Many clubs and riders have their own websites. Our editorial team regularly scans these sites for emerging news stories and pics. The idea is not to replicate articles on spokesman-online but to draw our readers attention to what's happening across the cycle speedway world, much in the same way as we regularly point out features on British Cycling's website or the excellent Cycle Sport News in Australia. Lets go surfing ...
Star photographer Brian Barnett was in Colchester over the weekend, taking in racing in the South-East under-10s and under-14s leagues. His excellent pics can be viewed at http://s891.photobucket.com/albums/ac116/cyclespeedwayphotos/ There are also two action videos on YouTube.
SPOKESMAN SIXTIES STYLE - posted 6 May 2010
Aussie cycle speedway webmaster, Mick Harley, has posted some historical magazines on the Findon website. Three editions of Harold Smith's Spokesman magazines, dating back to June 1969, have been posted online.
"I have approximately 44 editions which I will upload to the site" said Mick "As you can imagine this will take some time. Also it may take a little while to open the PDF's. It's worth it though. Lots of great reading for Cycle Speedway lovers."
Talented photographer Magda Nowacki has set up a new Flickr account where she'll be posting loads of cycle spedway photos. Add http://www.flickr.com/photos/magda_nowacki/ to your list of favourites
NEW WEBSITE LAUNCHED - posted 8 April 2010
Leicester Monarchs cycle speedway club have a new website - thanks to hard working volunteer Magda Nowacki who has developed the new site which now includes links to the club's Facebook and Twitter accounts. Take a look at http://www.leicestermonarchs.co.uk/
FINDON WEBSITE REVAMP - posted 2 April 2010
Findon Cycle Speedway has completely revamped their website to include a complete copy of their History Book. Take a look at www.cyclespeedway.asn.au
POPULAR WEBSITE HACKED - posted 26 March 2010
One of cycle speedway's leading websites has been hacked. Brian Barnett's mobile website has been attacked, resulting in all the pages and contents being deleted.
A distraught Brian told spokesman-online
"This first started on Monday evening with the link to the video page being attacked. Today the whole site had been deleted."
But Brian promised this wiLl not be the end for one of the sport's most popular websites.
"It will be back, under a new web address, along with extra security!" promised Brian. "Hopefully everything should be restored next week."
ANOTHER NORTHANTS SITE - posted 18 March 2010
Here's another website link, about Northampton. Although we have brought this to reader's attention before, more content has been added. Take a look at
Brian Barnett's cycle speedway website continues to expand and now includes video clips. The cycle speedway pundit, known for his investigative journalism, told Spokesman
"My mobile website, now has a video page. This can only be viewed with MP 4 format (Quick Time). What I intend to do is brief interviews and action videos. At present only one video is loaded, mixed crashes which I have put together myself using a mix of a video and still shots put together as a complete video with music. It's different!"
OLYMPIC TRACK - LATEST NEWS - posted 27 February 2010
Cycle speedway's investigative journalist Brian Barnett has pressed British Cycling to explain why the proposed cycle speedway track is no longer part of the Olympic Velopark and whether or not the Cycle Speedway Commission supported the track building project. See the exchange between Brian Barnett and British Cycling at
NEW CLUB WEBSITE LAUNCHED - posted 17 December 2009
Hull cycle speedway club has a new website which can be found at www.hullcyclespeedway.co.uk. Although not finished yet it is well on the way and thanks go to Adam Stephenson for all the work he has done, and is yet to do, to complete it.
IMAGE LIBRARY - posted 14 December 2009
Cycle speedway photographer Andy Whitehouse has posted hundreds of cycling and cycle speedway images on his website. It's well worth a look at http://www.andyw39.smugmug.com/CYCLING
CHAMPION PRESENTATION - posted 9 December 2009
One of our readers has drawn our attention to an interesting clip on Youtube featuring multi World and British champion Dave Hemsley. Here's the link, take a look. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUZ0P1RbJ3o
Even if you can't undertsand aa word, the new Polish Cycle Speedway website looks really great. If you haven't seen it already click on http://www.speedrowermagazyn.pl/ and take a look. And while you're there glance at the Forum page. Loads of posts and debate. Move over Viewpoint!
LAMB HOT SHOT - posted 19 August 2009
If you haven't seen it already, click on British Cycling's website and see Jessica Lamb like to have never seen her before! Ace photographer Andy Whitehouse interviews cycle speedway's first lady ahead of next week's Women's championships at Bretford - and the photos are simply amazing. As we say in Lancashire, a real Lamb hotpot - or should that be a Lamb hotshot.
NEW LOOK WEBSITE WELL WORTH A LOOK - posted 15 August 2009
After their apathetic coverage of the World championships earlier this year, its good to see that British Cycling are finally getting their act together on the cycling website. The relaunch has given the site a much needed uplift with more diversity of topics, more indepth coverage, more stories - and even a discussion group!
The cycle speedway section has been considerably enhanced by Andy Whitehouse's outstanding pictures and weekly report from the top events. More and more match reports are being covered accompanied by action shots from cameramen Brian Barnett, David Knight, Graham Surtton et al - and at last the importance of publishing competition draws has been recognised. Lets hope this trend continues and that circulars and meeting documentation will also be made available for all members to view.
It is important that cycle speedway has readily accessible information and news - so well done British Cycling - and keep up the good work.
NEW E-MAG LAUNCHED IN POLAND - posted 14 July 2009
A new cycle speedway e-mag has be launched in Poland. The new venture, which is the brainchild of former Astley & Tyldesley rider Thomas Wlodarczyk, features racing in his native country but will also include news and views from around the world. Spokesman will be working closely with Thomas providing feeds to the new website.
They are a Premier club and now they have a premier website. Premier League newcomers, Birmingham CSC have recently unveiled their exciting new site which is being developed by Paul Heard's sister, Sarah. The site has all the usual trappings including results, match reports, rider profiles (glad to see my old mate John Watchman gets a mention in Andy James's profile) and more content is coming soon. Why not pay a visit by clicking on www.birminghammonarchscsc.webs.com
ONLINE SCORCHA - posted 9 July 2009
Hull CSC are currently appearing on the home page of Karoo, the Kingston Communications web provider for the Hull and East Riding area, advertising their forthcoming “Summer Scorcha” sessions to be run during the school holidays. To check this out go to: http://www.karoo.co.uk and click on the summer scorcha heading and then click anywhere on the website home page.
CSN AND DARRYL DANIELS KEEPING UP THE GOOD WORK - posted 7 June 2009
Good to see Aussie website, Cycle Sport News, still covering cycle speedway post World Championships.
Rather than replicate some of the reports and stories of CSN, we and our Aussie correspondent Darryl Daniels will keep a watching brief and let you know when something newsworthy is published. Darryl does a great job keeping the Aussie and ultimately World media informated of what's happening Down Under. Reposting material, either from Cycle Sport News or British Cycling's website is often time consuming and takes up valuable web space that we can devote to other news and features.
HETHERSETT LAUNCH THEIR OWN WEBSITE - posted 30 May 2009
Hethersett Hawks are the latest club to launch their own cycle speedway website.
The club, which has has been running continously since 1966 under the guardianship of Mel Perkins, are enjoying one of their best seasons ever - and this is reflected in their new website. Designed in the club's traditional blue and white colours, the site is packed with information and includes a link to the weekly in-house HawkTalk magazine, a great way to keep club members up to date.
Although the site is still in its infancy and some of the pages have yet to be developed, it's clear it wil become one of the most regularly viewed club sites on the internet.
Norwich Stars supporters already missing their Polish favourites Lukasz Piszczek and Rafal Baumgarten, who have returned to race in their native Poland, can see them in action in a Polish League match at Swietochlowice where World Pairs 2007 were hosted. The following clip features a match between Slask Swietochlowice (home) and Mustang Zoledowo (away). Piszczek and Baumgarten can been seen racing for the Swietochlowice team. Just click on http://www.swietochlowice.pl/?temat=akt&nr=1847&PHPSESSID=6754e4911a80fba73e7744163a084c26
BRITISH CYCLING WEBSITE RELAUNCH - posted 20 May 2009
British Cycling are to relaunch their website in an effort to encourage more "user-generated" content allowing organisers, spectators and riders to submit copy and photographs direct to the website. In addition BC is currently recruiting a full time off-road discipline web editor, whose remit will include cycle speedway.
British Cycling's website, which also provides a direct feed to the BBC's website www.bbc.co.uk/cycling, continues to grow in popularity.
Figures provided as a result of a Freedom of Information request by one of our readers show that there have been 369 pieces of cycle speedway event reports and news items added to the British Cycling website since January 2006 which has resulted in a consistent increase in interest, measured in page impressions. In 2006 there were 185,000 page impressions, in 2007 362,778 and in 2008 373,976. So far this year, visitors have viewed 151,713 pages.
Editor's Note - It is good to see British Cycling are expanding their coverage of cycle speedway and making it easier for contributors to post their copy and photographs. The appointment of a specialist editor is also warmly applauded.
As we have said many times in the past, spokesman-online is not in competiton with any other website. To the contrary. The more information, news and views that's available for us all to read the better. So well done British Cycling. And before anyone asks or sends in a Freedom of Information request, in the past twelve months spokesman-online had 442,400 page impressions.
POLISH LEAGUE ACTION - posted 19 May 2009
The Swietochlowice site is showing full race-by-race action of a recent Polish Divison One match which makes interesting viewing. Just click on
One of Australia's top politicians has given cycle speedway a glowing endorsement. Speaking last month in the House of Representatives in Canberra, Tony Zappia, MP Federal Member for Makin, praised the sport and organisers of the recent World Championships in Adelaide.
On the same webpage, there is an interesting article on the development of girls racing in South Australia and at the Salibury club in particular, where the local club will use a A$2,000 grant from the Department of Recreation and Sport “Move It" programme to increase the numbers of girls at the club competing in cycle speedway. Well worth a look!
Our thanks to Trevor Dutton for bringing these stories to our attention.
HORSPATH UNVEIL NEW WEBSITE - posted 20 March 2009
Horspath Hammers are the latest cycle speedway club to unveil a new website. www.HorspathCSC.co.uk has been set up by parents of the club's younger riders and is already looking good.
According to the Welcome page "this new website will keep you up to date with everything relating to the Horspath Hammers, including news updates, match reports, league standings, new photos and and much more."
The site has all the usual features including a good rider profile section which is still under construction and the Press Cuttings page is a nice touch. Why not take a look.
COLCHESTER WEBSITE WELL WORTH A LOOK - posted 19 March 2009
Colchester Stars cycle speedway club has a new look website. Combining the usual mix of club information, the site boasts an excellent photographic gallery and a Player Roster page listing all the club's riders. The history page tracks the club's progress since its formation by Vic Duffy in 1997 when the club only had four members and raced on a grass track at Shrub End Sports Centre in the town.
The new site was only launched a week or so ago by club enthusiast David Knight and already it has all the makings of a superb site. Combining the customary mix of club information, contact addresses, fixtures, forums and so on, one of the site's main strengths is expected to be its outstanding photographic and video content. Web manager David Knight is an accomplished photographer whose outstanding photographs have regualrly featured on spokesman-online.
And another bonus is the fact that the site won't be limited just to what's happening at Kesgrave - it will also feature national events round the UK. So why not take a look now at cycle speedway's most recent website and add it to your list of favourites.
J
Just one of the many superb action shots that appear on the new Kesgrave site
J