GB V Poland - Tuesday 19 October 2021 - Ashfield, Glasgow

[Noelinho]

3 minutes ago, lucifer sam said:

Watched the stream last night.  

The stream was very good (although I knew that, already had two from Glasgow this year), while some good racing on display. A real pity about the big crash in Heat 13 and hope the shoulder injuries aren't too bad.

Could someone in attendance confirm why there was such a long gap between Heat 8 and Heat 9? It seemed strange to have such a long gap at this point, with the rain on its way. Although I think by the time they'd have sorted out the injury riders from Heat 13, there wouldn't have been a chance to hold the final three races before the rain, even without the extended gap between 8 and 9.

It’s been covered already in the thread a few times, but Miskowiak was being examined for an injury from earlier on, and at the same time, there were medics with a spectator who had taken unwell. This took a while and there were multiple, frequent conversations between the referee and the clerk of the course.

To be honest, it was the crash in heat 13 that was the real cause of the early finish. Medics were with Kubera/Ellis for quite a while - they were still on track when I left, although obviously time pressures disappear once a meeting is off. Without the crash, we’d have been OK, though conditions for heat 15 would’ve been suboptimal.

[SharpenRake]

7 minutes ago, lucifer sam said:

Watched the stream last night.  

The stream was very good (although I knew that, although had two from Glasgow this year), while some good racing on display. A real pity about the big crash in Heat 13 and hope the shoulder injuries aren't too bad.

Could someone in attendance confirm why there was such a long gap between Heat 8 and Heat 9? It seemed strange to have such a long gap at this point, with the rain on its way. Although I think by the time they'd have sorted out the injury riders, there wouldn't have been a chance to hold the final three races before the rain, even without the extended gap between 8 and 9.

It was announced that the doctor was assessing Miskowiak who had crashed in heat 4 to see if he was fit to continue. It turned out he wasn't so was replaced by Lampart. At the same time it was also announced a fan had taken ill and I saw a couple of medics/first aid people enter the terracing. 

[lucifer sam]

2 minutes ago, Noelinho said:

It’s been covered already in the thread a few times, but Miskowiak was being examined for an injury from earlier on, and at the same time, there were medics with a spectator who had taken unwell. This took a while and there were multiple, frequent conversations between the referee and the clerk of the course.

To be honest, it was the crash in heat 13 that was the real cause of the early finish. Medics were with Kubera/Ellis for quite a while - they were still on track when I left, although obviously time pressures disappear once a meeting is off. Without the crash, we’d have been OK, though conditions for heat 15 would’ve been suboptimal.

Thanks for explaining.

And I agree. It was the crash in Heat 13 which was the cause of the early finish. 

[SharpenRake]

2 hours ago, iainb said:

That's disappointing. I don't know why British Speedway stuggles with fan engagement so much... surely would have been an obvious thing to do.

You can't accuse Glasgow of lack of fan engagement. The riders walked across the centre green as a light show lit up the stadium and music blared. The riders were introduced individually with frequent mentions of the SoN triumph as well as all awards won by each individual rider. Each rider received a gift from the Tigers Growlers Club (youngsters) and they had their photo taken with their rider something they'll always remember. The riders of both teams then climbed on to the Tigers Support truck which did two laps of the track with riders waving and fans of both sides cheering, many of whom were wearing and waving the specially commissioned scarves. The display of the trophy would have been nice but wouldn't have added much to the evening. As others have said the only downside were the crashes, injuries and heavy rain that arrived at heat 13 robbing us off a probable last heat decider. 

[IainB]

2 hours ago, chris4gillian said:

There was a European League mooted years before Covid, and it was Poole that were entertaining the idea in the UK, but it never got off the ground.

I thought it actually did run but just not in this country... as I seem to remember there being issues with riders that raced for more than one club

Edited October 21, 2021 by iainb

[Bagpuss]

It was held somewhere in Poland, 2015 maybe? Lynn were in it as Poole declined from memory.

[IainB]

8 minutes ago, Bagpuss said:

It was held somewhere in Poland, 2015 maybe? Lynn were in it as Poole declined from memory.

https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/sport/11342192.speedway-poole-pirates-to-contest-inaugural-european-club-championship-in-august/

https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/sport/11544713.world-speedway-league-poole-pirates-earn-silver-in-poland/

Edited October 21, 2021 by iainb

[Bagpuss]

Here be the one I can remember!

https://speedwayupdates.proboards.com/thread/14298/world-speedway-league-final-gorzow

[IainB]

12 minutes ago, Bagpuss said:

Here be the one I can remember!

https://speedwayupdates.proboards.com/thread/14298/world-speedway-league-final-gorzow

Either way, not really viable with riders riding for multiple clubs around Europe

[Bagpuss]

9 minutes ago, iainb said:

Either way, not really viable with riders riding for multiple clubs around Europe

Yep I think the fact it's not been held since speaks volumes.

[arnieg]

5 hours ago, iainb said:

There was one a few years back, seems to have fizzles out into nothing, whether that was to do with Covid or not I don't know. Weren't Poole and/or Eastbourne involved?

Well it looks like Ian Jordan was involved

https://www.speedweek.com/speedway-racing/news/107842/World-Speedway-League-Wolfslake-stellt-Strafanzeige.html

[HenryW]

42 minutes ago, Bagpuss said:

Yep I think the fact it's not been held since speaks volumes.

The Polish team lost...At home.
That probably put them off hosting again 

From the scorechart you posted above, it looks like at least Kings Lynn were using a guest, presumably due to a clash of teams...PePe wasn't racing for you guys in 2015.
Who was he replacing? Would it have been Iversen that was your number 1 back then?

Edit - I see from Arnie's link above that it was held in ZG in 2014 as well.
World Speedway League (Zielona Gora) 18/10/2014 5pm | Speedway Updates (proboards.com)

So the Poles hosted it two years in a row and lost at home to the Swedes 2 years in a row...I can see why their enthusiasm might have faded, a bit like their enthusiasm for the SoN is fading 

Edited October 21, 2021 by HenryW

[Bagpuss]

Yes mate think our team that year was Puk, Berry, Schlein, Lambert, Porsing, Kerr & Rose. Yet another season we topped the league but lost the Play Offs due to injuries.

EDIT apologies that team was 2014, I think it was the same in 2015 apart from Ash Morris for Rose and we nowhere near topped the league

Edited October 21, 2021 by Bagpuss

[mikebv]

18 hours ago, HenryW said:

The Polish team lost...At home.
That probably put them off hosting again 

From the scorechart you posted above, it looks like at least Kings Lynn were using a guest, presumably due to a clash of teams...PePe wasn't racing for you guys in 2015.
Who was he replacing? Would it have been Iversen that was your number 1 back then?

Edit - I see from Arnie's link above that it was held in ZG in 2014 as well.
World Speedway League (Zielona Gora) 18/10/2014 5pm | Speedway Updates (proboards.com)

So the Poles hosted it two years in a row and lost at home to the Swedes 2 years in a row...I can see why their enthusiasm might have faded, a bit like their enthusiasm for the SoN is fading 

I always thought that, at that time, the Swedish League was the best in the world overall..

No U21 makeweights in their teams, (as some Polish teams end up with), meaning the Swedish reserves were pretty much always of a good standard....

(2nd tier HL over here at worst for most of the Swedes)...

[Ovalman]

Well done GB

[OveFundinFan]

Last night I used the Stream ticket to watch the GB v Poland match. Track was good, as was the racing, but really the track need some investment in lighting. First 2 bends were ok-ish, but bend 3/4 really dark. It’s now it is to riders that is important but viewing stream it seemed pretty mediocre. I know there was a couple of accidents, but that match was too strung out and really could have been over before the wet weather came. 

[SharpenRake]

3 hours ago, OveFundinFan said:

Last night I used the Stream ticket to watch the GB v Poland match. Track was good, as was the racing, but really the track need some investment in lighting. First 2 bends were ok-ish, but bend 3/4 really dark. It’s now it is to riders that is important but viewing stream it seemed pretty mediocre. I know there was a couple of accidents, but that match was too strung out and really could have been over before the wet weather came. 

Thank you for buying the stream and am pleased you thought the track and racing was good. The efforts of the track staff and volunteers to get this meeting on were unbelievable. Regarding the lights they are ok for those riding and those viewing at the track. Filming always makes things look darker and quite frankly we shouldn't be racing in October so presumably the costs of further upgrading the lights on the off chance that a meeting occurs AND is filmed in October wouldn't be cost-effective. Re-the delays  I'm surprised by your comments as you actually watched the stream unlike others who just like to criticise. It may be that some of the info relayed to the crowd via the announcer wasn't repeated by the commentators, so here goes:

Heat 4 bad crash resulting in exclusion of Miskowiak and eventual withdrawal from meeting.

Heat 6 both GB riders fall, race stopped and re-run with the 2 remaining Poles.

Heat 9 delay as doctor assesses Miskowiak, plus member of crowd takes ill and is seen by para medic/first aiders. Also discussions between ref and clerk of the course re-decision of Polish TM as to whether Miskowiak would be replaced by the other U-21 rider in this race.

Heat 10 scary crash by Chris Harris, race stopped and re-run.

Heat 11 slight delay as  Poland forced, under rules, to only go with one rider (see Heat 9).

Heat 13 unfortunate delay as Team Managers work out riders for the remaining 3 heats. Under the rules Heat 15 would feature the two top scorers from both teams. In the case of GB this meant Bewley and Lambert or Harris - so not clear cut. In the case of Poland this meant Zmarzlik and Musielak or Janowski - also not clear cut. The remaining riders would then be selected for Heat 13 and 14 with the added issue of what happens to Miskowiak's 'ride' - presumably Lampart? And presumably both team managers were waiting to see what the other would do, after all both teams could still win! All the ref could do was constantly ask the Clerk of the Course to contact him and he did. I suppose he could have put the 2 minute warning on and excluded 'riders' under the 2 minute rule but he like everyone else wanted to see racing not exclusions! Meanwhile whilst all this was happening the rain started and we'll never know who was selected for Heats 14 and 15, unless someone who was in the pits can advise. I was hoping for a SoN rematch in a last heat decider, that would have been something else, but we'll never know.

[Bagpuss]

From  watching the stream myself there seemed to be very little information  from the commentators about the delays unless I'm mistaken and missed it, I only learned that Miskowiak and a member of the crowd were seen to from reading this thread after the fact as at the time I too wondered why more urgency wasn't shown to get on with rain forecast at 9pm. 

A pity it couldn't t have gone the distance but perfectly understandable too.

[OveFundinFan]

1 hour ago, SharpenRake said:

Thank you for buying the stream and am pleased you thought the track and racing was good. The efforts of the track staff and volunteers to get this meeting on were unbelievable. Regarding the lights they are ok for those riding and those viewing at the track. Filming always makes things look darker and quite frankly we shouldn't be racing in October so presumably the costs of further upgrading the lights on the off chance that a meeting occurs AND is filmed in October wouldn't be cost-effective. Re-the delays  I'm surprised by your comments as you actually watched the stream unlike others who just like to criticise. It may be that some of the info relayed to the crowd via the announcer wasn't repeated by the commentators, so here goes:

Heat 4 bad crash resulting in exclusion of Miskowiak and eventual withdrawal from meeting.

Heat 6 both GB riders fall, race stopped and re-run with the 2 remaining Poles.

Heat 9 delay as doctor assesses Miskowiak, plus member of crowd takes ill and is seen by para medic/first aiders. Also discussions between ref and clerk of the course re-decision of Polish TM as to whether Miskowiak would be replaced by the other U-21 rider in this race.

Heat 10 scary crash by Chris Harris, race stopped and re-run.

Heat 11 slight delay as  Poland forced, under rules, to only go with one rider (see Heat 9).

Heat 13 unfortunate delay as Team Managers work out riders for the remaining 3 heats. Under the rules Heat 15 would feature the two top scorers from both teams. In the case of GB this meant Bewley and Lambert or Harris - so not clear cut. In the case of Poland this meant Zmarzlik and Musielak or Janowski - also not clear cut. The remaining riders would then be selected for Heat 13 and 14 with the added issue of what happens to Miskowiak's 'ride' - presumably Lampart? And presumably both team managers were waiting to see what the other would do, after all both teams could still win! All the ref could do was constantly ask the Clerk of the Course to contact him and he did. I suppose he could have put the 2 minute warning on and excluded 'riders' under the 2 minute rule but he like everyone else wanted to see racing not exclusions! Meanwhile whilst all this was happening the rain started and we'll never know who was selected for Heats 14 and 15, unless someone who was in the pits can advise. I was hoping for a SoN rematch in a last heat decider, that would have been something else, but we'll never know.

Thanks for the info. I happy to use the stream again. Hoe Glasgow gets a “good” meeting awarded for all the efforts…… GP Challenge would be good. They put it to rubbish tracks recently, be good to see it at a good one. 

[stevehone]

every time i've been to Glasgow its been a good meeting, its a great racetrack and was really looking forward to the Poland team there, it didn't disappoint