BIRMINGHAM HOST 2010 HOME INTERNATIONALS - posted 10 June 2010

Birmingham Monarchs Cycle Speedway club host the 2010 Home International this Saturday (12th June) in their first major promotion since joining the Premier League in 2009.  The Perry Barr club, who have won a glittering array of silverware in the past year at both team and individual level, now hope to repeat their brilliant on-track success by also becoming a leading light in event promotion.

Boosted by a sizable local authority grant, especially for the Home International, the Birmingham management aim to make it a real day to remember in staging their first major event for many years.  The 2010 Home International will go-ahead at the recently much improved Birmingham Cycle Speedway track at Perry Hall Playing Fields, Perry Avenue, Perry Barr, Birmingham. The action starts at 1.30pm.

The four home nations will battle over 16 thrilling heats. England will start as favourites, with the other home nations expected to mount a serious challenge this year to attempt to end the normal English dominance.  Experienced England manager Pete Barnes, in naming a powerful formation, is clearly expecting a stern challenge. Full of flair and exuberance, his squad includes the swashbuckling Horspath (Oxford) ace Mark Boaler and home Birmingham firebrand Chris Timms.

Scotland will be headed by home dynamo Nathan Groves, British ranked sixth after his debut British Final in 2009. Boss Gavin Kennedy also includes three racers from the revitalised Edinburgh club.

Under new manager Ian Sizer, Wales appear to have adopted a more professional approach. Sizer has named what appears to be his strongest squad for many years. However, the omission of loyal long serving Danny Harper, who often kept the Welsh flag flying in leaner times, continues to raise eyebrows.

Diminutive Mark Carmichael will lead the Welsh challenge, whilst home speedster Mark Winwood is sure fire up the action with his combative dashes from the back.Ireland, so often the whipping boys in the International Cycle Speedway arena, have announced their strongest combination for many years, with Hull sensation Adam Stephenson set to lead their attack. Fans favourite Barry Copping is also included.

Full team squads for the 2010 Home International (not in riding order) are as follows:

England
Mark Boaler (Horspath, Dan Chambers (Hethersett), Lee Grange (Norwich), Terry Norman (Wednesfield) and Chris Timms (Birmingham).
Scotland
Joshua Colby (Norwich), Sam Dart (Exeter), Nathan Groves (Birmingham), Mikey Hewitson (Edinburgh), Craig Newsome (Edinburgh), and Jake Slight (Edinburgh).
Wales
Nicky Evans (East Newport), Ben Mould (Birmingham), Dave Murphy (Poole), Mark Carmichael (Horspath) and Mark Winwood (Birmingham).
Ireland
Tom Doyle (Bury), Dave Martin (Hethersett), Leigh Cossey (Norwich), Adam Stephenson (Leicester), Wayne Clarke (Horspath) and Barry Copping (Norwich).

Admission to the 2010 Home International is free to all spectators. Full spectator facilities will be available, including programmes and refreshments. Toilets are available within the Perry Hall Playing Fields complex.

For further information on the Home International, please ring: 07774 127370 or 07515 625941.

ENGLAND TEAMS ANNOUNCED - posted 7 June 2010

England manager Pete Barnes has announced his line-ups for this weekend's Home International at Birmingham.  The teams are

Senior
Mark Boaler, Dan Chambers, Lee Grange, Terry Norman, Chris Timms
Junior
Ben Dickinson, Paul Heard, Ben Higham, Scott Millward, Dylan Radcliffe, Thomas Reed  

IRELAND SQUAD ANNOUNCED - posted 6 June 2010

Ireland team manager Gary Colby has announced his squad for the Home International.  It is Tom Doyle (Bury) - Captain, Dave Martin (Hethersett), Leigh Cossey (Norwich), Adam Stephenson (Leicester), Wayne Clarke (Horspath), Barry Copping (Norwich)

Unfortunately Ireland have insufficient riders to make up a junior team.

"We only have one registered junior" explained Colby.  "We would warmly welcome any young Irish blooded riders!" he added.

WELSH SQUADS UNVEILED - posted 4 June 2010

Wales team manager Ian Sizer has named his squads for the Home International on 12 June at Birmingham.  They are, not in racing order,

Seniors
Nicky Evans (East Newport), Ben Mould (Birmingham), Dave Murphy (Poole), Mark Carmichael (Horspath), Mark Winwood (Birmingham).
Juniors
Ryan Evans (Newport), Jack Harrold (Newport), Mark Carmichael (Horspath), Ben Mould (Birmingham), Aaron Hughes (East Newport), Louis Harvey (East Newport)

SCOTLAND ANNOUNCE HOME INTERNATIONAL SQUAD - posted 3 June 2010

Scotland Cycle Speedway team manager Gavin Kennedy has named a six-man squad for the forthcoming Senior and Junior Home International meetings at Birmingham on 12th June. The squad is: Joshua Colby (Norwich), Sam Dart (Exeter), Nathan Groves (Birmingham), Mikey Hewitson (Edinburgh), Craig Newsome (Edinburgh), Jake Slight (Edinburgh)
 
Injury has robbed Kennedy of the services of Birmingham’s Robbie Venson and Poole’s Pete Young.  However the team manager is confident that in home star Nathan Groves, the Scots possess a rider capable of beating anyone around Birmingham's Perry Hall track.  Groves was top scorer for the Scots in last year’s event and he appears to be running into form at just the right time after scoring an impressive 19 points for the Rest of the World last weekend in a friendly against a strong Young England
side. 
 
Despite a punishing schedule, which will see a number of riders required to take ten rides over the course of the afternoon, Kennedy has decided against calling up
replacements for the injured Venson and Young.  Instead, the team manager has opted to stick with his existing youthful squad, which contains an incredible five riders under the age of 21.
 
Northern League side Edinburgh have three riders, Jake Slight, Mikey Hewitson and Craig Newsome, in the squad.  Also included are the in-form Joshua Colby (who
finished second in the recent Norfolk Under-19 Championship) and promising Exeter youngster Sam Dart.
 
The event will see a Junior Scotland side take to the track for the first time since 1998.  “I’m absolutely delighted to be able to field a side in the Junior Home International,” said Kennedy.  “When I took over the role of national team manager I was determined to build a long-term sustainable future for Scottish cycle speedway.  Developing a nucleus of promising young riders was always a key objective and now that we’ve achieved that I can begin to focus my efforts on identifying and nurturing more home grown talent.  With that in mind, I’m looking forward to working in partnership with Edinburgh Falcons and Scottish Cycling on an initiative aimed at giving local schoolchildren an opportunity to come and try the sport.”
 
The Home International will also see the Scotland side sporting brand new racing tops, courtesy of ScottishPower Renewables and Scottish Cycling.  Now in its fourth
year, ScottishPower Renewables’ support of Scottish Cycling has assisted in the growth of youth cycling through events and initiatives across the country including
the SuP6R Six, Youth Circuit, Criterium Series and the Regional Schools of Racing.

SCOTLAND MANAGER FULL OF PRAISE FOR HIS TEAM - posted 4 April 2010

Scotland team manager Gavin Kennedy was in bouyant mood despite losing out to Wales in the Celtic Cup match at Newport.  Spokesman caught up with Kennedy after the match to get his initial reactions and views.

"What a fantastic advert for cycle speedway that was.  Well done to Wales, who I thought were slightly better on the day.  However I was absolutely delighted with the effort and team spirit shown by our boys.  We suffered a disastrous opening heat with Pete Young shedding a chain while leading and then Jake Slight was the innocent victim of a very hard ride by Mark Winwood.

"Thereafter our side of the pits resembled the walking wounded with Craig Newsome (twice), Chris Shylock and Richard Hunt all suffering heavy falls.  However we managed to keep ourselves in the match right up to heat 17 and all of our lads deserve enormous credit for refusing to throw in the towel" said Kennedy proudly.

"I though Jake Slight was magnificent and I find it hard to believe that a British youngster with that sort of ability isn't racing regularly in the Premier League.  Joshua Colby had a fantastic match too and his race with Mark Carmichael was a classic.  The two Poole lads, Pete Young and Chris also rode really well and I'm already looking forward to the home match against Ireland. 

"I'd just like to say a huge thanks to Ian Sizer, who I think has handled the events of the past week with great dignity.  The hospitality shown by Ian, Colin Simmons and the
other Welsh lads was a timely reminder of what a great sport cycle speedway is and I look forward to re-paying some of that hospitality when the Welsh lads visit Edinburgh next year" concluded Kennedy.

NATIONAL MANAGER PRAISES WELSH CLUBS - posted 4 April 2010

Newly appointed Wales team manager Ian Sizer, celebrating his country's success in the Celtic Cup, was quick to sing the praises of the promoting clubs.

"I would like to thank both the East Newport and Newport clubs for their hard work in staging Saturday's international matches.  The conditions in the first match at East Newport were appalling, yet a superbly prepared racing circuit provided some great racing with an inexperienced Welsh under-18s team making a very strong English under-18s team fight for every point" Sizer told spokesman-online.

"Over at Newport the larger circuit provided one of the best meetings I have witnessed for quite some time with both the Welsh and Scottish riders giving their all.  Both clubs did Welsh Cycle Speedway proud.  Many thanks for their support."

WALES'S NEW DAWN - posted 3 April 2010

A self-styled new era for Welsh international begins today when Wales take on Scotland in the first leg of the Celtic Cup at Newport Sports Village (4pm).

No one will be keener to get the new dawn off to a flying start than architect of the new Jerusulum, Ian Sizer.  The Welsh manager is being heralded as the new Messiah of Welsh cycle speedway and certainly is having an impact - and fresh way of doing things.

Few Welsh teams will go into an international match better prepared.  Sizer has held a number of training sessions, including a full squad briefing at the beautiful setting of the University of Wales in Caerleon where riders were told what is expected of them in the months leading up to the European and World championships.

The Welsh management team, including national coach Stuart Raven and junior coach Tony Bennett, have been pleased with pre-match preparations.

“The riders have bonded well and trained hard" said Raven  "Though some of the squad found the session tough, this was not necessarily a bad thing as the lads know the standard required for a national team” he added.

Team manager Sizer (pictured) has been decisive if somewhat controversial in his choice of riders, leaving out seasoned campaigner and former Welsh skipper Danny Harper from today's team to meet Scotland.

Earlier in the day Wales entertain England in an under-18 international at East Newport (1pm start).

More information about the Welsh international team can be found on http://www.welshcyclespeedway.org/




WELSH TEAM ANNOUNCEMENTS - posted 28 March 2010

Wales international team manager Ian Sizer has announced his teams for the forthcoming internationals on Saturday 3 April as follows:-

Young Wales against England at East Newport (Not in riding order)
Mark Carmichael (cpt), Ben Mould, Jack Harrold, Ryan Evans, Josh Davis, Ryan Lewis, Dan Bock, Louis Harvey.

The Celtic Cup team to race against Scotland at Newport  (Not in riding order)
Dave Murphy (cpt), Mark Winwood, Chris Davies, Matt Davis, Neil Power, Joe Lewis, Ben Mould, Mark Carmichael.

ENGLAND SQUADS ANNOUNCED - posted 27 March 2010

England team manager Pete Barnes has unveiled his teams for the international matches against Wales at East Newport and Filton.

With an eye to future European and World championships, Barnes has named 16 individual juniors for the matches against Young Wales.  It's a philosphy the England team manager takes into the senior squad. as he mixes a blend of youth and experience.  Senior team members Adam Peck and Chris Jewkes will be joined by promising youngsters Sam Hearn, Sean Rudman and Lee Smith.  The England line-ups are (not in riding order) -

Young England - East Newport on Saturday 3 April
Matt Beharrel, Dan Chambers, Paul Heard, Aaron Herbert, Carl Jarvis, Aaron Morgan, Dan Osborne, Leon Wild

Young England - Filton on Saturday 10 April
Leyton Glover, Paul Heard, Ben Higham, Scott Millward, Dylan Radcliffe, Thomas Reed, Matt Smith, George Solomon

England for Filton on Saturday 10 April
Andrew Angell, Jamie Brown, Sam Hearn, Chris Jewkes, Adam Peck, Sean Rudman, Lee Smith, Chris Timms

We hope to bring you news of the Welsh squads shortly.

SCOTLAND TEAM ANNOUNCED - posted 22 March 2010

Scotland Team Manager Gavin Kennedy has named his team for the opening Celtic Cup match against Wales at the International Sports Village in Newport on Saturday 3 April.

The team, not in riding order, is Joshua Colby (Norwich), Sam Dart (Exeter), Nathan Groves (Birmingham), Richard Hunt (Norwich), Craig Newsome (Edinburgh), Chris
Shylock (Poole), Jake Slight (Edinburgh), Pete Young (Poole).