BRITISH CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS: Cycle Speedway Commission statement
Cycle Speedway Commission Chair Mike Hack has issued the following statement regarding the British Club Championships this weekend:
“The Cycle Speedway Commission announces that a record number of entries have been received to contest the British Club Championships, at Birmingham, this forthcoming weekend. Our thanks go to those clubs, riders and families for supporting the championships.
“As has always been the case for these championships, each club’s A team for each category entered is automatically accepted to the Championships. Regrettably, the Commission is unable to exercise the discretionary acceptance of B and C teams from clubs. This is due to the large number of entries, and hence large number of races on the weekend
schedule. We appreciate that this will be a disappointment to those affected, but the Commission has to ensure that a schedule is drawn up which is deliverable and completed without running too late into the evening, particularly as the Birmingham track doesn’t have floodlights.
“It has transpired that the bulk of entries have been for the Sunday events. Had the Commission accepted B and C teams, this would have necessitated 191 races being scheduled for Sunday, which is clearly unachievable. By accepting A teams only, the schedule is reduced to 163 races, which is still a very busy and demanding schedule, requiring a 9.00 am start.
“The Commission thanks the Birmingham club for their willingness to put on either schedule. However, the Commission has made a decision to operate within the long standing competition rules of accepting all A team entries, but not adopting the discretionary ruling to accept B and C teams. We recognise that this been accepted in the past, but only to compensate for low numbers of A team entries, which clearly isn’t the case this year.
“The Commission wishes the Birmingham club and match officials every success in delivering a very demanding schedule of racing on the Sunday, and trusts that the racing ends at an appropriate time, to enable visiting teams to get home at a reasonable time. We wish all clubs and riders the best of luck in competing in what promises to be an exciting British Club Championships weekend.”