World Championship Pairs

[Col]

48 minutes ago, adonis said:

shall we just give up trying to run league speedway then .  SWC .SON  , maybe expand the GP  . and not bother trying to fit the British premier league in 

Where has that come from?

[Col]

5 minutes ago, adonis said:

Did you not post  a suggestion that . the season begins with Son and ends with SWC , with GPS in the middle . just the GPs have more or less destroyed league racing , and adding another annual world event  would just about finish it off .

Considering both the Swedish & Danish domestic leagues don't start running until late May, there as ample time to run an International event before they begin.

[iris123]

9 minutes ago, Col said:

Considering both the Swedish & Danish domestic leagues don't start running until late May, there as ample time to run an International event before they begin.

Late May????

http://metalspeedwayleague.dk/loebskalender.aspx

[crumpiefan]

Late to the fun as ever but I thought the final race was very odd. Pairs events have always worked on the basis that not finishing last is more important than finishing first, so why Tai felt the need to race Laguta is a mystery. Ok, when you see a rider slowing down (Zagar in the first meeting springs to mind) its quite strange as it goes against the nature of racing but those are the rules.

Woffinden was out of this world over the two meetings so it seems harsh to criticise but it is a valid point. Our only chance was him helping Lambert. He didn't and we lost.

[Col]

14 minutes ago, iris123 said:

Late May????

http://metalspeedwayleague.dk/loebskalender.aspx

My apologies, must just be the Swedes who start in late May.   Our (UK) domestic speedway is supposed to start in March weather permitting, so even early May seems late to us.

[waytogo28]

3 hours ago, New Science said:

I think the 2 day format is here to stay and the run offs, sudden death final also will stay however unfair,

I still can't understand why the Two Day Final is necessary. IF it was to sell tickets / make more money it failed miserably this year. A One Day Final is enough? And the sudden death should be with the points added to the score up to that point. Fans don't seem to want it over two days.

OR a panel of Officials & Fans could choose the Two Most Likely Teams and just have The Grand Sudden Death Final. ONE Race with the Destiny of the World Pairs Champions title up for grabs - imagine the tension and the long drawn out build up. Riders of every nation who have someone who could slide a bike, could take part in a Very Long HOT LAPS session and then the best Wheelie as well as the Best DoNut. Lots more opportunities for More Monster Girls with Flags or Umbrellas.

I think it needs a number changes for it to be viable in the future.

[Ghostwalker]

33 minutes ago, Col said:

My apologies, must just be the Swedes who start in late May.   Our (UK) domestic speedway is supposed to start in March weather permitting, so even early May seems late to us.

Elitserien starts on the first or second Tuesday in May.

 

I also don't think there is room for  Best Pairs,  SON, SGP, SEC and SWC. I would personally promote best pairs to a world championship
and let BSI stick with the regular SWC formula with 4 rider teams. There is neither need or room for 3 team events each season.

 

Edited June 12, 2018 by Ghostwalker

[Pinny]

So now we know Adonis is Speedibee aka simon geary, father of a british rider who didnt quite make the cut for the British side...

so, will this event continue in 2019 or back to SWC??

[TheReturn]

1 hour ago, crumpiefan said:

Late to the fun as ever but I thought the final race was very odd. 

Welcome

 

1 hour ago, crumpiefan said:

 Pairs events have always worked on the basis that not finishing last is more important than finishing first, so why Tai felt the need to race Laguta is a mystery.

A mystery that BT Sport felt was not worth investigating... so over to the Speedway Star journalists to see if one of those will ask Roscoe or Tai. 

[Humphrey Appleby]

1 hour ago, waytogo28 said:

I still can't understand why the Two Day Final is necessary.

It's most likely because IMG/BSI had existing television deals that specified a certain number of meetings. Remember it took ages to confirm the details of the competition, no doubt because these issues needed to be sorted out first. 

[Grand Central]

One of the odd things about the two night SON final was that at the end off the first night there was no climax.

The very thing that we are supposed to have to keep the TV people happy.

Mind You, last night the British Final showed how a final really does keep an event alive to the end. Lambert had won the meeting after four rides if it were to be decided on total points. And the semi for 3rd to 6th finishers kept those later races really meaningful. And didn't it show ?

The SON race off and final on Saturday was pretty much the same concept but what works very well for individual racing doesn't transfer as well to a pairs format.

For us GB folk concentrating on the top spot it should not be forgotten that having race 43 as a race off certainly made all the later races for the lesser teams equally meaningful.

I do not have a magic bullet but having just one earlier qualifier (or scrapping them both) and making Friday night some sort of qualifier for Saturday's final might work. 

Creating a decisive end ... may take some imagination but trying to get something that rids us of the 3-3 issue is essential, and I don't mean 4320 scoring.

Either side could win with a heat advantage but a 3-3 would give the win to the meeting top scorers. And apply that to race off and final, possibly, as others have mooted.

But top priority is to  call it the Speedway World Pairs and boost the prize fund  so that all teams can afford to send 3 riders.

PS (before PR reminds us) i know the FIM set the prize fund but a little help from a small 'monster' needs to add to the kitty

 

 

Edited June 12, 2018 by Grand Central

[lucifer sam]

TOP BRIT Tai Woffinden says it was ‘good to be back’ riding for his country last week.
The Scunthorpe born double World Champion scored a stunning 38 points out of a possible 39 in the Monster Energy FIM Speedway of Nations Final.
But it wasn’t quite enough to hand GB the gold as Russia pipped them to the post in the final – despite Woffinden winning the race.
Now he’s looking forward to a bright new future for the national side under the franchise ownership of Rob Painter and Vicky Blackwell through their VRX Motorsport team.
“This is the first stage of a five-year plan for GB and whilst Rob Painter (team supremo) is making all the right noises I’ll be alongside him, he said.
“I want to say I’m proud of young Robert Lambert, he did a great job throughout the tournament and also a special mention to Craig Cook who travelled with us and was a big member for us as part of the team.
“It was good to be back racing for my country on a team basis.”
Woffinden has explained the circumstances behind the final in Poland – he won the decider but with Russian duo Artem Laguta and Emil Sayfutdinov claiming second and third they effectively won the race 3+1-3.
He said: “The plan was to win the final 5-1 or 4-2 and we knew we could do that so that was the goal.
“In a final like that you cannot slow down the race like I did in previous heats. The competition is just too good, maybe 10 years ago you could but at world level now anyone can beat anyone and you have to do the best job you can.
“Unfortunately the event rules state if you’re second and third you’re better then the winner! “There’s not many things in life where you get rewarded for losing!
“I would like to congratulate Emil and Artem for their world title and look forward to doing it all again next year.”
Woffinden has also congratulated newly crowned British Champion Lambert, who romped to the title with a six-ride maximum in Manchester on Monday.
“He’s the future,” said Woffinden. “Congratulations to him, he deserves it. I know what it means to win your first national title and it’s pretty special.”

Edited June 12, 2018 by lucifer sam

[Humphrey Appleby]

1 hour ago, Ghostwalker said:

I also don't think there is room for  Best Pairs,  SON, SGP, SEC and SWC. I would personally promote best pairs to a world championship
and let BSI stick with the regular SWC formula with 4 rider teams. There is neither need or room for 3 team events each season.

You could potentially run an 8-nation SWC over 2 days - 2 Semi-Finals run at the same track on the same day, then a Race-Off and Final run as a double-header the next. 

The World Pairs could involve more nations and just be run as two separate Semi-Finals and a Final. 

[Mark]

2 minutes ago, lucifer sam said:

TOP BRIT Tai Woffinden says it was ‘good to be back’ riding for his country last week.
The Scunthorpe born double World Champion scored a stunning 38 points out of a possible 39 in the Monster Energy FIM Speedway of Nations Final.
But it wasn’t quite enough to hand GB the gold as Russia pipped them to the post in the final – despite Woffinden winning the race.
Now he’s looking forward to a bright new future for the national side under the franchise ownership of Rob Painter and Vicky Blackwell through their VRX Motorsport team.
“This is the first stage of a five-year plan for GB and whilst Rob Painter (team supremo) is making all the right noises I’ll be alongside him, he said.
“I want to say I’m proud of young Robert Lambert, he did a great job throughout the tournament and also a special mention to Craig Cook who travelled with us and was a big member for us as part of the team.
“It was good to be back racing for my country on a team basis.”
Woffinden has explained the circumstances behind the final in Poland – he won the decider but with Russian duo Artem Laguta and Emil Sayfutdinov claiming second and third they effectively won the race 3+1-3.
He said: “The plan was to win the final 5-1 or 4-2 and we knew we could do that so that was the goal.
“In a final like that you cannot slow down the race like I did in previous heats. The competition is just too good, maybe 10 years ago you could but at world level now anyone can beat anyone and you have to do the best job you can.
“Unfortunately the event rules state if you’re second and third you’re better then the winner! “There’s not many things in life where you get rewarded for losing!
“I would like to congratulate Emil and Artem for their world title and look forward to doing it all again next year.”
Woffinden has also congratulated newly crowned British Champion Lambert, who romped to the title with a six-ride maximum in Manchester on Monday.
“He’s the future,” said Woffinden. “Congratulations to him, he deserves it. I know what it means to win your first national title and it’s pretty special.”

Fair comment from Tai about the final.

[Grand Central]

4 minutes ago, lucifer sam said:

“The plan was to win the final 5-1 or 4-2 and we knew we could do that so that was the goal.

So we will go into the final NOT having the easier winning position of 3-3 as a plan at all. 

I am not calling anyone thick ...... But ?

Edited June 12, 2018 by Grand Central

[TheReturn]

5 minutes ago, lucifer sam said:

“In a final like that you cannot slow down the race like I did in previous heats. The competition is just too good, maybe 10 years ago you could but at world level now anyone can beat anyone and you have to do the best job you can.

Well good to have an explanation.

But in that final meeting every nation had capable riders, so I am not sure the final was any different to other races.

Edited June 12, 2018 by TheReturn

[BWitcher]

9 minutes ago, Mark said:

Fair comment from Tai about the final.

How is it fair?

It's nonsensical, or did I miss a new set of riders being shipped in for the final that were of a much higher standard than the others?

Actually, in consideration his comments do make perfect sense.. it's the conclusion that is nonsensical.

Basically it's being said the final is of a higher standard, riders going for it to a greater degree so therefore it's much more difficult to beat the opposition.... conclusion, we'll leave Lambert on his own, sure he needed a bit of help when the standard was lower, but now it's higher he'll be fine as he is!

Sorry.. but the argument Tai puts forward once again leads to one conclusion.. the wrong tactics were used.

Edited June 12, 2018 by BWitcher

[iris123]

Does seem strange that he felt going for and holding on to a 5-1 was a strategy,but trying to get a 3-3 and hold it wasn’t on the cards

[TheReturn]

3 minutes ago, BWitcher said:

Sorry.. but the argument Tai puts forward once again leads to one conclusion.. the wrong tactics were used.

I am still keen to find out who came up with the genius tactics. Tai himself, which as you said yesterday if that is the case he's done enough over three days to be forgiven for the error in tactic judgement. If some member of the Team GB management came up with that, well questions should be asked.

[Grand Central]

6 minutes ago, BWitcher said:

How is it fair?

It's nonsensical, or did I miss a new set of riders being shipped in for the final that were of a much higher standard than the others?

Actually, in consideration his comments do make perfect sense.. it's the conclusion that is nonsensical.

Basically it's being said the final is of a higher standard, riders going for it to a greater degree so therefore it's much more difficult to beat the opposition.... conclusion, we'll leave Lambert on his own, sure he needed a bit of help when the standard was lower, but now it's higher he'll be fine as he is!

Sorry.. but the argument Tai puts forward once again leads to one conclusion.. the wrong tactics were used.

Absolutely right.

Now who did this 'thinking' on Saturday night and which numptie thought it wise to put out this ridiculous press release saying something so daft ?

Edited June 12, 2018 by Grand Central