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Waiting to pinch someone elses report - failing memory!
And here it is, yet again a shameless rip from Spokesman Online. I credit the author and hope he doesn't mind, saves me trying to remember!
EUROVETS FINALE RAISES £600 FOR ORCHID CANCER CHARITY – posted 7 October 2013
Match report by Terry Kirkup:
Saturday 28th September 2013
Euro Vets - Round 8 east London at Canning Town Rec
Probably the furthest the Geordies have ever travelled for a cycle speedway match, our quartet's day began around 5:00am. Gavin and Jason met at Terry's before nipping across town to collect Jimmy and squeeze the fourth bike into the generous boot space of Gav's spanking new Ford Mondeo estate car.We were on our way at around 6;15.
A long but trouble-free drive saw us arrive at the padlocked track gate close to midday, but amazingly as we stopped for a refresh at the last motorway services we bumped into none other than Mark Griffiths and Phil Hemming in the car park!
While we were preparing for the start of the meeting, a scantilly clad cyclist rolled in through the park gates and propped his bike up against the track hut. I think it was East London supremo Kevin Smith who shouted over to jJimmy and myself "isn't that an old mate of yours over there?", pointing in the new arrival's direction. We both immediately recognised the slim, fit-looking and hair-adorned (!) form of 1960's South Shields CSC's Chief Executive, Leslie Gustafson! It's around 43 years since the three of us were team mates for Trow Lea Mariners and I have to say that Les looks far and away the most youthful of those of us who remain from those early days in our teens! Les has lived in London for 40 years now and has become a regular contributor to cycle speedway journal Spokesman Online and the VCSRA magazine as well as providing our own Keith Dyer with loads of material and memories for his NCSC History web site. It was great to see "Gus" again after all this time, and he's threatened to return to the track after retirement to avoid any accidental disruption to his career!
A slightly diminished field saw 19 riders present and ready to fight for the Over 40, Over 50 and Over 60 podiums on a decent afternoon, breezy with high cloud but dry. There were a few rainspots at the start of each of the two ten-man matches but not enough to wet anything. The track turned out to be very draggy, and although it has steep banking it was still hard to maintain speed through the bends, an observation made by many of the riders.
The combined 50s and 60s took to the track first and although there were plenty of "ooh, aah" moments there was very little passing. Grid one didn't have things all its own way, however, with some fine examples of gating from other positions way up that crazy banked starting grid, which would have been a real nightmare in the wet for left foot gaters (like moi!).
The atmosphere in the pits, as at all of Fred Rothwell and home host Kevin Smith's Euro Vets meetings we've attended was absolutely brilliant. Plenty of friendly banter and mutual appreciation of everyones efforts. Lovely to see two of our long-time Scottish pals Dave Baxter and Chic Mackie make the massive trip down for the day.
50s60s
While home star Dennis Hubble was lapping up the points to remain unbeaten, there were plenty giving chase with Mike Burgess dropping a single point and a whole gaggle of riders around the 15 to 17 point mark as the main body of the match ended. particularly impressive were Paul Timms, Phil Hemming, Steve Hodgkinson, Steve Woodruff and Les Stevens. The East London riders certainly know the quickest way around their heavilly banked bowl to impress on every outing.
So we come to finals time, made easy for Fred to sort out today due to the numbers involved. No repercharges needed just straight A and B finals. First off the Over 60s A boys. An explosive first bend needed a rerun to sort out the clash between Stevens and Aris on the first bend. We got away clean second time but the opening lap produced fireworks between the pair again as they hit turn one for the second time. Kirkup was quick to take advantage and swooped down from his lofty perch way up high on the outside to snatch the lead and a small gap over Aris. As the chase got ever closer the last lap flag loomed, and when the Northumbrian reached it he slowed dramatically, leaving a catching Aris nowhere to go. The resulting confusion had the puzzled ref blowing his whistle, which of course meant someone had to go. Bye-bye Terry then! Excluded for simply running out of puff following six weeks of some mystery, energy-sapping illness. Had he known how close his pursuer was he may have offered some some indication, but as it was poor Mick was caught unawares and collided with TK's bike bringing the race to a halt. Most of the watchers thought the Geordie had mistakenly seen the chequered flag until he explained what had happened.
Here's Mick taking an unusually fair line into turn one. Is it out of niceness to Jimmy on the inside, or is he looking for someone looming from above?
And finally - the A Final line-up sees Fred Rothwell on 4, Terry Kirkup 3, Mick Aris 2 and Les Stevens inside. You can probably see why the super-steep banking is totally biased against left footed gaters like TK!
The Over 40's included a few fine passing manoeuvres unlike the first match, with racing as expected a little more cut-and-thrust while still maintaining a super-friendly atmosphere throughout. Our very own Jason Keith looked mighty impressive as he blasted off the outside to take the first heat and continued throughout in fiine form to compensate for his "off-day" at the Birmingham round. Norman venson looked very sharp getting the better of super fast Paul Timms in the next before heat three threw up a bit of a surprise result.
We're used to fireworks now when Gavin Parr and Wednesfield's amazing, Championship-leading Mark Griffith meet and this race had some of the same. However, with Gavin having to do an outside pass after being third away from grid four, it was Mark's teammate Dave Meanley who produced the shock, diving underneath to threaten the other two and then hold off Mark's persistent challenge to the flag. Jim Graham was among a handful of Elders sportingly agreeing to filling the gaps by doubling up in the Over 40s.
It was only the aforementioned (apart from Our Jim) who won a race as the meeting progressed, with Norman looking super quick while Gavin's speed allowed him to come and go as he pleased for a very impressive maximum points score at the end of twenty heats. That 20 pointer was enough for Gav to be awarded East London's perpetual London Masters Trophy kindly put up for grabs today by Kevin Smith as extra icing on the Euro cake.
40s
The final result - another storming win for our supersonic Vikings captain, Gavin Parr!
And here's exactly how he did it, with the impressive Norman Venson still looking good and our Jason in the mix with Mark Griffith:
Jason Keith (4th), Mark Griffith (3rd), apologies for no name (Presenter), Norman Venson (2nd) and Gavin Parr.
podium40s
jim1
jay1
gav1
Our Jim Graham sees off a two-pronged Scottish challenge to win the B Final
Another mighty gate from Jason gats him ahead of Wednesfield's chasing riders.
and an extra bit on the end:
So, for the second Euro event in a row, Mick Aris and Terry Kirkup have an "interesting" clash in successive A Finals! It seems all the good luck is riding with the Midlander but he has simply been an innocent bystander in two bizarre events, while his northern colleague seems damned by ill fate. On this occasion the roles were reversed from the Birmingham clash, with Terry in front and Mick taking the hit behind. The reason for the author's mystifying stoppage was simply that he ran out of gas and something within that wrinkly, spindly little frame shouted "Stop Now or Die!". It was just as if an internal switch had been thrown - all stop. There was no change of line at all, not even by a whisker as the stricken leader kept it dead straight along the outer kerb to try and keep clear of the action, but Mick's closing speed left him nowhere to go and also left the Ref with, for him, a straightforward if slightly and morally unfair decision to exclude the one who was deemed to have caused the stoppage. See you at Wednesfield for Round Three Mick!
Match report by someone on Spokesman Online, shamelessly stolen again with thanks by tk:
Saturday 7th September 2013
Euro Vets - Round 7 Perry Barr, Birmingham plus Birmingham Monarchs v Northumbria Vikings Challenge
ARIS WINS DESPITE CRANK FAILURE – posted 8 September 2013
20 riders made the start line for the seventh edition of the Eurovets at Birmingham. With rain promised there was no hanging about and after schoolmaster Rothwell sorted all the who-goes-where etc., two consecutive ten rider 20-heat matches took place.
Match one looked tasty with most of the big names taking part. Gavin Parr off gate one, away quickly from Frith off four and Hodgkinson. Griffith from the gate in two, Venson second and Jason Keith having a heavy fall. Meanley led home Kirkup in the third. Races five to eight went as expected Parr, Griffith, Venson and Frith winning with Hodgkinson chasing hard.
To race nine and the clash of the top two. It was Griffith all the way from Parr to remain unbeaten. Race 11 and Hodgkinson away, Meanley chasing hard till his crank just fell off, not a happy Dave. Keith recovered from his first race fall for a win over Widdas in the 12th, but his chances were gone. A second win for Hodgkinson over Keith and Kirkup. This was followed by Griffiths remaining unbeaten with a win over Dave Frith. Wins to Parr and Griffith saw them top the scores with the others all losing to each other, the mishaps to Keith and Meanley kept them out of the race-offs.
Mark Griffiths 20, Gavin Parr 19, Dave Frith 17, Norman Venson 17, Steve Hodgkinson 18 Phil Widdas 13, Jason Keith 12, Terry Kirkup 12, John Whiting 13
Match two again provided plenty of action. Pete Chant zoomed from the gate to lead home Mick Aris, Paul Timms on his home track a comfortable winner of the second, Hemming second with Burgess recovering for third. McLaughlin beat Smith in the third. Timms and Chant took the next two with Aris and Mackie having a good natured four lap battle in the eighth. Hemming took the ninth from the fast starting Graham. Timms remained unbeaten after holding off Pete Chant in the tenth.
Wins to Aris and McLaughlin and two important wins to Burgess followed. The 16th and Aris, McLaughlin and Hemming all changed places but Mick took the four points. Kevin Smith a comfortable winner of race 17 with Chic holding off Jim Graham for three laps to great applause. Chant defeated Burgess for an excellent 19, Hemming won from Andy Amos, with Aris having a fine match inflicting Timms’s first defeat. Again lots of close races with Timms and Chant losing once whilst Mick Aris pleased with 19.
Peter Chant 19, Paul Timms 19, Mick Aris 18, Phil Hemming 16, Mike Burgess 17, Joe McLaughlin 16, Chic Mackie 11, J Graham 12, A Amos-Adams 13, Kevin Smith 14
Enter the super computer (AKA Fred Rothwell) to arrange the various repêchage and qualifiers. After these additional races the various finals lined up, still sunny.
Over 60 and Aris off one was away being chased by Kirkup and Whiting. A lap to go and it all went wrong for Mick as he became the second rider to lose a crank, but managed to scoot home in front of Whiting Kirkup and Graham.
Over 50 B Final, McLaughlin took this after a tangle with Widdas and Hemming, Phil H taking second. The A Final and Paul Timms away from the inner and a casual four laps. All the action behind as Burgess made up ground to eventually pass Hodgkinson with Aris third runner up.
Over 40 B Final and Mick Aris in his eighth ride was feeling the pain. Venson away and a comfortable winner, Aris holding off Hodgkinson for third, Dave Frith a good second place. Aris helped back to his chair by Chic!
The A final produced a real tasty line up, Griffith on one, Timms two, Parr three and Chant four. Top scorers race for the top scorers, simples. Griffith away from Timms with Chant and Parr in the mix. Parr manages to round Timms and gives chase to Griffith. Last bend and contact sees Parr win with Griffith second and Timms third. Referee Winwood awarding the race as it finished with Griffiths not too happy. A great race to finish a really good meeting.
Thanks to Birmingham for their hospitality, especially the buffet at the Tennis Court Inn. Also to Mark Winwood for officiating and all the helpers without whose time the match couldn't take place.
Next round is East London, with the finale at Wednesfield.
Top Scorers – best six rounds shown
Over-40s
Mark Griffith 146, Norman Venson 129, Pete Chant 119, Dave Meanley 112
Over-50s
Paul Timms 135, Joe McLaughlin 131, Steve Hodgkinson 121, Mike Burgess 120 (five rounds)
Over-60s
Mick Aris 143, Fred Rothwell 133, Chic Mackie 132
Please note these scores are subject to verification. Any rider who thinks their scores are wrong please drop John Whiting a line.
addendum by tk:
That fateful Over 60s A Final looked subtly different from my viewpoint, so I'll give you the benefit of that. There we were, Mick and I a couple of lengths ahead of John and Jim. As the start of the last lap loomed I felt in reasonable shape and ready to launch a serious attack on Mick, so began gearing up for an outside pass as we cleared the yellow flag. Just beyond the tapes, Mick's crank let go and I struggled to stay aboard as he slowed dramatically just inches ahead of me and almost toppled off into my front wheel. That allowed John to take advantage and he cleared off into the lead. My immediate reaction to Mick's misfortune was to stop alongside and tell him to push on for second place. My sporting colleague Jimmy saw the plot and did the same as me, maintaining station behind Mick and I.
John must have finally looked back and realised my intentions as he neared the finish line and stopped just before it. I dropped off well behind Mick as he scooted over the line to take first place while John's natural urge for victory couldn't hold him back any longer, and he rolled over to take second while I got third with Jimmy waiting sportingly behind me. So it almost ended up like it should have, but not quite, with only the Geordies holding station! Regardless of that, both Jimmy and I were more than happy to have sacrificed our positions in fairness to poor Mick who at the time I admit was the more likely winner as it was anything but easy to overtake today, and I still had a dodgy spark plug. I really enjoy chasing and racing superstar Mick but I'll get him one day!
Match report by Neil Magee:
Saturday 17th August
Euro Vets - Round 6 Edinburgh
Here's a slo-mo of Christine Amos-Adams' last bend video of the somewhat controversial Over 40s "A" Final as we try to capture the truth!
Full report coming some time soon...
This one stolen from Spokesman Online - author unknown but credit to him or her:
GRIFFITHS STARS IN EDINBURGH – posted 18 August 2013