AndyO Posted July 30, 2021 Report Share Posted July 30, 2021 OK so in true investigative journalist style and cutting to the chase with the important questions of the day... Start Marshall's - what's the point! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IainB Posted July 30, 2021 Report Share Posted July 30, 2021 No point? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IainB Posted July 30, 2021 Report Share Posted July 30, 2021 (edited) Actually come to think of it they do make sure that riders don't encroach on each others gates, can't think of much else though other than to be ignored by the riders on everything else Edited July 30, 2021 by iainb 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old bob at herne bay Posted July 30, 2021 Report Share Posted July 30, 2021 You can add pull down the tapes before each heat and at some tracks remove a bit of hardware used to steady the tapes after the race has started. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted July 31, 2021 Report Share Posted July 31, 2021 I know that the remit in the past (and I guess it's still the case) that the start marshall would get the riders up to the tapes making sure that the 'incentive' to roll was minimal thus gaining an advantage. He/she would also often indicate to the ref that all was satisfactory who would then put the green light on putting them under starter's orders. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebv Posted July 31, 2021 Report Share Posted July 31, 2021 (edited) Our ratio of 'false starts' and first bend incidents must be much higher than Polands where start marshals seem to weild some power (supported visually and audibly by the referee).. Riders dont fly off in all directions like they seem to do over here, with their bikes strictly aligned straight, and their front wheels practically touching the tapes (akin to cycle speedway), meaning no roll backs to help preempt the start.. And the 2 mins is sacrosanct. If you are not ready you are out.. 'Professional' is a good word to describe it.. Edited July 31, 2021 by mikebv 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyO Posted July 31, 2021 Author Report Share Posted July 31, 2021 8 hours ago, iainb said: Actually come to think of it they do make sure that riders don't encroach on each others gates, can't think of much else though other than to be ignored by the riders on everything else They always remind me of a sad dad who is trying to make the kids do what he wants and they are completely ignoring him! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyO Posted July 31, 2021 Author Report Share Posted July 31, 2021 9 minutes ago, mikebv said: Our ratio of 'false starts' and first bend incidents must be much higher than Polands where start marshals seem to weild some power (supported visually and audibly by the referee).. Riders dont fly off in all directions like they seem to do over here, with their bikes strictly aligned straight, and their front wheels practically touching the tapes (akin to cycle speedway), meaning no roll backs to help preempt the start.. And the 2 mins is sacrosanct. If you are not ready you are out.. 'Professional' is a good word to describe it.. Seriously I think they should be an extension of the referee on the track... what they say at the start goes and if ignored they have the power to exclude, no point otherwise.. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted July 31, 2021 Report Share Posted July 31, 2021 10 minutes ago, AndyO said: Seriously I think they should be an extension of the referee on the track... what they say at the start goes and if ignored they have the power to exclude, no point otherwise.. Always remember the story when one of the assistants lined up behind the bikes at the tapes picked up Bily Sanders rear mudguard using the grab rail in a subtle way so when the tapes rose Billy's wheel wasn't in contact with the track momentarily thus gaining a disadvantage. Billy wanted to make an issue of it with the person responsible but John Berry took him aside explaining to him that anyone who was able to lift a bike while at full revs was someone who obviously possessd a bit of muscle and best avoided...of course the ref didin't see anything! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IainB Posted July 31, 2021 Report Share Posted July 31, 2021 (edited) 59 minutes ago, AndyO said: Seriously I think they should be an extension of the referee on the track... what they say at the start goes and if ignored they have the power to exclude, no point otherwise.. The trouble with that is that the Start Marshall is provided by the home club and will probably be a member of the supporters club and be regaled from head to toe in club merchandise (if available ) under their stripey tops. They'd have to be "supplied" to each meeting in the same way that an "impartial" referee is, much like in Football with the lino's. Edited July 31, 2021 by iainb 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IainB Posted July 31, 2021 Report Share Posted July 31, 2021 2 hours ago, steve roberts said: the start marshall would get the riders up to the tapes making sure that the 'incentive' to roll was minimal thus gaining an advantage. The only time I've ever seen a start marshall get a rider up to the tapes was at Bradford (could have been Peterborough) when the starter grabbed John Jorgensen's handlebars and physically dragged him to the tapes, he was not happy about it 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyO Posted July 31, 2021 Author Report Share Posted July 31, 2021 44 minutes ago, steve roberts said: Always remember the story when one of the assistants lined up behind the bikes at the tapes picked up Bily Sanders rear mudguard using the grab rail in a subtle way so when the tapes rose Billy's wheel wasn't in contact with the track momentarily thus gaining a disadvantage. Billy wanted to make an issue of it with the person responsible but John Berry took him aside explaining to him that anyone who was able to lift a bike while at full revs was someone who obviously possessd a bit of muscle and best avoided...of course the ref didin't see anything! My memories of Canterbury in the late 60's were a team of start line crew who used to line up behind all 4 riders, plus the start Marshal and assistant (to hand him the flags obviously) plus numerous track rakers on the bends and pit staff to push the riders out... all volunteers presumably.. I think if you had that now they would outnumber the crowd! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyO Posted July 31, 2021 Author Report Share Posted July 31, 2021 4 minutes ago, iainb said: The trouble with that is that the Start Marshall is provided by the home club and will probably be a member of the supporters club and be regaled from head to toe in club merchandise (if available ) under their stripey tops. They'd have to be "supplied" to each meeting in the same way that an "impartial" referee is, much like in Football with the lino's. Good point Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeilWatson Posted July 31, 2021 Report Share Posted July 31, 2021 (edited) 1 hour ago, AndyO said: My memories of Canterbury in the late 60's were a team of start line crew who used to line up behind all 4 riders, plus the start Marshal and assistant (to hand him the flags obviously) plus numerous track rakers on the bends and pit staff to push the riders out... all volunteers presumably.. I think if you had that now they would outnumber the crowd! We had pretty much that at Peterborough, my father was Start Marshal and I wore the blue overalls. We only had five in the team as 'red' acted as assistant during the race. We used to rake our gate after every race too. Edited July 31, 2021 by NeilWatson 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebv Posted July 31, 2021 Report Share Posted July 31, 2021 3 minutes ago, AndyO said: My memories of Canterbury in the late 60's were a team of start line crew who used to line up behind all 4 riders, plus the start Marshal and assistant (to hand him the flags obviously) plus numerous track rakers on the bends and pit staff to push the riders out... all volunteers presumably.. I think if you had that now they would outnumber the crowd! Would help keep a Mexican Wave going though.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyO Posted July 31, 2021 Author Report Share Posted July 31, 2021 Sorry just noticed my typo.. should be Marshal and not Marshall... make them even less relevant I guess! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IainB Posted July 31, 2021 Report Share Posted July 31, 2021 18 minutes ago, AndyO said: Sorry just noticed my typo.. should be Marshal and not Marshall... make them even less relevant I guess! Quite right... give 'em a metal star badge and a gun, that'd get the riders to the tapes! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sotonian Posted July 31, 2021 Report Share Posted July 31, 2021 Start marshal's what? (Apostrophe misuse irks me) 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fromafar Posted July 31, 2021 Report Share Posted July 31, 2021 They have important job in Poland,they seem to be in contact with Ref,and do a good job of straightening up riders who line up at angle,and moving up to tapes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveLyric2 Posted July 31, 2021 Report Share Posted July 31, 2021 I thought all start marshalls had to be in radio contact with the ref!?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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