Post by wolfgang on Jun 13, 2005 23:47:59 GMT
MIDLAND OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP, MONDAY 13TH JUNE
Qualifying scores
Chris Neath 0 2 EF 0 = 2
Mikael Max 3 3 3 2 = 11
Daniel Nermark 1 2 2 2 = 7
Billy Janniro 2 2 3 2 = 9
Charlie Gjedde 2 3 2 3 = 10
Magnus Karlsson 0 1 2 1 = 4
Ronnie Correy 1 1 1 2 = 5
Freddie Lindgren 3 3 1 3 = 10
Robbie Kessler 1 EF 0 0 = 1
Eric Andersson 0 0 0 0 = 0
James Grieves 3 0 3 1 = 7
Theo Pijper 2 1 0 1 = 4
Magnus Zetterstrom 0 1 2 0 = 3
Billy Hamill 3 2 3 3 = 11
Steve Johnston 1 3 1 3 = 8
Adam Skornicki 2 Ex 1 1 = 4
Jack Hargreaves (res) 0 = 0
Heat 1: Max, Janniro, Nermark, Neath, 56.76.
Max shot to the front. Chris looked good in second but left a small gap on the inside of turn 3 that Janniro exploited, having passed Daniel on turn 2. Daniel moved up on Chris and moved through on the inside of turns 1/2 on lap 3.
Heat 2: Lindgren, Gjedde, Correy, Karlsson, 57.40.
Good start from Freddie from gate 4. Gjedde moved ahead of Magnus on turn 2. Ronnie found a gap inside Magnus on the back straight of lap 2, but Magnus stayed alongside him until the 4th bend.
Heat 3: Grieves, Pijper, Kessler, Andersson, 59.88.
James made the hole shot and was away. Pijper passed Andersson and Kessler on turn 2. Andersson kept the pressure on Kessler down the back straight but the German rode a faster outside line on the 4th bend to pull clear.
Heat 4: Hamill, Skornicki, Johnston, Zetterstrom, 58.72.
All from the gate, this one. Zetterstrom looked decidedly uncomfortable on the 2nd bend.
Heat 5: Gjedde, Neath, Zetterstrom, Kessler (ret), 58.17.
Good start from Gjedde from gate 3. Chris kept it tight and drew level with Zetterstrom on turns 3/4 of lap 1, and they raced neck and neck until Chris edged ahead a lap later. Kessler pulled out on lap 2 in 4th place.
Heat 6: Max, Hamill, Karlsson, Andersson, 58.49.
Hamill flew from the gate and looked fast but Mikael gave chase and cut back to find that extra drive on the inside of the second bend on lap 3 to reach the next bend ahead of the American. Andersson stayed level with Magnus until the fourth bend of lap 1, when Magnus rode a faster outside line. Andersson slid off on the last corner.
Heat 7: Johnston, Nermark, Correy, Grieves, 58.99.
James gated but Steve found his favourite line to take the lead going into the back straight. Daniel worked hard to pull level with James and after a lap of wheel-to-wheel racing made second place his own going into the first bend of lap 3. Ronnie exploited the gap created by Daniel, but James repassed the Rocket on the back straight. Ronnie didn't give up and nipped inside James on the last bend and the run-in.
Heat 8: (rerun) Lindgren, Janniro, Pijper, Hargreaves, Skornicki (ex 2m), 57.96.
Adam moved at the gate, and the ref rightly stopped the race. They had reached the first turn and everyone stopped safely, except that Adam's chain broke, causing Adam to slide off. Adam failed to make the restart after what seemed to be a generous two minutes. The rerun was all from the gate, Janniro finding himself squeezed out by Freddie along the back straight of lap 1.
Heat 9: Grieves, Karlsson, Skornicki, Neath (ret), 59.37.
Good race for first place as Magnus found a gap to nose ahead of James on the inside of the first bend of lap 2. Magnus kept it tight, James kept it wound on and took the lead back going into the back straight. Chris moved a bit at the start, gained no advantage, and pulled out on lap 2.
Heat 10: Max, Gjedde, Johnston, Pijper, 58.33.
Mikael made a great start and had a clear run down the back straight. Steve moved inside Pijper coming off the second bend and almost took Gjedde, but the Dane kept it going around the outside to go level with Mikael on the fourth bend. Mikael used his inside line to retake the lead on the first bend of lap 2, moving into Gjedde's outside line to block him.
Heat 11: Hamill, Nermark, Lindgren, Kessler, 58.97.
A bit of a roller from Hamill, but the referee did nothing. Daniel must have been watching Johnno as he used the inside of the second bend to pass Freddie. Daniel rode a clever race to repel Freddie's attempts to pass. Hamill's bike stopped coming off the last bend, but he cruised over in first place, the result confirmed by the referee.
Heat 12: Janniro, Zetterstrom, Correy, Andersson, 59.49.
Janniro seemed to have the outside line sussed. He chased Zetterstrom down and rounded him on the 4th bend of lap 2.
Heat 13: Hamill, Correy, Pijper, Neath, 59.06.
Another small roll (a bagel, maybe?) from Hamill helped him to first place on the first turn. Ronnie kept it tight to pass Pijper on the second bend of lap 1.
Heat 14: Lindgren, Max, Grieves, Zetterstrom, 58.32.
Mikael, from gate 1, made an excellent start. Freddie, from gate 3 had a clear run around the outside to hit the front going into the back straight. Mikael seemed to know he only needed second place to make the final, and settled for it, but Freddie was fast and wouldn't have been caught.
Heat 15: Gjedde, Nermark, Skornicki (ef), Andersson, 59.37.
They all settled into their places early on and it looked an uneventful race until Adam's bike slowed on the last corner. Adam moved wide but Andersson was still distracted and nearly fell. He regained control. Adam was looking round for him and the two exchanged glances before Adam waved him through, "after you, Claude" style! Andersson clearly passed Adam, yet the result was declared the other way.
Heat 16: Johnston, Janniro, Karlsson, Kessler, 59.84.
Good start from Johnno, who squeezed Janniro towards the fence on the back straight, letting Magnus into second place. Janniro used his outside line to pass Magnus on the second bend of lap 3.
"Semi Final": Gjedde, Lindgren, Johnston, Janniro, 59.37.
I've never understood how you can have only one semi-final. Strictly speaking it's a repĂȘchage. Whatever should have been called, it was a brilliant race between Johnno in front on the inside, and Freddie and Gjedde very close behind exchanging places. Gjedde eventually produced a magical ride to burst between the two Wolves on the back straight of lap 3. Freddie passed Johnno for second on the next corner.
Final: (6 laps) Gjedde, Max, Lindgren, Hamill (ef), 88.47.
Gjedde rode an excellent outside line to take the lead from Hamill on the 4th bend of lap 1. Gjedde extended his lead, leaving Mikael to put Hamill under increasing pressure. Mikael eventually found some extra drive on the back straight of lap 5, and secured second place. Freddie moved up on Hamill and passed him on the first bend of lap 6. Hamill pulled up soon after.
This was a fixture filler and in some ways it felt like it. Disappointingly, the 20-heat format had been truncated, giving every rider only 4 rides. They didn't put the track lights on, the final taking place in twilight. The track wasn't watered during the meeting, something to do with the water supply to the stadium, but the track came up with an entertaining evening's racing.
Five star ratings:
Weather: **** Dry, early sunshine, this would have been a pleasant late-April evening.
Track conditions: *** A hard one to call, this. A track that dishes up all the passing we saw cannot be bad. The blue groove emerged about halfway through the meeting, at both ends of the track.
Attendance: *** A red squirrel - small and rare.
Entertainment value: **** Loads of passing, several wheel-to-wheel battles, no incidents.
Man of the Match: It might seem like a cop out to choose Gjedde. But he probably was the most exciting rider, if not the best over the whole meeting. Top Wolves rider was Mikael, closely followed by Freddie.
Referee (Graham Reeve): *** Reasonable performance marred by the wholly incorrect decision to give third place to Skornicki in heat 15, when Andersson was clearly ahead.
Wolves rider ratings:
Chris Neath * disappointing to only score in one race.
Mikael Max ***** the return of the Max we all know and love.
Daniel Nermark *** always getting stuck in.
Magnus Karlsson ** all maxed out from the night before.
Ronnie Correy ** not the normal Rocket, but gave us some entertaining races.
Freddie Lindgren **** almost the top Wolf, only edged out by Mikael's better placing in the final.
James Grieves *** the 100% effort we are used to seeing from James.
Steve Johnston *** the king of the second bend inside line used it to good effect.
Adam Skornicki ** looked on the pace in his first ride, the lost chain and fall in his second ride seemed to unsettle him thereafter.
Does this meeting solve the problem of replacing David? Eric Andersson doesn't look Elite League standard yet. Adam never seemed the same after his fall, but he isn't normally as subdued as he was tonight and I guess he'll be the favourite to come in.
Qualifying scores
Chris Neath 0 2 EF 0 = 2
Mikael Max 3 3 3 2 = 11
Daniel Nermark 1 2 2 2 = 7
Billy Janniro 2 2 3 2 = 9
Charlie Gjedde 2 3 2 3 = 10
Magnus Karlsson 0 1 2 1 = 4
Ronnie Correy 1 1 1 2 = 5
Freddie Lindgren 3 3 1 3 = 10
Robbie Kessler 1 EF 0 0 = 1
Eric Andersson 0 0 0 0 = 0
James Grieves 3 0 3 1 = 7
Theo Pijper 2 1 0 1 = 4
Magnus Zetterstrom 0 1 2 0 = 3
Billy Hamill 3 2 3 3 = 11
Steve Johnston 1 3 1 3 = 8
Adam Skornicki 2 Ex 1 1 = 4
Jack Hargreaves (res) 0 = 0
Heat 1: Max, Janniro, Nermark, Neath, 56.76.
Max shot to the front. Chris looked good in second but left a small gap on the inside of turn 3 that Janniro exploited, having passed Daniel on turn 2. Daniel moved up on Chris and moved through on the inside of turns 1/2 on lap 3.
Heat 2: Lindgren, Gjedde, Correy, Karlsson, 57.40.
Good start from Freddie from gate 4. Gjedde moved ahead of Magnus on turn 2. Ronnie found a gap inside Magnus on the back straight of lap 2, but Magnus stayed alongside him until the 4th bend.
Heat 3: Grieves, Pijper, Kessler, Andersson, 59.88.
James made the hole shot and was away. Pijper passed Andersson and Kessler on turn 2. Andersson kept the pressure on Kessler down the back straight but the German rode a faster outside line on the 4th bend to pull clear.
Heat 4: Hamill, Skornicki, Johnston, Zetterstrom, 58.72.
All from the gate, this one. Zetterstrom looked decidedly uncomfortable on the 2nd bend.
Heat 5: Gjedde, Neath, Zetterstrom, Kessler (ret), 58.17.
Good start from Gjedde from gate 3. Chris kept it tight and drew level with Zetterstrom on turns 3/4 of lap 1, and they raced neck and neck until Chris edged ahead a lap later. Kessler pulled out on lap 2 in 4th place.
Heat 6: Max, Hamill, Karlsson, Andersson, 58.49.
Hamill flew from the gate and looked fast but Mikael gave chase and cut back to find that extra drive on the inside of the second bend on lap 3 to reach the next bend ahead of the American. Andersson stayed level with Magnus until the fourth bend of lap 1, when Magnus rode a faster outside line. Andersson slid off on the last corner.
Heat 7: Johnston, Nermark, Correy, Grieves, 58.99.
James gated but Steve found his favourite line to take the lead going into the back straight. Daniel worked hard to pull level with James and after a lap of wheel-to-wheel racing made second place his own going into the first bend of lap 3. Ronnie exploited the gap created by Daniel, but James repassed the Rocket on the back straight. Ronnie didn't give up and nipped inside James on the last bend and the run-in.
Heat 8: (rerun) Lindgren, Janniro, Pijper, Hargreaves, Skornicki (ex 2m), 57.96.
Adam moved at the gate, and the ref rightly stopped the race. They had reached the first turn and everyone stopped safely, except that Adam's chain broke, causing Adam to slide off. Adam failed to make the restart after what seemed to be a generous two minutes. The rerun was all from the gate, Janniro finding himself squeezed out by Freddie along the back straight of lap 1.
Heat 9: Grieves, Karlsson, Skornicki, Neath (ret), 59.37.
Good race for first place as Magnus found a gap to nose ahead of James on the inside of the first bend of lap 2. Magnus kept it tight, James kept it wound on and took the lead back going into the back straight. Chris moved a bit at the start, gained no advantage, and pulled out on lap 2.
Heat 10: Max, Gjedde, Johnston, Pijper, 58.33.
Mikael made a great start and had a clear run down the back straight. Steve moved inside Pijper coming off the second bend and almost took Gjedde, but the Dane kept it going around the outside to go level with Mikael on the fourth bend. Mikael used his inside line to retake the lead on the first bend of lap 2, moving into Gjedde's outside line to block him.
Heat 11: Hamill, Nermark, Lindgren, Kessler, 58.97.
A bit of a roller from Hamill, but the referee did nothing. Daniel must have been watching Johnno as he used the inside of the second bend to pass Freddie. Daniel rode a clever race to repel Freddie's attempts to pass. Hamill's bike stopped coming off the last bend, but he cruised over in first place, the result confirmed by the referee.
Heat 12: Janniro, Zetterstrom, Correy, Andersson, 59.49.
Janniro seemed to have the outside line sussed. He chased Zetterstrom down and rounded him on the 4th bend of lap 2.
Heat 13: Hamill, Correy, Pijper, Neath, 59.06.
Another small roll (a bagel, maybe?) from Hamill helped him to first place on the first turn. Ronnie kept it tight to pass Pijper on the second bend of lap 1.
Heat 14: Lindgren, Max, Grieves, Zetterstrom, 58.32.
Mikael, from gate 1, made an excellent start. Freddie, from gate 3 had a clear run around the outside to hit the front going into the back straight. Mikael seemed to know he only needed second place to make the final, and settled for it, but Freddie was fast and wouldn't have been caught.
Heat 15: Gjedde, Nermark, Skornicki (ef), Andersson, 59.37.
They all settled into their places early on and it looked an uneventful race until Adam's bike slowed on the last corner. Adam moved wide but Andersson was still distracted and nearly fell. He regained control. Adam was looking round for him and the two exchanged glances before Adam waved him through, "after you, Claude" style! Andersson clearly passed Adam, yet the result was declared the other way.
Heat 16: Johnston, Janniro, Karlsson, Kessler, 59.84.
Good start from Johnno, who squeezed Janniro towards the fence on the back straight, letting Magnus into second place. Janniro used his outside line to pass Magnus on the second bend of lap 3.
"Semi Final": Gjedde, Lindgren, Johnston, Janniro, 59.37.
I've never understood how you can have only one semi-final. Strictly speaking it's a repĂȘchage. Whatever should have been called, it was a brilliant race between Johnno in front on the inside, and Freddie and Gjedde very close behind exchanging places. Gjedde eventually produced a magical ride to burst between the two Wolves on the back straight of lap 3. Freddie passed Johnno for second on the next corner.
Final: (6 laps) Gjedde, Max, Lindgren, Hamill (ef), 88.47.
Gjedde rode an excellent outside line to take the lead from Hamill on the 4th bend of lap 1. Gjedde extended his lead, leaving Mikael to put Hamill under increasing pressure. Mikael eventually found some extra drive on the back straight of lap 5, and secured second place. Freddie moved up on Hamill and passed him on the first bend of lap 6. Hamill pulled up soon after.
This was a fixture filler and in some ways it felt like it. Disappointingly, the 20-heat format had been truncated, giving every rider only 4 rides. They didn't put the track lights on, the final taking place in twilight. The track wasn't watered during the meeting, something to do with the water supply to the stadium, but the track came up with an entertaining evening's racing.
Five star ratings:
Weather: **** Dry, early sunshine, this would have been a pleasant late-April evening.
Track conditions: *** A hard one to call, this. A track that dishes up all the passing we saw cannot be bad. The blue groove emerged about halfway through the meeting, at both ends of the track.
Attendance: *** A red squirrel - small and rare.
Entertainment value: **** Loads of passing, several wheel-to-wheel battles, no incidents.
Man of the Match: It might seem like a cop out to choose Gjedde. But he probably was the most exciting rider, if not the best over the whole meeting. Top Wolves rider was Mikael, closely followed by Freddie.
Referee (Graham Reeve): *** Reasonable performance marred by the wholly incorrect decision to give third place to Skornicki in heat 15, when Andersson was clearly ahead.
Wolves rider ratings:
Chris Neath * disappointing to only score in one race.
Mikael Max ***** the return of the Max we all know and love.
Daniel Nermark *** always getting stuck in.
Magnus Karlsson ** all maxed out from the night before.
Ronnie Correy ** not the normal Rocket, but gave us some entertaining races.
Freddie Lindgren **** almost the top Wolf, only edged out by Mikael's better placing in the final.
James Grieves *** the 100% effort we are used to seeing from James.
Steve Johnston *** the king of the second bend inside line used it to good effect.
Adam Skornicki ** looked on the pace in his first ride, the lost chain and fall in his second ride seemed to unsettle him thereafter.
Does this meeting solve the problem of replacing David? Eric Andersson doesn't look Elite League standard yet. Adam never seemed the same after his fall, but he isn't normally as subdued as he was tonight and I guess he'll be the favourite to come in.