Isle Of Wight 2018

[TurnTwo]

Or Josh bailey 

[Halifaxtiger]

Martin Widman & Barry Bishop did a presentation for the Nuneaton Speedway Supports Club a couple of nights ago and apparently went down a storm.

Unsurprisingly 

 

[Rob Dyer]

Regrettably a sodden track and poor forecast has put paid to the Warriors & Wizards press and practice day on Easter Saturday meaning that The Vince Mapley Memorial Trophy on Thursday 5 April will be the opening action of 2018.

[The Little Un]

I think that the IOW could be a surprise package this year as there is not a rider who could not or should not increase their average. Some riders do hit a plateau and that is true for at least one IOW rider but that does not mean they cannot make progress in the future. Three years ago it seemed that Jason Doyle was going to be a Championship number one and maybe a Premiership heat leader at best but something changed and he is now where is, world champion. I just hope that the team has some success this year and come October the fans feel that they have had their monies worth.

Living locally in Chichester I would love to support a club such as the IOW but transport is a big problem and even if I came over on my scooter the cost is prohibitive.

[Moleman27]

I with what the promotion provide at IOW. Any IOW fan would think they get their moneys worth wherever they finish.

[Rob Dyer]

The atrocious weather has forced the postponement of The Vince Mapley Memorial Trophy scheduled for 5 April.

[waco]

There was nothing on this site for the IOW V BELLE VIEW meeting there seems to be little interest on here for the IOW ,WHY????

[cityrebel]

1 hour ago, waco said:

There was nothing on this site for the IOW V BELLE VIEW meeting there seems to be little interest on here for the IOW ,WHY????

Well I was there on Thursday, and thoroughly enjoyed it. I was a little concerned with the fog on the Solent, but luckily it lifted inland. Young Ben was involved with some great scraps with Danny ayres, which provided great entertainment!

[Islander15]

7 hours ago, waco said:

There was nothing on this site for the IOW V BELLE VIEW meeting there seems to be little interest on here for the IOW ,WHY????

There’s always lots of interest on the Isle of Wight fb group. 

[Rob Dyer]

IOW Post Match Press Release

Isle of Wight 48 Belle Vue Colts 42

Shale starved speedway fans were served up a feast of action and controversy as the Isle of Wight ‘Wightlink’ Warriors launched their season with a victory over the Belle Vue Colts at The Andrew Younie Smallbrook Stadium tonight.

In a meeting that contained almost every incident imaginable, ring rusty Warriors were immediately on the back foot as first new boy Danno Verge and then Chris Widman incurred penalties for starting offences. This allowed the Colts to build a four point advantage but it didn’t take long for the home side to record 4-2 heat victories and by heat eight the match was tied at 24 all.

In fact the Warriors were on their way to four 4-2 heat advantages in the space of five heats as they built a four point lead of their own by the interval. The last of those came when Colts Kyle Bickley took a crashing fall in heat 10 which stunned the good sized crowd in to silence, however, much to everyone’s relief the young man from Cumbria was able to get back to his feet and return to the pits unaided.

Looking ahead to the final five races it was clear that Belle Vue had lined up their big hitters for the crucial closing races and with Danny Ayres as spectacular as ever and Georgie Wood always in the thick of the action, the visitors harboured hopes of an away victory but it was not to be.

Heat 11 gave Ayres his third race win with partner Ben Woodhull in third and the Warriors lead was cut to two points. Bickley won heat 12 showing no ill effects from his crash with Scott Campos and Adam Portwood filling the minor places, then drama aplenty in heat 13 with Ayres passing Warriors Ben Hopwood just as Wood pulled out with a motor problem. Warriors Ben Morley (pictured) then broke a primary chain with a lap and a quarter to go and had to run over a lap pushing his bike to pick up the vital single point. He made it to the chequered flag with fifteen seconds to go roared home by fans and team mates alike.

This pulsating meeting now took another twist when in heat 14, Warriors Chris Widman got slightly out of shape and collided with Colts Woodhull. The race was stopped and somewhat controversially the visitor was disqualified for causing the stoppage of the heat. The race result was awarded as a 3-3 and so to the final heat with Morley and Hopwood against Ayres and Bickley. 

From the gate both Warriors showed first with Ayres in red hot pursuit. A good pass moved him by Hopwood and to just metres behind Morley but then disaster struck the visiting number one who tried an outside surge to pass Morley but ran out of space exiting turn four and crashed to the track. Again the referee had to stop the heat and after a moments deliberation disqualified Ayres and awarded the race 5-1 to the Warriors. 

So ended a quite remarkable night of speedway in which fortunes ebbed and flowed and the rub of the green landed Warriors Way. 

After the meeting Ben Morley was quick to praise an all round team effort and went on to say “It was a great way to start my season with the Isle of Wight. I had one or two machinery niggles but have started to sort them out – one thing for sure, I don’t want to have to push the bike home for over a lap on a track this size again! “

Warriors: Ben Morley 12+1, Danno Verge 6+1, Scott Campos 7+1, Chris Widman 5, Ben Hopwood 11+1, Jamie Sealey 1+1, Adam Portwood 6+3.

Colts: Danny Ayres 12, Paul Bowen 0, Kyle Bickley 8+1, Joe Lawlor 9+1, Georgie Wood 7, Kean Dicken 0, Ben Woodhull 6.

 

Edited April 14, 2018 by Rob Dyer

[waco]

That's a bit more like it ,,comments from a fan who was there and a match report well

[ouch]

Good report without shying away from the controversy in heats 14 & 15 and the warriors rub of the green. 

One thing though, the tapes offences didn’t allow the Colts to build a four points lead, unless you are suggesting Verge would have defeated Ayres and Morley in heat 1. Similarly, Widman has the beating of Bowen and Dicken but that’s all. The 15m starts has no effect on the race results. 

[Backstraight Viewer]

It's  such a shame there's no radio commentary of IOW this season, it was great to be able to listen to live speedway every week , hopefully they might change their mind and start it again

[WalterPlinge]

3 hours ago, Rob Dyer said:

but then disaster struck the visiting number one who tried an outside surge to pass Morley but ran out of space exiting turn four and crashed to the track.

This bit doesn't make sense really.

Yes  Ayres "crashed to the track".   But "ran out of space" doesn't make sense.

If Ayres had "ran out of space" that means he'd have collided with the fence.   The fact that he didn't collide with the fence, and instead "crashed to the track" says that it was something or someone else that sent him crashing to the floor.

The referee had a shocker by all accounts.

[waco]

Most of the refs these days are having shockers,,where do they get these people that seem to know nothing about racing bikes , .?

[barrybishop]

On 03/04/2018 at 11:30 AM, The Little Un said:

I think that the IOW could be a surprise package this year as there is not a rider who could not or should not increase their average. Some riders do hit a plateau and that is true for at least one IOW rider but that does not mean they cannot make progress in the future. Three years ago it seemed that Jason Doyle was going to be a Championship number one and maybe a Premiership heat leader at best but something changed and he is now where is, world champion. I just hope that the team has some success this year and come October the fans feel that they have had their monies worth.

Living locally in Chichester I would love to support a club such as the IOW but transport is a big problem and even if I came over on my scooter the cost is prohibitive.

Hi, I read you comments with interest as I do with as much as I can on here to gather feedback or to look at how we can improve our night of family fun. However, one sentence in your post set my alarm bell ringing.... "come October the fans feel that they have had their monies worth."

Now, from my point of view not one fans has ever said to me "Barry, change the team line up - we have to win" or "Barry, I dont feel like I am entertained..." in fact, reality was quite the opposite. Fans we saying to me (because I do try and say goodbye and hello to as many as I can) thanks for another great night of racing we will win next week or "loved the racing, we were unlucky tonight"..... you see winning is great, but its not everything. Feeling entertained vice disappointed because your team lost are too different things... I was gutted (and always will be) everytime our team loses because I want to win... but more important to me is that everyone has a great time, are entertained, feel valued, love the Warrior Way, know that Martin and I along with all our volunteers do the very best for our club. So, I dont agree that come October fans will feel any more value for their ££ as they did last season. We put on a great family show from start to finish and this is the future of speedway. I hope that comes across how I meant it to be  and if anyone doesnt feel they have value, write to me speedwayontheisland@yahoo.co.uk and tell me why.

Edited April 16, 2018 by barrybishop

[barrybishop]

On 03/04/2018 at 11:30 AM, The Little Un said:

I think that the IOW could be a surprise package this year as there is not a rider who could not or should not increase their average. Some riders do hit a plateau and that is true for at least one IOW rider but that does not mean they cannot make progress in the future. Three years ago it seemed that Jason Doyle was going to be a Championship number one and maybe a Premiership heat leader at best but something changed and he is now where is, world champion. I just hope that the team has some success this year and come October the fans feel that they have had their monies worth.

Living locally in Chichester I would love to support a club such as the IOW but transport is a big problem and even if I came over on my scooter the cost is prohibitive.

I am also interested to know - what is cost prohibitive and if we can help in some way to get you to the stadium. I think our paramedic or one of our team for example,may travel from your area. All the best

[The Little Un]

59 minutes ago, barrybishop said:

I am also interested to know - what is cost prohibitive and if we can help in some way to get you to the stadium. I think our paramedic or one of our team for example,may travel from your area. All the best

Do not get me wrong, I am not complaining about the club or the riders. I live in Chichester and without a car getting to the IOW is difficult. The cost prohibiting was based on what it would cost if I used public transport, which with the railway time tables would mean my getting home as late as 1am some weeks. I would be happy to support the IOW and if that meant I could get a lift as long as I did not mind getting to the track at mid-day, I would be happy as Larry. The IOW has a place in my heart already as Brynn was somebody I always looked up to during all his years with Lakeside.

Best wishes,

Judy

PS: I do have a 50cc scooter, so I could travel to meet somebody locally.

 

Edited April 16, 2018 by The Little Un

[barrybishop]

On 16/04/2018 at 1:07 PM, The Little Un said:

Do not get me wrong, I am not complaining about the club or the riders. I live in Chichester and without a car getting to the IOW is difficult. The cost prohibiting was based on what it would cost if I used public transport, which with the railway time tables would mean my getting home as late as 1am some weeks. I would be happy to support the IOW and if that meant I could get a lift as long as I did not mind getting to the track at mid-day, I would be happy as Larry. The IOW has a place in my heart already as Brynn was somebody I always looked up to during all his years with Lakeside.

Best wishes,

Judy

PS: I do have a 50cc scooter, so I could travel to meet somebody locally.

 

If you can get to Portsmouth on the scooter or by public transport then our paramedic said he will bring you there and back on the ferry 

[barrybishop]

Warriors Aim To Make It An Opening Double

 

After last week’s action packed win over the Belle Vue Colts, Warrior fans will be hoping for more of the same as the home side take on Plymouth Devils at The Andrew Younie Smallbrook Stadium this Thursday evening.

 

A superb all-round team effort from both riders and their pit crews was the ideal way to get the new speedway campaign up and running so now it is time for the Warriors to launch their assault on the National Trophy against a Devils side that features former Island skipper James Cockle following his move west. Wise-cracking Cockle will undoubtedly be out to rack up a big score against his former employers and will rely on strong support from big hitting Adam Roynon and rapidly improving teenager Henry Atkins.

 

Whilst Cockle could turn out to be a thorn in the home team’s side, the Warriors will be making plans of their own to deal with the Devonians who won all three visits to the Island last season. Both sides have made personnel changes over the winter months and on paper look evenly matched so the chances of a close encounter of the speedway kind should make for another gripping night of fun and track excitement.

 

Co-promoter Barry Bishop (pictured), proud as a peacock after the Belle Vue win, said, “Last week’s fantastic family meeting had everything, passion, great action, lots of fun and a brilliant win over last season’s league champions. If this week’s meeting is half as entertaining our fans will once again leave very satisfied. Be sure, we want a win to set us off on the best possible start in the National Trophy. I cannot wait”.

 

The riders on duty are expected to be:

 

Warriors (from): Scott Campos, Ben Hopwood, Ben Morley, Adam Portwood, Jamie Sealey, Danno Verge and Chris Widman.

 

Devils (from): Bradley Andrews, Richard Andrews, Henry Atkins, James Cockle, Macauley Leek, Adam Roynon and Ryan Terry-Daley.

 

Speedway supporters around the world will have been saddened at the weekend to hear of the death of Ivan Mauger, a six time world champion in the 60’s and 70’s, at the age of 78. Immediately before Thursday’s meeting, there will be a short tribute to one of the very greatest speedway riders of all time.

 

As usual, the turnstiles will open at 5.30 p.m. and the pits will be open for viewing from 5.45 p.m. to 6.15 p.m. The Warrior mascots will then take to the track for some demonstration laps followed by the grand parade of riders at 6.45 p.m. with tapes up on the first race at 7.00 p.m. sharp.  The ever-popular kid’s on-track cycle/running race will also feature during the speedway interval.