Last night the elite league final took place after the third attempt to be a lucky charm. 

The pirates were without Darcy Ward and the replacement Niels Kristian Iversen had to pull out, so the late replacement Chris Harris had to pull on the pirate logo and take in a shift.

It seems that the robins team had not been affected and had strength in depth.

Coming into the second leg Swindon had the advantage with Poole playing catch up. But that advantage continued where there was the golden touch with nearly all the early heat a robins rider gaining three points. 

Although at some points of the evening it looked like Alun Rossiter behind the fence was a caged animal fighting to get on the other side, whereas Neil Middleditch looked very concentrated on the task at hand.

Eventually pirates riders were made to walk the plank when they were not scoring, but with three heats to go the robins found the gold and became elite league champions of 2013. 

A big hand to both pirates captain and manager who went over to congratulate the winning side.

So everyone that is it for the 2012 season. Swindon Robins won the championship. Chris Holder became the elite league riders champion and world champion. Many riders got injured from being knocked around on the track. Also all the travelling that many fans have done to support their team can be rested till March next year.

Hoping that next season will be drier and just an fun and the banter be friendly and fun as well as!!!!

In the last 24 hours it has come to light that the wondrous talent of Darcy Ward may be a doubt for the second leg of the final on Monday at Winbourne Road.

It has emerged that Darcy was attacked and was admitted to hospital. Although the news on how serious the injuries are are yet unknown.

According to the Bournemouth Echo and Swindon Advertiser Poole Pirates do have Kings Lynn Star Niels Kristian Iversen as stand in if Darcy does not participate.

Sources:

http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/sport/9997886.Pirates__Ward_set_to_miss_grand_final__updated_/

http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/sport/9997845.Ward_set_to_miss_grand_final/

For many Autumn brings good and bad things. Some people love the vibrant colours of fall and the wrapping up in layers. Others see that the football season is gaining momentum and is gong very well or not so good. However those who love the summer  sports now is time to say farewell. The summer season of sport is ending either on a high or low depending on sport and club.

A common theme of the Summer is the rain and the amount there has been to disrupt sports like cricket and especially speedway. With over a 100 meetings called off through the leagues it is surprising why fans want more action and feel they have missed out on the 2012 season.

Rivalries are known to cause high tensions that have maybe from time to time over boiled with fan v fan, rider v rider and even rider v fan. But now after all the tensions high and low, good and bad the final is near and far.

Swindon Robins and Poole Pirates, the two teams that have dominated the elite league sponsored by sky sports have now become the two final teams battling out for the chance to become champions of 2012. Poole fans are hoping to do a back to back season and robin fans are hoping to take that title off the buccaneering pirates.

As mentioned the weather has played a crucial part in what has happened in the season. The first leg of the final at Swindon has taken part, but the second leg has not yet gone ahead. The saying goes third time lucky and this Monday the second leg is meant to happen according to the weather. A huge fingers crossed that it does!!!!

It has been generally a mixed season for all in all sometimes ending in frustration and it seems the final has taken a turn like the rest of the 2012 season, anticipation, frustration and annoyance. 

It has been a high for Chris Holder who at 25 became not just a father for the first time, but also world champion which came down to the final wire in Torun Poland, round 12 and also the ELRC (elite league riders championship) champion. Craig Cook who came in to the Belle Vue Aces sides halfway through the season became the PLRC (premier league riders championship) champion. 

But other news that has come, rather sad and unfortunate is that some riders may not be able to financially continue in speedway because of lack of sponsorship money. This is sad news for fans of riders that have such a passion and fire to be an inspiration in the sport.

Although this is a double edge sword in that there are those who are passionate but there are those who whine about others due to rivalry can sometimes ruin the banter that is there between people because the banter is a serious issue. It is like a lion fighting another lion over land and lionesses!! In nature that is needed but sport and unhealthy fight and banter is not, so please take things in a light hearted nature and all in good fun.

Lets hope the final goes to plan and be a third time lucky for Swindon v Poole and he 2012 champions are revealed and that people prepare over the winter for March 2013. 

Belle Vue Aces just missed out on an away point at Wolverhampton with the final score being 51-42 to the Wolves.

The live meeting for sky was interesting with Lakeside having some real bad luck which the made the final score 36-50 to the robins.

Another week has begun and that means a new week in the speedway fixture list. This evening Belle Vue Aces are in Wolverhampton against the Wolves. Last week the aces got their first win and hopefully another win against the same team could boost the confidence and moral in the team.

On sky there will be Lakeside v Swindon. Let’s hope that the weather stays nice and a good meeting can go under way.

In Poland yesterday Darcy Ward suffered an injury with his hand due to an incident. It is seen that he will not be in the meeting on Wednesday for Poole. Is this a downer for the pirates fans when one of their best riders is out injured, but these things happen and just the best for him and a speedy recovery.

It seems thee rain is yet again getting the best of the speedway. Tonight Swindon Robins were against Wolverhampton Wolves, that has now been called off due to the rain.

Hope the weather improves and it becomes more of a Mediterranean summer rather than a British one!! 

With the Saturday night taking over with sport, it was a hard choice on what to watch, so some (eventually little) channel flicking happened.

The summer is jam packed with football with the euro’s and the speedway Grand Prix. Denmark were playing against Netherlands, also in the capital of Copenhagen the speedway was taking place.

In the final score of the football of Denmark winning 1-0 against the Netherlands it could have been seen as a positive omen. 

The wildcard of the evening was Michael Jepsen Jensen. At reserve was Swindon Robins rider Peter Kildemand and youngster Mikkel Bech Jensen.

Heat one got under way, there was a crash with Jaraslow Hampel who had to pull out of the meeting due to a suspected broken leg. It came later to be a dislocated ankle which was popped back into place. However this gave a chance for the two reserves.

The only British rider Chris Harris was on form where he made it to the final by pure luck due to the countdown where other riders on the same points, have a comparison to see who has won more heats.

Every heat had some drama in it. The best was the semi finals. Chris Holder was out done by Nicki Pedersen. This then lead to Chris Holder being disqualified, to then seeing a distraught Chris, which was not nice to see seeing as it should have been Nicki Who should have been disqualified because Holder never touched Pedersen.

The semi final was re-run to see more controversy involving the same Danish guy Mr.Pedersen. This then got him disqualified also to the grievances of Chris. This then saw Frederick Lindgren and Greg Hancock through to the finals.

However that was not the first spat of the night that involved Nicki with Emil Sayfutditnov which was highly entertaining but no need to have done because Emil won his heat fair and square.

The best heat of the night was heat 12. In the heat was last year’s world champion Greg Hancock, former world champion Nicki Pedersen and Swedish man Peter Ljung and reserve rider Mikkel Bech Jensen. It started out with Greg out in front, but from no where Mikkel came out in front and won the heat. The crowd was in form with biggest cheer all night. Although Mikkel did not get into the semi’s,  he has got everyone talking. Is the Denmark world cup team calling???

The final was the most dull heat of the evening with many British fans hoping Chris Harris could get into the podium above the likes of Jason Crump, Greg Hancock and Frederick Lindgren. It turned out that the final was this:

1. Jason Crump
2. Frederick Lindgren
3. Greg Hancock

The usual Wednesday night speedway meeting was held with Poole Pirates against Swindon Robins.

Last time these two met it rained and the result did not stand. Well the weather was on the pirates side and they caused a storm as well as. Timo Lahti came into the side as reserve. 

So the meeting did seem to be exciting with many heats creating the same scores at many points in the meeting.

However the pirate boys came through with another win. The final score was Poole Pirates 48-42 Swindon Robins.

Wolverhampton Wolves 42-48 Swindon Robins

Anyone got bank holiday blues yet? Anyone been working today, if so then sorry to hear! 

But this weekend was something to celebrate…..the Queen’s jubilee. Diamond in case you wondered, 60 years in short terms!

But what has this got to do with sport, well bank holiday showed off some specials. There was meant to be Peterborough Panthers against Lakeside Hammers. But a waterlogged track cut that idea.

Also tonight is is Wolverhampton Wolves v Swindon Robins. 

But there is the jubilee concert…so get it on!!!!

Check back for the scores. 

The sunshine may have been shining on the city of Manchester, but there was a dark cloud over the aces this evening. 

The final score was the aces 33-60 robins. 

Unfortunately Belle Vue still had no Rory Schlein so had guest Mads Korneliussen, who the week previously had ridden against the aces in the meeting against Eastbourne Eagles.

In reserve was dane Claus Vissing who was in for Josh Grajczonek. For the robins Robin Aspergn was in for Anders Mellgren.

By heat three the robins were in the lead by eight points at 5-13. However the aces lost a rider when polish rider Artur Mroczka withdrew from the meeting in heat five after a crash, and was advised to withdraw by medical advise. Also he had a cracked helmet from the crash.

Heat six saw the guest Mads use the black and white colours for double points. However this did not pay off whatsoever with just the one point only. Later on, two heats later Mads use the double points ride, and this time it paid off with six points from coming first. Nick Morris was also disqualified from the same heat but used a rider in his place aka Hans Anderson. 

Although one thing I did not agree with is when fans use personal things which are not nice as chants, seriously there is no need at all!!!

Moving on though there was a spat between Charlie Gjedde and Nick Morris and a few words were exchanged, but it added some spice to it all.

The last heat, heat 15 was consisting of Patrick Hoguaard and Charlie Gjedde for the aces and for the robins was Peter Kildemand and Troy Batchelor. It finished with a 3-3 all.

So the final score of the meeting was Belle Vue 33-60 Swindon Robins.

In other speedway there was a midland derby with Coventry Bees v Birmingham Brummies. The Brummies won by ten points with 40-50. There was an awful crash which saw Scott Nichols injured. Best of luck on a speedy recovery.

The aces are hosts to Swindon Robins at Kirky Lane this evening.

It will be on at the usual time of 7:30pm. So tonight I will be there and watching to see the aces get their first win of the season.

Check out my blog later to see how Belle Vue Aces did against Alun Rossister’s team of the Robins. 

Australian speedway rider Nick Morris has followed Alun Rossiter (Rosco) from Coventry Bees to Swindon Robins.

The 17 year old rider finalised the deal with Swindon where he is the final rider to join the club to finalise the selection of riders for the elite league in 2012.

Good luck to him with the robins!!