BRITISH FINALS WEEKEND SPECIAL
BOALER IN THE MONEY - posted 5 October 2010
Mark Boaler was the big money winner when it came to the end-of-season 'cash' matches. His victory in the national championship and third place in the grand prix earned the Horspath super-star a cool £365 - not bad for less than ten minutes effort! Meanwhile Lee Aris and Lukasz Nowacki both pocketed £255, Andy Angell won £190 and Paul Heard and Lewis Osborne both took home £165. The full breakdown of cash primes was:-
British Open Primes 2010
Mark Boaler £250, Andy Angell £165, Lee Aris £160, Gavin Wheeler £100, Paul Heard £80, Lewis Bates £40, Chris Jewkes £25, Ben Mould £20, Mark Griffiths £20, Steve Harris £20, Tom Colling £20, Chris Osborne £15, Adam Peck £10, Adam Stephenson £10, Chris Timms £10, Terry Norman £10, Aaron Herbert £5, Craig Marchant £5, Dylan Radcliffe £5, Lee Smith £5, Lewis Osborne £5, Mark Carmichael £5, Mark Winwood £5, Matthew Beharrell £5, Thomas Reed £5
Grand Prix Primes 2010
Lukasz Nowacki £255, Lewis Osborne £165, Mark Boaler £115, Lee Aris £95, Paul Heard £85, Chris Osborne £40,
Neil Hollebon £30, Adam Peck £25, Adam Stephenson £25, Andy Angell £25, Chris Timms £25, Mark Carmichael £25, Matuesz Szymczak £25, Ben Collins £10, Dominic Rycharski £10, Scott Millward £10, Shaun Rudman £10, Steve Harris £10, Dan Osborne £5, Josh Colby £5, Lee Grange £5
'STREAMED' FINAL A GREAT SUCCESS - posted 1 September 2010
The idea to telecast the British Final direct to the internet has proved a resounding hit. Scores of viewers logged on to watch the final live. So how did the idea come about and how was the service delivered? Spokeman spoke to t Neil Howarh who explained all.
"The idea to broadcast this year's British Individual Final on the internet came out of a discussion at the planning meeting for the Finals Weekend programme. The Ustream website is growing all of the time, offering a free online streaming and video storage service, with a simple sign up process. The video can be made using any enabled device, all that is required is an internet connection.
"With neither wired nor reliable Wi-Fi connection available at the A & T track, in testing it was found the 3G phone connection was good enough to stream the video at a watchable quality. A quick download from the iPhone App store installed the free Ustream Broadcaster and the stream was on. So the final was all shot on an iPhone 4 and recorded simultaneously to the Ustream website. All the races were captured apart from heats 17 and 18 when the battery, fully charged at the start, went to energy saver. Borrowing another phone meant we were back online for the crucial heats 19, 20 and the all important run-off, before a second flat battery.
"So, what has be learnt from the first live broadcast? Well, like YouTube, it's an exciting opportunity for minority sports such as Cycle Speedway. With live viewers peaking at 87 during the broadcast and total viewings now totalling almost 500, it's popular or a novelty. It's free and surprisingly easy to do. The quality of the video will continue to improve in the coming years. It kills your phone battery! And finally, it still relies on the camera operator; you can miss the action even if you're stood yards from it (such as that fantastic Andy Angell pass in the run-off - sorry Andy!). The recording of the British Individual Final 2010, in three parts, can still be viewed at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/british-cycle-speedway-finals-2010.
"Accusations that riders were being held at the gate for more that the regulation five seconds during the British Final would seem to be unfounded. Initial analysis of video footage would suggest that the longest time 'under starters orders' was around 4.3 seconds" explained Neil.
BEST PROGRAMME - posted 30 August 2010
The souvenir Finals Weekend programme is being widely praised as the best ever.
The full cover 44 page publication containing scores of pictures, rider portraits and in-depth previews as well as all the accompanying statistical information, also features a special track quiz where readers have to use their knowledge and imagination to identify eight tracks photographed from the air.
It is really tough! Even seasoned campaigners like Tony Mann found it difficult. "I have been in the sport 60 years and I could only identify one" the veteran announcer told spectators at the Bury semi final - and again, and again, and again, and again (only kidding Tony but people who were there will know what we mean!).
Joking aside, the 2010 programme really is superb, so all credit to mastermind and principal author Neil Howarth (pictured) for an outstanding effort and to his small team including Mike Hack, Roy Heslop, Graham Lush, Tony Mann and Andy Schofield. Take a bow gentlemen!
Last word, as usual, to Tony Mann "At £3.50 it's dead cheap - worth a fiver of anyone's money". You can say that again Tony - in fact you did!!!!
ANGELL AND WHITEHEAD TOP ONLINE POLL - posted 27 August 2010
There'll be a new British champion this year - and according to our readers it will be Andy Angell.
The Sheffield flyer topped our special on-line readers' poll ahead of Horspath's Mark Boaler. Angell and Boaler dominated the ballot attracting close on half the vote between them, Angell leading with 25%, closely followed by Boaler on 20%. They finished well clear of former number one Gavin Wheeler (12%) and defending champion Lee Aris (10%).
The Women's vote was unbelievably close, reigning champion Lucy Whitehead (20%) just getting the nod from Rachel Edge (19%) with Laura Watson (11%) third. A major surprise in this category was that 18% of voters thought someone other than the 10 riders listed would win the title, which is good news for the likes of Charlie Herbert, Carly Grimes, Danielle Riley, Tiffany Collins and Reanna Brindley who didn't feature in our shortlist.
In all 345 votes were cast. Thanks to everyone who took part.
ASTLEY GEAR UP FOR BIG DAY
WATCH THE FINAL LIVE ON USTREAM - posted 27 August 2010
Astley & Tyldesley will be promoting the biggest event on the domestic cycle speedway racing calendar on Bank Holiday Monday, 30th August. The country's top 16 racers will be in action to contest the British Individual Final at Astley's Gin Pit circuit. Wednesfield's Lee Aris returns to defend the title he won at Leicester last year. He can expect some stiff opposition from Gin Pit track specialists, veteran riders Steve Harris, runner-up last year, of Horspath (Oxford) and Terry Norman, the 2005 champion, Stockport based but wearing the colours of Wednesfield (Wolverhampton). The Open Final is preceded by the U-16 Final, which will feature the cream of Britain's young talent.
The racing promises to be fast and furious, with plenty of action at the Gin Pit circuit. Spectator admission is free, with car parking, spectator seating and catering available. The Mayor of Wigan, Councillor Michael Winstanley, will be in attendance, along with Tony Barry, British Cycling Board member and North West Division Chairman. Racing starts at 12 noon with the U-16 Final, followed by the Open Final at 3 pm. The track is located at the Astley & Tyldesley Miners' Welfare Club, Meanley Road, Gin Pit, Astley, Greater Manchester. M29 7DW. Car parking will be on the football field at the back of the circuit, with a charge of £1 per car, to go to the football club. For further details, visit the Astley & Tyldesley club's website at www.astleycyclespeedway.org.uk
Both the Open and U-16 Individual Finals are being sponsored by J. Fisher & Sons, Heavy Haulage, of Atherton. Jimmy Fisher has been the Astley & Tyldesley club's main sponsor for the past two years and the club are delighted that he has extended his support to include this prestigious meeting.
The official hotel is the Sporting Lodge Inn (the Greyhound), Warrington Road, Leigh, Greater Manchester, WN7 3XQ. The hotel is located at the roundabout where the A580 meets the A574, approximately 4 miles from the Astley track. It was the official hotel for the 2003 World Championships and proved to be a popular choice amongst the visiting parties. Prices are £60 per night per double room and £50 per night per single room. Both rates include a full English breakfast. The hotel boasts excellent facilities, which include free use to patrons of a heated indoor swimming pool, gymnasium, jacuzzi, sauna.
Persons wishing to make a reservation are invited to contact Tracey Parsons at the hotel, quoting "Cycle Speedway Championships". Contact details are: e-mail - tel - 01942 671256 fax - 01942 261949.
The Eve of Finals Social Evening takes place in the main function room at the Astley & Tyldesley Miners' Welfare Club on Sunday 29th August, when the final draws will be conducted during the evening. The finalists will be known at that time, after completion of the qualifying and semi-final rounds at Bury and Stockport on Sunday afternoon, both meetings starting at 12 noon.
The programme (pictured left) for the Finals' Weekend (all three days) will be a 44 page full colour magazine and race card for the whole weekend with previews of all the events, lots of photos and a Google Earth based track quiz for Cycle Speedway geeks! It will be available all weekend and will be priced at £3.50; a great souvenir of the 2010 weekend. The programme is similar quality to that produced for the 2006 Finals Weekend and has been produced once again by cycle speedway's top programme compiler, Neil Howarth, of the Bury club, on behalf of the Northern League, the overall organisers of the weekend.
Neil has also set up a British Finals' Weekend website at www.cyclespeedwaynorth.com so that everyone can keep up to date with the results and draws of the weekend's events.
Finally, the Northern League are delighted to announce that for the first time in the U.K. there will be a live broadcast of the Senior Final. This will be available at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/british-cycle-speedway-finals-2010 on the Ustream website. This is an experimental innovation with the latest technology, but tests carried out by Neil Howarth at Astley on Tuesday evening were successful. The stream records directly to the website during the broadcast so can be watched later, even by those attending the final. It can be viewed on iPhones and other mobile phones by downloading the Ustream Viewer App. The live stream will also be available on www.cyclespeedwaynorth.com during the finals.
It all promises to be a terrific weekend of cycle speedway, culminating in the British U-16 and Senior Individual Finals at Astley on Monday afternoon. Whether you are able to be there in person or anywhere in the world with internet access, do not miss it!
HULL READY FOR THEIR BIG DAY - posted 24 August 2010
Hull Cycle Speedway Club are putting the final touches to their preparations for staging the British under 10's and women's championships on Saturday. Club volunteers will be completing the new pits area and making sure the Hessle Raceway looks at it's best on the big day.
Car parking is available in the adjacent car park, along Livingstone Road and in an overflow to the east of the track. Extra catering is being layed on along with an improved public address system. The clubhouse will provide limited changing and toilets with the rugby club hosting the majority of the changing rooms and toilets along with showers and a bar.
"We look forward to welcoming friends old and new to Hessle on Saturday" said a club spokesman.
BOOK IT NOW!!! - posted 24 August 2010
Not booked your accommodation for the Finals Weekend yet? Then you better get your skates on because the official hotel is filling up quickly.
This year's headquarters are at the Sporting Lodge Inn (The Greyhound), Warrington Road, Leigh WN7 3XQ. It's the same hotel used by many riders and supporters for the 2003 Worlds.
The cost is £60 per night for a double room or £50 per night single room, which includes breakfast.
Hotel contact is Tracey Parsons 01942 671256, - Quote Cycle Speedway Championships
