LETTERS: Poole’s Euros verdict? Well satisfied!

Graham Sutton has sent us in his reflections of a successful weekend of Cycle Speedway racing in the 2016 ICSF European Championships.

With the dust now settled on the European Championships, the club can reflect on a job well done as another successful top flight promotion finds its way into the record books. Excellent racing, healthy attendances and perfect weather over three days combined to serve up a cycle speedway spectacle worthy of the prestigious ICSF event.

Massive thanks are due to the event administrative team spearheaded by Pete Barnes who ensured that the packed programme ran like clockwork and to the track squad led by Neil Garnett and Ben Donohue who created a circuit fit for the occasion. Once again the Clubroom crew did the occasion proud despite soaring kitchen temperatures and as with the “Worlds” 12 months ago, their efforts were well above and beyond what we should dare expect from volunteer helpers. The team behind the scenes played a pivotal part in the event so thanks one and all.

Grateful thanks go to Lisa King and colleagues at the Poole Dolphin Centre for their support in sponsoring the Open Individual Final and to Colemans Insurance Brokers for their backing of the two European Team Cup events. Our good friend Steve Read from Read Fabrications backed the Womans Final and Cyclepaths did likewise in the Junior final. We must not forget the hard work put in by the Southampton club and their volunteers on the day 1 & 2 events, with Colin Wheeler and Rob Dyer at the helm to ensure everything ran to plan, along with Dave Newman running a big shift in the pits.

A large Poole crowd caught all the action. Photo by Graham Robins.

A large Poole crowd caught all the action. Photo by Graham Robins.

Finally let us pay tribute to the riders who played their full part in the occasion with a superb display of racing across all three competition categories. The British Juniors demonstrated a bright Euros future with a clean sweep in the Individual final, the Nations Cup and the Team GB v Poland test match. The Womans event was further evidence of the continued growth and ever higher standards being achieved in their high profile events. More UK clubs should be encouraged to subscribe to “This Girl Can” in cycle speedway.

Polish seniors were very much to the fore in the Open Individual and Nations cup events, once again underlining the quality of their senior riding portfolio although their success was made a little easier by the disappointing omission of one or two of our more accomplished British racers from the entry list. Hopefully by the time of the next major ICSF event – the Worlds in December 2017, the Poles and the Aussies will be given a tougher run for their money!

In conclusion, the Euros provided a great advert for Cycle Speedway in all respects and all credit and thanks to everyone who played their part on and off the track.

 

 

Graham Sutton

Poole CSC