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BRITISH TEAM SEMI-FINALS AND FINALS
LIVE FROM EAST NEWPORT - Joe McLaughlin brings you race by race results from trackside
Horspath Hammers
1 Mike Morgans, 2 Dave Carmichael, 3 Steve Harris, 4 Mark Carmichael, 5 Danny Harper, 6 Mark Boaler, 7 Rob Hunt, 8 Wayne Hutt
Wednesfield
1 Roger Cox, 2 Chris Jewkes, 3 Sam Smith, 4 Terry Norman, 5, Dayle Peace, 6 Scott Doherty 7 Lee Aris, 8 Mark Griffiths
Heat One
Chris Jewkes (W), Dave Carmichael (H), Roger Cox (W), Mike Morgans (H) 4-6 Hor 4 Wed 6
Heat Two
Mark Carmichael (H), Terry Norman (W), Steve harris (H), Sam Smith (W) 6-4 Hor 10 Wed 10
Heat Three
No details
Heat Four
Mike Morgans (H), Lee Aris (W), Roger Cox (W), Rob Hunt (H) 5-5 Hor 20 Wed 20
Heat Five
Chris Jewkes (W), Dave Carmichael (H), Mark Griffiths (W), Wayne Hutt (H) 4-6 Hor 24 Wed 26
Heat Six
Mark Boaler (H), Terry Norman (W), Sam Smith (W), Danny Harper (H) 5-5 Hor 29 Wed 31
Mass confrontation between riders in pits after heat six
Heat Seven
Mark Griffiths (W), Dave Carmicahel (H), Mike Morgans (H), Scott Doherty (W) excluded 5-4 Hor 34 Wed 35
Heat Eight
Mark Carmichael (H), Chris Jewkes (W), Steve harris (H), Roger Cox (W) 6-4 Hor 40 Wed 39
Heat Nine
Lee Aris (W), Danny Harper (H), Rob Hunt (H) - excluded Sam Smith (W) excluded 3-4 Hor 43 Wed 43
Heat Ten
Mark Griffiths (W), Wayne Hutt (H), Mark Boaler (H), Terry Norman (W) 5-5 48-48
Heat Eleven
Scott Doherty (W), Lee Aris (W), Mark Carmichael (H), Steve Harris (H) 3-7 Hor 51 Wed 55
Heat Twelve
Dvae Carmichaeal (H), Terry Norman (W), Mike Morgans (H), Sam Smith (W) 6-4 Hor 57 Wed 59
Heat Thirteen
Chris Jewkes (W), Mark Boaler (H), Roger Cox (W), Danny Harper (H) 6-6 Hor 61 Wed 65
Heat Fourteen
Mark Griffiths (W), Lee Aris (W), Mark Carmichael (H), Rob Hunt (H) 3-7 Hor 62 Wed 72
Heat Fifteen - Sensation!!! both Wednesfield riders excluded
Wayne Hutt (H), Steve Harris (H) - both Wednesfield riders, excluded Sam Smith fell stopping race and Lee Aris for tapes infringement 7-0 Hor 71 Wed 72
Heat Sixteen
Dave Carmichael (H), Roger Cox (W), Terry Norman (W), Danny Harper 5-5 Hor 76 Wed 77
Heat Seventeen
Scott Doherty (W), Mark Carmichael (H), Sam Smith (W), Mike Morgans (H) excluded 3-6 Hor 79 Wed 83, therefore last heat decider
Heat Eighteen - All Happening Here - Team Final Goes to Tie-Break Thriller
Steve Harris, Mark Boaler (H), Mark Griffiths (W), Chris Jewkes (W) 3-7 Hor 86 Wed 86
TIE BREAK SERIES
Heat Nineteen
Mark Griffiths (W), Dave Carmichael (H), Chris Jewkes (W), Mike Morgans (H) 4-6 Hor 90 Wed 92
Heat Twenty - Amazing, simply amazing
Mark Carmichael (H) Steve Harris (H), Sam Smith (W), Terry Norman (W) 7-3 Hor 97 Wed 95
Heat Twenty One
Mark Boaler (H), Lee Aris (W), Scott Doherty (W), Danny Harper (H) 5-5 Hor 102 Wed 100
Horspath are Champions!!!
BRITISH TEAM FINAL SCOREBOARD
HORSPATH 102
Dave Carmichael 20, Mark Carmichael 19, Mark Boaler 17, Steve Harris 15, Mike Morgans 10, Danny Harper 9, Wayne Hutt 8, Rob Hunt 2
WEDNESFIELD 100
Mark Griffiths 20, Chris Jewkes 18, Lee Aris 16, Scott Doughety 14, Terry Norman 13, Roger Cox 10, Sam Smith 8, Dayle Peace 1
UP FOR THE CUP - with Joe McLaughlin, cycle speedway's top columnist
The Cycle Speedway road show storms into Wales this Sunday for the staging of the sport's` longest running and most prestigious team competition.
The British Team championship finals, first staged in 1950 in London, will be held in Wales for the first time since the inception of the competition. One of the sport's newest clubs, East Newport, will promote the event in what promises to be an extravaganza of entertainment.
The East Newport club have worked tirelessly all week to ensure the track and grounds are in pristine condition. They have added to their facilities in expectation of a bumper crowd for one of the biggest cycling events to be held in the UK this weekend.
The proceedings will commence with two semi finals to determine the two finalists. Four top teams have progressed to this stage, with seasoned observers proclaiming the most open contest in years, with no club team set as cast iron favourites for ultimate victory or indeed a place in the coveted final.
It will be action all the way in the first semi final (starting at 11am). Reigning champions Wednesfield of Wolverhampton take on Poole from Dorset in what promises to be a titanic battle between two teams steeped in British Team final glory.
The Midlanders, with 10 overall final successes, won last year in a sensational last lap finale, with rising star Scott Doherty the hero. Led by newly crowned British individual champion, Lee Aris, the hallmark of the Wednesfield team is their tremendous team spirit.
Poole take to the track augmented by former secondary signings Gavin Wheeler and Tom Colling, who signed full forms from Southampton last winter. The south coast glamour club have notched up a record 12 victories in this competition but have endured a barren spell recently - their last success was back in 2003.
The second semi final, commencing at 12.30pm, features Horspath of Oxford against the only non Premier League club to have made the final stages, Stoke.
Victors in 2007, Oxfordshire village side Horspath have staged a remarkable recovery this year after losing several key riders over the past two years. The hard riding current Premier League leaders are sure to set the sparks flying, with the robust Mark Boaler and Mike Morgans taking no prisoners.
Stoke, the only of the four teams to track a completely home grown side, are known for their combative competitive racing. A tight knit group, they have a tremendous club spirit. They have recently tempted former star man Darren Challinor back into the saddle and the Potteries side can not be dismissed likely.
The British Team final will start at 3pm with a fanfare of noise, colour, music and excitement leaping across the vastly improved East Newport raceway. Guest of honour is Councillor Glyn Jarvis, the Mayor of Newport. Entertainment will be provided by the Newport Gwent Dragons cheerleaders.
The East Newport Cycle Speedway track is situated in Larch Grove Playing Fields, rear of Larch Grove, Underwood, Newport, NP18 2HB. Admission is free to all spectators. For further information, please ring the East Newport Cycle Speedway hotline on: 07747 79100.
ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW - a spokesman-online guide to this Sundays major event in Wales
DATE
Sunday 13th September 2009
EVENT PROMOTERS
East Newport CSC
EVENT
The 2009 British Team Championship Finals
TRACK ADDRESS
Larch Grove Playing fields
Rear of Larch Grove
Underwood
Newport
NP18 2HB
PROGRAMME OF EVENTS
11.00. 1st semi final
12.30. 2nd semi final
15.00. The final
SEMI FINAL DRAW
Wednesfield v Poole
Horspath v Stoke
THE TEAMS (From)
(Note: All teams not in riding order. Line-ups confirmed 15 minutes from the start).
Wednesfield Aces (Black & Yellow)
Lee Aris, Terry Norman, Chris Jewkes, Roger Cox, Mark Griffiths, Scott Doherty, Sam Smith,
Daryl Peace
Spokesman-online one to watch: Scott Doherty The hero of 2008.
Poole Comets (Grey, Red & Blue)
Chris Roberts, Pete Young, Ben Donahue, Tom Colling, Gavin Wheeler, Rob Haywood, Dave Murphy, Ben Mould, Richard Clanfield
Spokesman-online one to watch: Pete Young One last hurrah for the canny Scotsman?
Horspath Hammers (Black & Red)
Mark Boaler, Dave Carmichael, Rob Hunt, Steve Harris, Mark Carmichael, Wayne Hutt, Danny Harper, Mike Morgans
Spokesman-online one to watch: Steve Harris More glory for the old master?
Stoke (Red & Black)
Leighton Bates, Errol Thaw, Lance Bates, Simon Munden, Garry Pearce, Richard Harrison, Darren Challinor, Adam Ellis
Spokesman-online one to watch: Errol Thaw Will melt the `polo`.
THE PARTY VENUE
Round off Finals Day in style by joining the winners for fun and frolics, or perhaps buying a round for the losers by way of commiseration, at the official post match party venue at the Newport Cricket club, located within the Newport International Sports Village. Check out the masterful singing duo of Roger Ellis and Mick Aris if the mighty Wednesfield retain their crown, or be transfixed by the soulful Lance Bates if Stoke spring a surprise. Be entertained by the Poole party people if the trophy is on the way back to Dorset, or by the Horspath hotshots if they repeat their 2007 success. Dont miss it!
HOW TO GET THERE EAST NEWPORT CSC
From Midlands:
Come down M50 and then A449 to reach main roundabout at the junction of M4. Take first turning left off roundabout onto A48 sign posted Langstone. Travel along A48 approx 1 mile until you see a petrol station and the New Inn pub on your right. Take next right turn onto B4245 sign posted Magor, Caldicot. Approx 1 mile along B4245 you will see a pub on your right called the Old Barn. Take the next right turn sign posted Underwood. Carry on up road, over motorway and you will enter a housing estate. Stay on this road until you see the school on your left. Take the small lane left immediately after the school and you will see the playing field. The track is seen in the far corner of this field.
From South West:
Leave M4 at junction 23A sign posted Magor. Take first left off the motorway roundabout and then take next left signposted Magor, Caldicot and drive down and around to the small roundabout at the bottom. Take first left off this roundabout signposted Langstone, Newport and stay on the B4245 driving past the Brewery on your left. Stay on this road for approx 2 miles when you will see Underwood sign posted left at the bottom of a hill immediately before a graveyard and the old barn pub. Turn left off here. Carry on up road, over motorway and you will enter a housing estate. Stay on this road until you see the school on your left. Take the small lane left immediately after the school and you will see the playing field. The track is seen in the far corner of this field.
BRITISH TEAM FINALS INFO HOTLINE
07747 791000
BRITISH TEAM FINALS PREVIEW
For an exclusive British Team Finals preview, see top Cycle Speedway columnist Joe McLaughlins offerings, coming soon, only on spokesman-online.co.uk Cycle Speedways only dedicated national website.
BRITISH TEAM FINALS ONLINE COVERAGE
For the best reports, views and summaries of the British Team Finals, keep clicking onto spokesman-online.co.uk for un-rivalled coverage. Our top team of roving reporters will be trackside bringing you the latest racing developments, and, later in the taverns and bars of the valleys, looking for all those off track snippets.
THE WEATHER
Most of Britain has been enjoying lovely late summer weather all this week. This is forecast to continue for the South Wales area on Sunday, with the high expected to be a most agreeable 19c.
A HUGE DAY FOR EAST NEWPORT - posted 10 September 2009
Spokesman-online presents its first instalment of our top coverage of Cycle Speedways ultimate team championship. We catch up with Rob Absalom, the East Newport supremo, who has taken a tiny Welsh club from non-league racing to become one of its leading clubs in little more than five years.
S-O (spokesman-online): Rob thanks for taking time out on preparations for the 2009 British Team Finals to speak with spokesman-online.
RA (Rob Absalom): Its my pleasure and thanks for the excellent website which has quickly became a firm favourite with us down here in Wales.
S-O: What year was East Newport?
RS: The club originated in 2004 and the first match was in October 2005. We then joined the South West League, before affiliating to the Midland League which we really enjoyed. We are now back in the South West League. I feel we have firmly established ourselves now as one of the foremost clubs outside of the Premier League.
S-O; How did East Newport come into being?
RA: When I was racing at Birmingham I enjoyed my cycle speedway so much I felt I should put something back into the sport. My first attempt was to resurrect Bristol St George but red tape put a stop to that. The Underwood track became an option and so in Spring 2004 we started to clean the area up with the intention to develop a junior club.
S-O: The track, was it an old, existing track, or did you build it?
RA: The track was a concept of myself and Colin Simmons. We negotiated the track with the local council in the late 1980s but it never really got used until now.
S-O: What is the track length?
RA: 65 metres. I believe its the smallest one listed in the handbook.
S-O: Why is it such a particular shape?
Its all the land they had to give us. It was Pete Dalley who first called it the Polo and we thought that was so funny we kept it ever since.
S-O: Rob, the British Team final has never been staged in Wales. Why did you apply for the final?
We intend to be the best club in the land. Nobody wants to be second best do they and to reach our dream we have to show we can stage the biggest events. We want the European events to be staged at Newport and East Newport tracks and to elevate Wales as a dominant country in the sport.
S-O: Regular visitors to East Newport will have noticed continued improvements over the short history of the club. Please could you expand on these track and amenity enhancements?
RA: Thank you for that kind compliment. Yes, we have strived to continually improve facilities at the Underwood track (the district of Newport the venue is located in) for both competitors and spectator alike. We have added spectator seating, new pits area, state of the art electric tapes and new announcers hut. And, only this week, and especially for the final, four of us headed by Rich Hughes, took the week off work to finish the new patio hard standing area in front of the refreshments café. Much hard work, which has been undertaken by so many colleagues, which I am sure, will be appreciated by visitors this Sunday.
S-O: You mentioned your colleagues there, Rob. Who are the main personnel who have contributed to this marvellous team effort?
RA: Yes, I would like to pay tribute to those that have worked so tirelessly in bringing the event to East Newport. There are so many, including Rich Hughes, Gilbert Davis, Ian Sizer, Neil Power, Kerry Bennett, Bev Hughes, Beryl Bennett. If I may, I would like to say special thanks to my long suffering wife Mandy a Cycle Speedway `widow` if there ever was one!
S-O: What can visitors expect this Sunday?
RA: A really warm welcome to our homely club. Guests will see the results of real hard work. This is a theme running through our specially commissioned programmes. We have not had anything handed to us on a plate. Everything visitors will see is down to our members' hard work and a desire to succeed. Hopefully it will inspire others to open up old tracks.
S-O: Is this the biggest day in Welsh Cycle Speedway history?
RA: Yes absolutely. It will serve as a taster for our riders to aspire to and hopefully the grand final in a few years time will be something like East Newport against the great Wednesfield..!! Why not?
S-O: Rob thanks for the interview and we look forward to a great day on Sunday.
Coming Soon
spokesman-onlines `All you need to know` guide to the British Team final
British Team final preview with leading columnist Joe McLaughlin
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