeting you were watching was actually a cracker. He was sharp, whitty and generally added a positive contribution to the evenings entertainment.

 

He was also i believe ready willing and able to do the job again this year but was overlooked by Chris Louis in favour of Steven "Fozz" Foster. Another OG and cock up by the Ipswich promotion.

[Baldyman]

and watch them make the same cock up again next year. I wonder if anyone has actually told louis that us the fans who keep their business afloat think they do a crap presenting job and totally wreck what little atmosphere there is allowed to be. It also does my head in that they introduce the riders and then 2 minutes late introduce them again always to the 20 people in the main stand that give a half hearted clap. Please louis introduce them once and then get on with it.

[NOBBY]

Ok I have to admit I was disapointed that Hans wasn't there and I really wanted to see him win the title for the 3rd year in a row. I even took someone who wanted to meet him and I didn't go online to find out he wasn't there so got the shock when I got to Ippo. Had this planned for ages and had brought advanced tickets as well. But Hans has a bad injury to the hand and his last performances GP- 3 points and Coventry 7 points prove that he is suffering. I know he can ride Coventry better than that. He has tried to ride for his British team through the pain. It is bad because it is the end of the season and he is now struggling in the GP's and needs a good result. I don't think he would just do this to let people down.

 

 

So if it's that bad an injury to the hand, why ride in Poland yesterday. Even more so considering it is an important, TO HIM, GP this coming weekend. I'll tell you why...It's okay to aggravate the injury riding for his well paying Polish club, but not worth the risk of turning up for what is laughingly believed to be a Prestige UK event. And the majority of Aces fans who went to support their boys found out when they actually got there, having paid out good hard earned cash to do so. The last sentence of your post above is part of the reason why these riders do what they do, because they are fed copious amonunts of sympathy and flaunt it right back at their fans. If Hans made it clear up front that he didn't want to be there then it would be a little more acceptable and then it would allow fans to decide if it were worth making the long journey to watch and support a second string and a reserve !!!! Of course no-one in power would do that otherwise the Organisers wouldn't get the crowd of mugs in through the turnstyles shelling out £20 plus for second rate entertainment. I don't know about shooting itself in the foot, speedway is actually slowly building its very own gallows to hang itself....If they are not careful it won't be an injured foot to be mended, it will be the death knell !!!

 

Edited September 6, 2010 by NOBBY

[NOBBY]

Our ex presenter on the other hand was the complete opposite. Kevin Long could whip up a good atmosphere and make you believe that the crap meeting you were watching was actually a cracker. He was sharp, whitty and generally added a positive contribution to the evenings entertainment.

 

He was also i believe ready willing and able to do the job again this year but was overlooked by Chris Louis in favour of Steven "Fozz" Foster. Another OG and cock up by the Ipswich promotion.

 

 

I have to agree....even when Kevin Long used to give out some wicked remarks aimed at the Pesky Hammers it was done in a way it could be taken and laughed at as a wind up. He was great in my opinion. And he had the b***s to wear a White Dinner Jacket so we Hammers fans could throw eggs at him after his remarks towards our lads if we wanted to !!! Only joking of course. It is actually that sort of wicked banter, that gees the crowds up, that is missing now from speedway presentation.

[Sprog1]

So if it's that bad an injury to the hand, why ride in Poland yesterday. Even more so considering it is an important, TO HIM, GP this coming weekend. I'll tell you why...It's okay to aggravate the injury riding for his well paying Polish club, but not worth the risk of turning up for what is laughingly believed to be a Prestige UK event. And the majority of Aces fans who went to support their boys found out when they actually got there, having paid out good hard earned cash to do so. The last sentence of your post above is part of the reason why these riders do what they do, because they are fed copious amonunts of sympathy and flaunt it right back at their fans. If Hans made it clear up front that he didn't want to be there then it would be a little more acceptable and then it would allow fans to decide if it were worth making the long journey to watch and support a second string and a reserve !!!! Of course no-one in power would do that otherwise the Organisers wouldn't get the crowd of mugs in through the turnstyles shelling out £20 plus for second rate entertainment. I don't know about shooting itself in the foot, speedway is actually slowly building its very own gallows to hang itself....If they are not careful it won't be an injured foot to be mended, it will be the death knell !!!

 

 

I am only surprised that you are suprised Nobby. If your boss asked your to work on your day off you probably wouldn't bother if you had something else to do, on the other hand if he offers you double time, thats different.

Same for a speedway rider. Why should they put themselves out for a poorly organised rubbish event with about 5p prize money ? And its not Hans job to tell fans he won't be there its the organisers job.

 

Like the British under-21, the EL pairs is a low grade cheap-skate meaningless event that is hopelessly organised from start to finish. They should do the job properly or not at all. The ELRC seems to be starting to go the same way and the British Championship is rarely anything exceptional. Super-7 it aint. The Ben Fund meeting in March was much better value for money.

 

I'd be more than happy to see these hopeless events scrapped and replaced by some of the by some of the old style big individual meetings like the Internationale with a couple of continental riders in, and I'd be more than happy to pay £25 or £30 for something like that ( on a properly prepared track) but no way I could be bothered to support the rubbish EL pairs in its present second rate format. Same goes for the World under 21 team meeting at Rye House. Complete waste of time. If they can't organise a slick meeting with decent racing on a well prepared track, its not even worth trying. Even the GP challenge at Coventry last year was ruined by a rubbish track. It just seems that the whole abilty to organise a really good flagship event has been lost.

[NOBBY]

I am only surprised that you are suprised Nobby. If your boss asked your to work on your day off you probably wouldn't bother if you had something else to do, on the other hand if he offers you double time, thats different.

Same for a speedway rider. Why should they put themselves out for a poorly organised rubbish event with about 5p prize money ? And its not Hans job to tell fans he won't be there its the organisers job.

 

 

First and foremost I consider myself quite an honourable person CM, and when, not if, I were asked to work a weekend in my previous job (I am semi retired now) I would first consider other things such as my family and any commitments I had made elsewhere. As my previous job called for a large amount of overtime and weekend working, in both the UK and mainland Europe, I had this sort of scenario most weeks for over 20 years. I didn't live for the money, although I fully understand a speedway rider has to look at now in order to prepare for the future. What I am saying is that certain riders do this all the time, and they along with the organisers of these sort of events show very little, if any, regard for the speedway public. I don't really give a flying fig whose job it is to tell the paying public, but someone should do it as this sort of sharp practice of fooling the fans is bordering on misrepresentation !!! No disrespect meant towards you in answering your reply to me CM but it has reached the point in our sport where ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. I really feel for those who travelled from Manchester hoping to see Hans with at least a reasonable sub for PK, only to find WHEN THEY ACTUALLY ARRIVED AT THE STADIUM a second string who hasn't fully reached his potential and a reserve who has struggled for some time in UK speedway. I feel sure it was known well in advance that Hans wasn't going to be there....I very much doubt that he phoned and told them the night before.

 

In my second post I was also answering a poster that said the reason for his non appearance was his very bad hand injury....it appears that the 'Polish Health Spa' worked wonders for him so that he could ride yesterday.

Edited September 6, 2010 by NOBBY

[Gearhead]

and watch them make the same cock up again next year. I wonder if anyone has actually told louis that us the fans who keep their business afloat think they do a crap presenting job and totally wreck what little atmosphere there is allowed to be. It also does my head in that they introduce the riders and then 2 minutes late introduce them again always to the 20 people in the main stand that give a half hearted clap. Please louis introduce them once and then get on with it.

 

They're not interested,saved probably 20 quid on the presenter and It's dross,they don't promote at all,Louis jnr has set up an engine tuning business and doing as much as he can to get on Sky,what the point of him being at lakeside last night was I don't know,they seem happy to leave the promoting if any and club running to fans who do it for free while Louis snr is content to have a drink up at the bar while the team are ending the meeting getting a beating!

Did anyone find themselves in the situation coming through the turnstiles? Apparently there were officials badgering people for proof of payment,my friendscwife actually got physically pulled back to check she had her ticket! They certainly made sure they were getting their cash,albeit under false pretence

 

I wonder if the line up was known to people before they entered,would many have turned and gone home?

 

,

[1stbendbunching]

<snip>Did anyone find themselves in the situation coming through the turnstiles? Apparently there were officials badgering people for proof of payment,my friendscwife actually got physically pulled back to check she had her ticket! They certainly made sure they were getting their cash,albeit under false pretence<snip>

 

,

 

 

Just to put the record straight on this part - the person checking the tickets was from the BSPA (as it was a BSPA event) and had absolutely nothing to do with Ipswich Speedway. Almost everyone was checked.

[Halifaxtiger]

I was disappointed with this meeting but, for once, the weakened line up wasn't the cause.

 

Its clear that Lindgren, Woffinden, Stead, Karlsson & Andersen were all injured in one way or the other and while its true that better substitutes might have been put out that is still better than the pathetic excuses seen in the past.

 

What did me was the poor state of the track and the lack of decent racing. I had been told that the new shape of the circuit meant that the quality of the speedway had improved considerably and was very much looking forward to seeing that, only for there to be virtually no racing at all.

 

As someone has accurately said, it seems that speedway goes out to shoot itself in the foot with a great deal of regularity and it certainly did so here.

[NOBBY]

Just to put the record straight on this part - the person checking the tickets was from the BSPA (as it was a BSPA event) and had absolutely nothing to do with Ipswich Speedway. Almost everyone was checked.

 

 

Why ???? Was it because the BSPA don't trust the people who work on the Foxhall turnstyles....if so that is a bit of an insult isn't it. To be honest it is virtually impossible to get over the turnstyles at Ipswich without paying or even doing it so that the person in the booth could pocket the money. You need to be less than 8 stone to get through the tight squeeze anyway !!!! Seemed a little unthoughtful towards long suffering speedway supporters to question everyone in such a way when they charged such a high entrance for such a poor show !!!

Edited September 7, 2010 by NOBBY

[NOBBY]

I was disappointed with this meeting but, for once, the weakened line up wasn't the cause.

 

Its clear that Lindgren, Woffinden, Stead, Karlsson & Andersen were all injured in one way or the other and while its true that better substitutes might have been put out that is still better than the pathetic excuses seen in the past.

 

 

Andersen rode in Poland the very next day and again at Belle Vue last night. Miracle recovery to his very bad injury ??????????????

[NOBBY]

I was disappointed with this meeting but, for once, the weakened line up wasn't the cause.

 

What did me was the poor state of the track and the lack of decent racing. I had been told that the new shape of the circuit meant that the quality of the speedway had improved considerably and was very much looking forward to seeing that, only for there to be virtually no racing at all.

 

 

 

Surely that was down to the fact that the 'field' of riders competing was so imbalanced. Does anyone really expect Wright and Sitera to challenge the likes of Kasprzak and Harris / Holder and Pedersen / Bjerre and Iversen ??? It was a them and us situation IMHO, rather like the Football Premier League is with a top 5 and the rest 'also rans' !!

Edited September 7, 2010 by NOBBY

[SimonB]

This was probably the most boring meeting I have ever been too. Two races you could perhaps say were ok with all of the others being straight from the gate without even the chance of any overtaking. The riders ignored the crowd when they went round on the truck and there seemed no spark to the presentation.

 

Of the superseven events I have attended this season the PL pairs at Somerset was by far the best event as it has been for the last couple of years. The PL fours was ok but not as good as I had hoped given the potential for good races at Peterborough. Maybe more thought has to go into which tracks present the best racing as I am not sure Ipswich does even with the changes this season.

[1stbendbunching]

This was probably the most boring meeting I have ever been too. Two races you could perhaps say were ok with all of the others being straight from the gate without even the chance of any overtaking. The riders ignored the crowd when they went round on the truck and there seemed no spark to the presentation.

 

Of the superseven events I have attended this season the PL pairs at Somerset was by far the best event as it has been for the last couple of years. The PL fours was ok but not as good as I had hoped given the potential for good races at Peterborough. Maybe more thought has to go into which tracks present the best racing as I am not sure Ipswich does even with the changes this season.

 

The racing has been really good this year - we were all saying that Saturday night was the worst it had been all season

 

Have to agree with you about the riders ignoring the crowd - not good enough.