Despite a few glitches in membership administration of late, the latest published membership lists show the Yorkshire club as having 105 British Cycling members included in the club's overall membership.

A Sheffield spokesperson was delighted with the news.  "We set out our membership targets for the past three years and we are pleased to have hit the bullseye each time!.  The vast majority of Sheffield riders are either only able to compete locally or only wish to compete locally, hence the emphasis on local racing such as the Hallamshire Go Ride League (HGRL) and schools competitions and local activities such as the Graves Saturday Morning Club that concentrates on participation and fun activities rather than out-and-out competition.

Whilst such numbers inevitably create a "churn rate" whereby it is difficult to preserve each and every member come next season, it is nevertheless a good basis for the club and a challenge to retain the current membership whilst maintaining the same recruitment momentum.

In addition, transport and commitment to competitions pose real problems, hence the need to cover the sport in depth locally. It is probably well over forty years since there were more than one hundred cycle speedway riders in the City but the similarities then were that the vast majority just competed in the old Sheffield League rather than have to commit to travel great distances.

The club staged the first HGRL on a rare, free Sunday last weekend and, despite it being the first weekend of the schools holidays with many riders and officials on holiday, the event brought in a larger than normal  crowd and a respectable 27 riders.

"We have staged three rounds of the HGRL so far this year and we've already had over fifty riders representing around twenty schools in the City" said the spokesperson
"We will now look at targets for next year but, rest assured, the success of the HGRL and the schools' programmes are starting to pay dividends."

With five clubnights each week, the club is also recruiting vigorously more volunteers and have already made arangements to fill places on upcoming Club Coach courses to bring the total number to at least seven by the first quarter of 2011.

The club is also making strides into other disciplines such as 'cross and trips over the Pennines to the Velodrome in Manchester, in order to widen scope and give a variety to activity, training and competition.

HETHERSETT RIDERS FIND IT TOUGH IN POLAND - posted 27 July 2010

Hethersett Hawks had three riders in Poland over the weekend competing in the European Championships.

In the junior event Ben Collins and Dan Chambers contested qualifying rounds at Zielona Gora on Friday. Ben rode  well to score 14 points and qualify for the quarter-finals and in a later round  Dan also scraped through qualification with 13 hard-earned points.

On the  Saturday they were at Leszno in pouring rain for a 9 am quarter-final. The  very heavy track conditions made it difficult and Ben was unlucky in a couple of  races before running out of stamina to finish on nine points. Dan was in the thick  of the action but some dubious Polish tactics robbed him of a point which in the  end was vital as his 12 points was one short of the automatic qualification for  the semi-finals. After all the quarter-finals were completed Dan was involved in  a sudden-death four-rider race to
fill the one remaining place. On a now drying  track he finished second and, like Ben, was eliminated.
 
Later the same day Dan was in action again at Leszno racing for Young  England in the European Junior Cup of Nations and played a full part with 15  points.  However, in one race he unfortunately fell while leading and a key  7-3 lead was reversed and a similar result in the penultimate heat involving two  other riders gave Poland a narrow victory - Poland 65, England 62, Wales 52.
 
In the Open European Championship Mel Perkins MBE made a cameo appearance  as the oldest entrant having never raced abroad before. He scored seven points  in a qualifying round and then nine in a reperchage before being  eliminated.  Both matches were at Leszno on Friday.
 
Four recently recruited Hethersett riders qualified for the East Anglian  U10 Championships following performances in the Norfolk U10 Final at  Hethersett.  Charlie Bion finished runner-up and Bradley Lewin third while  Tyler Matthews and Adam Allen also finished in the top six.
 
This Sunday Hawks riders will be at East London in a South East Grand  Prix.

GREAT DAY FOR BRETFORD YOUNSTERS - posted 6 June 2010
 
Well done to Bretfords's young Scott Price!  Only 6 years of age, he came third in the A-Final in the under 8's and more importantly never stopped smiling
 
The most eventful final today had to  the under-10's.  Three restarts, two of them at the tapes and in the third all four riders on the floor. Callum Thomas raced James Harriman,
took him wide which allowed Niall Cleaver and Dan Price to get up the inside. James Harriman passed Callum Thomas, then passed Niall Cleaver, clean sweep around him.
Then James Harriman comes up to the back of Dan Price, Dan Price skids into the bend which brings down Jame Harriman. This was on the last lap and the race was awarded.  Dan Price was deemed to be the cause of James Harrriman falling.  James Harriman was award the race and Dan Price given fourth place. What a race to watch - the best racing from all of  the riders. Jason Cleaver and Jake Gray both made the B final coming in third and fourth.
 
The under-12s saw Lee Kemp winning again in the A final.  No one to touch him all meeting. Kyle Roberts got into the A final, getting a third place. He rode well all meeting. Matt Hambidge had his best result this year, coming secondf in the B final, really improving the more he rides. Connor Wilson, who has only raced twice, got upset as he thought he should do better. Connor is learning this sport and will be one to watch in the future. Connor won the C final. Well done to all your under 12s! 
 
That only left Joe Kemp in the under-16's. He found the track really slippy and struggled a bit today. He did however lead for a lap the Sandwell lads and Joe is improving
all the time. Joe came third in the A final.
 
All the riders rode well today. They need to take the rough with the smooth and the ref's word is final.  


COVENTRY NAME FIRST SIGNING - posted 27 April 2010
 


With only three weeks to go before the tapes fly up at Hearsall Common, Coventry Cycle Speedway club today announced its first signing.
 
Team boss Steve Bromwich has signed 23-year-old Sean McGuire (pictured) for the clash with Birmingham on Sunday 16th May. McGuire will take his place in the eight man Coventry team, set to include a host of familiar Godiva city names.
 
McGuire is the son of track manager Rob McGuire, the ex-Irish international test match star. McGuire junior raced for Coventry in 2001 and 2002 before `finding` wine, woman and song and taking a break from the sport.
 
He is determined to play his part in a hoped for Coventry revival. Sean told spokesman-online "With Dad becoming involved again, and listening to fantastic stories of the Coventry club over many years from Dad, I felt I just had to help the club get going again".
 
Coventry are set to release further signings later this week. 



COVENTRY APPEAL FOR MOBILE WELDER - posted 6 April 2010
 
Coventry Cycle Speedway club, gearing up for a dramatic return, today appealed to the cycle speedway community for help to complete the Hearsall Common refurbishment
works. 
The club needs the services of a mobile welder to repair one final section of the Hearsall Common safety fence. At the moment, there's a gaping five foot hole on the
exit from the last bend.
 
Track manager Rob McGuire (pictured), mastermind behind the reinstatement works at the Hearsall Common venue, told spokesman-online "We have almost completed the works to the whole facility, some six weeks earlier than planned. We just wondered if friends and colleagues from perhaps another Midlands club had a mobile welder within their ranks".
 
McGuire went on "The bar of the fence that is missing is stored in the container. We just need someone with the right equipment and a little time to pop over to Coventry, maybe on the way to another match, and give us the benefit of just half an hour of their time".
 
"I am sure any volunteer would receive the grateful thanks from all of us at Coventry". concluded the former Irish International.
  
McGuire can be contacted at: 02476 270755 .


ASTLEY GRANT - posted 3 April 2010

Astley & Tyldesley will stage their opening home match of the season at Gin Pit next Sunday (11th April), when they take on Sheffield Rockets in a Northern Combination League fixture. First race is at 2 pm.

This match is followed by the opening round of the North West Go-Race Grand Prix, taking place at 3.30 pm. Any new and junior riders from all cycling disciplines will be welcome to enter, as an introduction to cycle speedway racing. Registrations take place at 3.00 pm. Entry fee is just £2, which includes bike hire.

Spectators are welcome to watch the racing at the track at the Astley & Tyldesley Miners' Welfare Club, Meanley Road, Gin Pit, Astley. M29 7DW. For further details, visit the club's website at www.astleycyclespeedway.org.uk

A & T are pleased to announce the signing of Rafal Pigon (pictured left). The 25 year old is from Krosno, Poland and races for Tarnow in the Polish League. He will be available for A & T later in the summer and will be making his British racing debut this season.