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INTERNATIONAL Work has started on the new cycle speedway facility in New Zealand. Heavy machinery has been brought in to do the earthworks before the track is outline is laid out in readiness for the kerbing work.
We hope to bring you more news of this exciting international development soon with hopefully some pics showing progress.
Speaking exclusively to Spokesman-Online, Winwood (40) and Harper (33) promised We would like to make the Welsh national set up more inclusive and not so "Newport centric". We have some very good riders in Wales but as a country we generally don't look too far away from the Principality. We would imagine and hope people reading this now may have some Welsh heritage in their family and consider riding for Wales the pair said.
Following the modern pattern of joint management, Winwood and Harper are clearly looking forward to the challenge and cant wait to get started.
We have recognised that to take this role on as a managerial alliance will give us the flexibility to manage the team and our personal lives. We had spoken about doing this role in years to come, so it has come earlier than expected owing to circumstances.
We start with a new outlook regarding rider selection. Anyone who considers themselves potentially eligible is encouraged to make themselves known. Many riders have not experienced international riding as they may be holding out hope for riding for their first nation. Linking up with a smaller nation provides a vast amount of additional opportunities and teh opportunity to improve your all round game.
With Welsh blood coursing through their veins, Harper and Winwood are clearly proud Welshmen.
Daniel and I are both half Welsh and we confirm that competing for Wales makes you just as proud as the guys stood next to you. When we took 'gold' in the 2007 Home International for me it was as good a feeling has riding in the GB Ashes and for Daniel he ranks it has better than winning the Premier League or British Team where he had success with the Horspath Hammers said Mark Winwood.
From our personal experiences, it has benefited us a great deal when regularly competing for Wales in the international events, and it gives you a target and makes you raise your own game. Before making our own débuts we only raced in our own respective regional leagues. Getting the nod from the international set up provides you with a reason to train hard and this transfers into other events, be it team or individuals.
The new management team are keen to build on the result and performance of their predecessors.
Given our tremendous achievements at home and overseas in recent times, without doubt that the Wales team has made massive strides forward. Our recent showing in the World championships speaks volumes. Beating the host nation, Australia, in the World Cup and finishing above England in the World Best Pairs confirms Wales can compete with the best. We took enormous satisfaction knowing that the five guys with the Welsh jersey on that day in Adelaide finished above Australia's best five, the same five Australian riders that helped topple the GB team.
We have no set goals other than to continue our present good run of form. We are not delusional but very much realistic in our outlook. There is not a huge pool of future Welsh riders right now, however, from the small pool that we currently have they are a bunch of talented individuals. If we can increase the available rider selection then the goal has to be continuous improvement and advancement.
We are firm believers of the stance that 'If it is not broken then don't try and fix it'. The previous management team introduced a number of initiatives with lead to a more professional set up, so we are fortunate enough to inherit a good, sound structure. We recognise that the Welsh set up works best with buy in, support and recommendations from the whole camp and we look to continue to work with the present coaching staff.
Interesting the pair share more than just their passion for Welsh cycle speedway and determination to see the international team do well.
Both work for Network rail. Mark is in the Infrastructure Projects division as Operations and Logistics Manager responsible for the Western & Wales Region while Daniel started as a Duty Manager but has recently moved onto a new role as a Project Interface Coordinator.
The Cycle Speedway Commission is trying to measure the level of support for a Home International for the over-40's to be held on the same day as the junior and senior matches at Newport on 28th June.
Long-serving cycle speedway enthusiast Murphy told Spokesman "Having been appointed by the Commission, once again, I'm proud to lead Team GB and will give it my best shot as always. However, I find it difficult to understand why nobody else has stepped forward with an application to show their credentials for leading British cycle speedway back to the international dominance it once enjoyed."
Murphy had initially declined to apply for the role as he felt it was time for someone new to take over the mantle. "In my opinion, I had failed in my quest to win the Ashes and Federation Cup in South Australia last November. Therefore it seemed only right that another manager or coach should be given the opportunity bring British success going forward."
But, despite the position being advertised by British Cycling communications to club secretaries (and the vacancy being published via the pages of Spokesman), nobody put their name into the hat. It was at this point that Murphy made the Commission aware that he was ready and willing to lead Team GB once again.
"I guess it takes the pressure off to some degree, after the disappointment of the 2013 Ashes defeat", he said wryly. "At the time it seemed that there were dozens of budding GB team managers (around the tracks and making their views known via facebook) who were expressing opinions that they would have taken a different approach to team selection and tactics but when the opportunity arose, none of them appear to have risen to the challenge."
Murphy has always been transparent in his approach to the role and, in hindsight, is the first to accept that he could have done things different but he now had the chance to give it another go.
He concluded by saying "I've got the balls to stand up and be counted, rather than walk away and lick my wounds. Right now I simply ask that the talented group of GB riders, which has emerged in recent years, will confirm that they share my ambition and motivation to take on the Poles and the Aussies again to achieve the results that we are capable of." said Murphy.
British Cycling has re-appointed Dave Murphy and Geoff Gamage as Great Britains mens and womens team managers respectively. Murphy will also take on responsibility as Great Britain junior team manager, succeeding Ivan Pike who successfully led GB juniors to success in last years international junior test series in Australia.
On the Home international front, Gavin Kennedy and Pete Young have been appointed as joint team managers for Scotland. Surprisingly no appointments have been made to the England, Ireland and Wales posts. It is widely rumoured that at least two of the current post-holders reapplied for the jobs but British Cycling are inviting further applicants.
Appointments run for a two years period from 1st February 2014 until 31st December 2015.
The Commission is expected to make a further announcement when they meet in Manchester on 1st March. Expressions of interest should be forwarded to Paul West at British Cycling prior to that date. Plans to build a cycle speedway and BMX centre in Auckland are still on track. EXETER TO HOST 2014 EURO CLUB posted 19 September 2013
Exeter cycle speedway club has won the race to host next years European club championship. The south-west club fought off challengers to win the nomination to host the three-day championship, scheduled to be held over the May Bank Holiday, 3rd to 5th May 2014.
The formal announcement was made by British Cycling earlier today.
No one was more disappointed than co-ordinator Les Gustafson who is still in discussion with Century TV to explore other opportunities to include cycle speedway in a future edition of The Cycle Show. However philosophical Gustafson is keen to ensure the sport is seen in the best possible light.
However thrilling was last night's Poole Test, because of the atrocious weather and the small group of bedraggled spectators huddled under the eaves of the Poole clubhouse, Graham Sutton and I agreed that it would have been a rather sorry showcase for the sport had they brought a camera down to film the proceedings Gustafson told Spokesman.
He discounted suggestions that ITV could cover the sports showpiece final at Coventry on August Bank Holiday Monday.
The Coventry finals are going to be too late. The Cycle Show will either have finished its run by then or else have wrapped up their shoots explained Les.
Worldwide television coverage of Elite League cycle speedway could already be paying dividends after ICSF secretary Dave Murphy confirmed that he had received a request for information about the sport from Bangladesh.
A surprise email arrived from Azharul Islam Masum who is the general secretary of the Dhaka Cycling Club and a member of the Bangladesh Cycling Federation expressing their interest in launching the sport in the country. Discussions have already taken place with the Bangladesh Olympic Association about the exciting project.
Writing to the ICSF Azharul Islam Masum said We want to start forming cycle speedway federation in Bangladesh. Please tell us how to organize and make it possible. And do help us to make it happen so that we can promote this games popular in Bangladesh.
We are requesting you please do co-operation and help us to make it happen.
For more information about the Dhaka Cycling Club, click on
Work will start on cycle speedways newest international track in the Autumn. It is expected that track construction in Auckland, New Zealand will begin on 1 October and take five months to complete.
The news was confirmed by organiser Bryan Scott who told Spokesman earlier today The start date via our council is one hundred percent on 1 October 2013 for moving earth and our site is due for completion no later than February 2014. We have so much interest in this sport. Its going to take off very fast for both old and new riders via our BMX and its excellent location by Aucklands international airport.
Bryan was optimistic that, having established the sport in Auckland, cycle speedway could quickly spread throughout the principal towns in New Zealand.
Our region will support this track first before building others in all major cities in NZ Bryan excitedly added.
We are hoping to be represented in the World Cycle Speedway Championships in Adelaide in November. We are looking to send a minimum of four, maybe five, riders in the senior mens category, possibly a few juniors and perhaps two junior women. Were not sure if we will be entering a team in the senior and junior World Cup team events. Much will depend on funding and thats something well be working on after the Worlds BMX championships he added.
The 2013 Welsh Cycle Speedway Association sees a few changes around the table this year with former secretary Peter Soper, who was so instumental in organising and making the 2012 British finals such a success, stepping down to concentrate on his position as new chairman of Newport CSC.
The first meeting of the WCSA met recently to discuss closer links between the two Welsh clubs and Welsh Cycling. Plans are in place to set up a new Welsh league for under-16s and girl racers. TOKYO INTERNATIONAL posted 3 December 2012
A second cycle speedway tournament is due to be held in Tokyo next month. Organisers have confirmed the event will be held in a new venue, Yoyogi Koen, on 2 December 2012.
News is emerging from Edenton that CEO Brian White has been in discussion with local officials regarding a possible club re location to a more central town area.
Numerous attempts to attract competitors and spectators has been far from successful due in the main to the out-of- town location. The latest venture will also feature an extensive recruitment programme aimed at younger riders. There is no doubt that the enthusiasm and dedication shown by White will hopefully see a revival in America
Makoto has told Dave that the participants and organisers in Japan are also excited for the future of cycle speedway and are now planning to stage future events at several places in their country, such as Osaka or Yokohama.
The Japanese are also prepared to accept Murphy's recent proposal that they should submit application to become members of the ICSF. Dave told Spokesman: "I'm sure that accepting a Japanese application will be a formality for the ICSF members and I will be obtaining sufficient information from Makoto to enable me to present such an application at the next ICSF meeting." JAPAN SET THEIR SIGHTS ON ENGLAND - posted 18 July 2012
Japanese cycle speedway enthusiasts have set themselves a target of competing in England within the next five years.
Although the sport has only recently been launched in Japan and only one tournament has been held, at the famous Komazawa Olympic Park Stadium in Tokyo, organisers have already set their sights on visiting the UK.
Explaining the latest position, Takeshi Sugimoto told Spokesman that the recent tournament was a test event. More meetings are planned although no firm dates have been fixed yet. It appears that local cycling enthusiasts saw clips from European events on YouTube and thought the new sport looked great fun.
We seem to have a goal to participate in the tournament in England before five years later. We have high expectations to the new event said Takeshi. Keen to encourage the development of the sport internationally, the International Cycle Speedway Federation (ICSF) has been in contact with organisers of the recent event in Japan. ICSF secretary Dave Murphy brings you up to date with the latest. "I can clarify that I've been in contact with the organisers and one of the riders recently (i.e. exchanging emails and information) from an ICSF perspective The indications are that they want to take things a bit slowly at the moment and see how the next planned meeting goes. "After that, it will be a good time to get things moving and see if we can arrange for European riders to visit Japan in the near future or get them to think about sending a some riders to the World Champs in Adelaide. "I get the impression that their riders are quite experienced at other cycling disciplines and could prove to be pretty useful. Early days yet but this scenario has much potential if handled correctly" said Dave encouragingly. Following the launch of cycle speedway in Japan last month, one of their most enthusiastic riders has placed an order with UK-based Archie Wilkinson for some specialist cycle speedway equipment including pedals and handlebars. The West Bromwich company is also considering exporting bikes to Japan, which in itself must be something of a World first! Enjoying his first taste of cycle speedway, despite crashing out in qualifying round D, Takeshi Sugimoto described the sport as "...a very cool and exciting sport!" Takeshi, who runs his own website, is expecting more Japanese riders will be buying traditional cycle speedway bike and equipment from the UK. Several videos of the inaugural meeting, held at Komazawa Park, Tokyo on 30 June 2012, have been posted on Takeshi's website. Take a look at TOP OFFICIAL "EXCITED" - posted 3 July 2012 Speaking exclusively to Spokesman-Online earlier today, Murphy said "It's fascinating news to hear that a Japanese version of our sport has been launched at the multi-purpose Komazawa Olympic Park Stadium in Tokyo. All indications are that the Japanese are is well structured and organised and their version appears to replicate Japanese style motor speedway, which is long-established and raced on large concrete/tarmac tracks rather than on shale. "In my ICSF role, I will need to make contact with Mick Harley, to discuss further, as clearly it would be great to make the Japanese aware that the sport is already popular in Europe and Australasia while offering contacts and support from both Continents. "I have a business associate in Tokyo and I'm already trying to find out (via his contacts) any additional information about the sport and the people organising it. "After the recent disappointment of slow progress in New Zealand (despite best intentions), this offer the real prospect of progress as we have evidence of structured race events already taking place" said Murphy excitedly. "I would ask that the ICSF, via myself, is kept informed, should anyone find out more about what's happening in Tokyo" he added.
The sport made its first appearance only two months ago and yesterday the first ever official tournament was held - at the multi-purpose Komazawa Olympic Park Stadium in Tokyo. Clearly the sport is in its embroynic stage but, in typical Japanese style, is well structured and organised.
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Despite voicing his disappointment at the dearth of willing candidates to grasp the opportunity of being the national team manager, Dave Murphy has said that he is ready and motivated to take on the GB team management role again,
