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Post by Administrator on Jul 18, 2011 16:35:49 GMT
British U-19 Championship: Admission Prices Admission prices for this Saturday's national U-19 Championship meeting will be: Adults £14, Seniors £12, Teens £5, Kids FREE. The meeting programme will be £2. Anyone wishing to use their rain off ticket from either of the last two weeks (Rye House vs Scunthorpe and Glasgow) will gain free admission plus a free programme.
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Post by Administrator on Jul 20, 2011 15:50:08 GMT
Second Phase PL Groupings Announced
The Silver Ski Rockets now know the teams they will face in the second phase of their Premier League campaign.
The first phase involves home and away fixtures against the other thirteen teams in competition, while the second – based on a pre-set formula based on League positions - involves repeat home and away action against six of these teams, producing a total programme of 38 League matches for the season.
There will be plenty of travel for the Rockets, with the second phase schedule taking them north to Sheffield, Workington, Newcastle and Berwick, and also west to Plymouth where they have already secured an away victory. The remaining opposition will come from East Anglian rivals Ipswich .
Phase Two fixture groupings:
Glasgow, Somerset , Edinburgh , Redcar, Scunthorpe, Newport , Leicester
Sheffield, Workington, Ipswich, Rye House, Berwick, Newcastle , Plymouth
An updated fixture list will follow when confirmed.
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Post by Administrator on Jul 23, 2011 7:19:38 GMT
Rockets Fall to Second Half Surge at Armadale Edinburgh 55 Rye House 37 (Premier League, Friday July 22nd 2011) The Silver Ski Rockets’ first track action for three weeks saw them hold their hosts for the first half of the meeting before falling away in the closing stages. Early victories for Nelson, Steve Boxall and Chris Neath left the Rockets in contention at 27-21 at Heat 8, only for successive Monarchs maximums to quickly take the match out of their reach at 37-23. Hopes of rescuing at least a match point finally disappeared when Jordan Frampton was caught on the last lap by Craig Cook when seemingly set for a 6 point Tactical ride in Heat 11, although Neath brought Rye some consolation when he signed off a strong personal night at Armadale by inflicting the only defeats of the meeting for both Kalle Katajisto and Andrew Tully in the final race. Team Manager John Sampford was in no doubt that race rustiness was a key contributor to the final result. “We were looking good for the first eight races, but then our lack of match fitness showed, as we were consistently outstripped from the gate as the match wore on.” The Rockets will have to wait another six days for their next action, which takes them to Premier League leaders Sheffield next Thursday (July 28th) before finally enjoying home comforts when they host Plymouth two nights later…. over a month after they bested Berwick at Hoddesdon on June 26th! Rye House scorers: Jordan Frampton 6 (4 rides, inc 4 as a TR) James Brundle 1+1 (3) Ritchie Hawkins 0 (3) Chris Neath 11 (5 rides, inc 1 as a TR) Steve Boxall 7 (5) Luke Bowen 4+1 (4) Nelson 8+2 (6) Edinburgh scorers: Kevin Wölbert 9 (4 rides) Kalle Katajisto 12+2 (5) Andrew Tully 12+2 (5) Matthew Wethers 9+1 (4) Craig Cook 9+1 (4) Tim Webster 3+1 (4) Kyle Howarth 1 (4) Match Points: Edinburgh 3 Rye House 0 ENDS
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Post by Administrator on Jul 24, 2011 7:06:29 GMT
Dear All, Main feature below is a report on tonight's British U-19 Championship, including interviews with the principal parties: Garrity Wins U-19 Title, Hazelden and Morley on Rostrum British U-19 Championship (Rye House, Saturday July 23rd 2011) 1st Jason Garrity (Belle Vue) 2nd Shane Hazelden (Hackney) 3rd Ben Morley (Hackney) There was plenty to shout about at the British U-19 Championship at Rye House on Saturday night, with the unpredictable, yet wildly exciting Jason Garrity winning the crown and home stars Shane Hazelden and Ben Morley filling the other rostrum places. For Garrity, it was the continuation of a roller-coaster ride that initiated with the British U-15 title in 2008 and has more recently taken in a 9 point National League average with Belle Vue and 6th place in April’s U-21 Final. The 17 year old had to sweat it out earlier in the night after falling in his opening ride and making the cut for the Semi-Final race-off on count-back – he squeezed out Joe Jacobs for the last qualification spot courtesy of an extra second place in his programmed rides – before making no mistake in either the Semi or the Grand Final. Said Garrity afterwards, “I didn’t start off well, locking up in my first ride, but it’s how the night ends that really counts. Things have been going well for me this year. I had my Elite League debut at Peterborough last night, and I learned from that experience, and I was able to come here tonight and show where it’s got me.” For Hazelden, meanwhile, the evening proved a triumphant return from a fractured and dislocated finger which had kept him on the sidelines for the previous two weeks. The teenager has endured a rough ride since his elevation from reserve to Hackney’s No.1 slot, but despite aggravating his injury in a first bend fall in the first attempt to run the Grand Final, it was impossible to disguise his elation afterwards. “The doctor said I should take another fortnight off, and said that I was pushing it to ride. I haven’t been on a bike for two weeks, but I went back to basics with my settings, and felt good on the bike and really fast. “I struggled a little bit toward the end of the night as the track slickened off, but I was still getting wins and seconds. I hurt my finger again and got winded during the first go at the Final, but I went out in the re-run and made a better gate. I would have settled for just reaching the Final, so second place is more than good.” Fellow Hawk Ben Morley finished third in the Final shoot-out but was visibly disappointed afterwards with that result, having earlier dropped just one point in his programmed rides to post top spot in the main meeting. “It was a good meeting overall, but I chose the Final to make my worst gate of the night. Unfortunately that was the one that counted.” It proved a mixed night for the third Hackney rider involved, Marc Owen. The 16 year old managed just two points from his first three rides, but then won his last two outings to finish 8th overall. Elsewhere, James Sarjeant turned more than a few heads by winning three of his programmed races and then easing through the Semi-Final before coming unstuck in the decider. Much was expected of doubling-up Belle Vue Colt and Edinburgh Monarch Kyle Howarth, and the 17 year old looked on the crest of a wave after recovering from a third race third place to reel off three straight victories. Another third place behind Morley and Garrity forced him into the Semi-Final, however, and he was left trailing in that last chance run-off. British U-21 Grasstrack Champion Tom Perry also sparkled in places, but a fall while leading Heat 16 seemed to sap his morale and he trailed in last in his final outing. Young Lions Managers Phil Morris and Neil Vatcher were more than pleased with the night’s action. Said Morris afterwards, “It was great to see the young lads putting on a really good show. There were a couple of tough first bends, but that showed they all wanted to win.” Vatcher added, “We must offer a big thank-you to (Rye House promoter) Len Silver for putting the event on. It’s a great venue to come to, and it offered some great racing. There were some exciting British youngsters on show tonight. Let’s hope that everyone can keep supporting them to help give them a big future in the sport.” Scorers (main 20 heat programme): Ben Morley 14, Shane Hazelden 12 (both to grand final), Ashley Morris 12, Kyle Howarth 11, James Sarjeant 10, Jason Garrity 10 (through to semi-final), Joe Jacobs 10, Marc Owen 8, Ritchie Franklin 6, Tom Stokes 6, Tom Perry 5, Darryl Ritchings 4, Ritchie Andrews 4, Jake Knight 3, Brendan Johnson 2, Oliver Rayson 2 Reserves: Danny Stoneman 1 (1 ride), Adam Portwood dnr Semi-Final (top two to Grand Final): Garrity, Sarjeant, Morris, Howarth Grand Final: Garrity, Hazelden, Morley, Sarjeant Extreme Stunt Show at Rye House Rye House Stadium plays host to the Extreme Stunt Show, featuring the Masters of Freestyle next Sunday (July 31st @ 3pm). The event will also feature two demonstration Speedway races, with Chris Neath, Luke Bowen, Nelson and Ben Morley provisionally set to appear. Admission is: Adults £12; Children £6. The show starts at 3pm. For further details, please log on to: www.extremeeventseurope.com. Bring ‘Em On: The Plymouth Devils (Saturday, July 30th @ 7pm) The focus switches back to the Premier League next Saturday, as the Silver Ski Rockets return to home turf for the first time since June 26th for the first ever visit at this level by the Plymouth Devils. The Devils are still getting to grips with life in the PL after their winter elevation from the National League and are currently at the bottom of the table. They do, however, already have an away win to their credit, thanks to their success at Leicester, and they have continued to make team changes in a bid to cover for injuries and strengthen up. Ricky Wells and Gino Franchetti are the newest men in town. Young American Wells is already an A.M.A. National Champion and World U-21 Finalist, while Franchetti previously rode for Berwick for two seasons and was a 2009 Grand Prix Wildcard and Italian National titlist. Elsewhere, Jesper Kristiansen has landed in Devon following a year away from Britain and two previous seasons with Stoke, while Hynek Stichauer has also come through Loomer Road, albeit with Berwick as an intermediate club. The former Czech U-19 Champion would quite possibly still be in the Borders now but for losing his place after a shoulder injury earlier this term. Stichauer was snapped up by the Devils to replace 2010 NLRC winner Lee Smart, who had suffered a nasty thigh injury, but the 23 year old is now back in action. So too is 2010 Rocket Kyle Hughes, who opted away from the sport after a short spell with Somerset but is now ready to continue a career that brought 4th place in last season’s British U-21 Final. There is little doubt, however, that the Devils’ biggest headliner is at No.1. Ben Barker is totally dominating the national averages, his 10 ½ record (including bonus points) putting him over a half a point clear of the nearest contender! He has also been a major Elite League player in a doubling-up role with Birmingham, and represented Great Britain in the Lions’ two recent World Cup rounds. The action starts at 7pm. Forthcoming Fixtures at Rye House Saturday, July 30th Rockets vs Plymouth (Premier League) 7.00pm Saturday, August 6th Rockets vs Redcar (Premier League) 7.00pm Saturday, August 13th Rockets vs TBC (PL Second Phase) 7.00pm ENDS
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Post by Administrator on Jul 26, 2011 17:14:27 GMT
New Date For Tigers Clash Following the late rain-off of the fixture earlier this month, the Silver Ski Rockets have agreed a new date with Glasgow for this Premier League clash at Rye House. Joe Screen's title-chasing Tigers will now visit Hertfordshire on Saturday, August 13th (7pm start).
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Post by Administrator on Jul 28, 2011 7:46:05 GMT
Rockets Map Out Rest of Season The advent of the Phase Two groupings has enabled the Silver Ski Rockets to plan out the remainder of their 2011 campaign. With regards to home fixtures, the Rockets still have four outstanding Phase One matches. Ben Barker’s Plymouth side visit this Saturday, to be followed into town by Redcar, title-chasing Glasgow and Scunthorpe (when 6-time World Speedway Champion Ivan Mauger will also be arriving to promote and sign copies of his autobiography). Rye’s first home Phase Two fixture will be against Stuart Robson’s Newcastle Diamonds on Bank Holiday Monday, while other notable visitors include Sheffield (October 2nd) and Workington (October 9th) – who are both holding top three positions in the table – and East Anglian rivals Ipswich, who will be the final Premier League visitors to Hoddesdson on October 16th. There is one double header meeting planned for Rye House, with the Rockets’ Phase Two match against Plymouth on September 11th being followed by Hackney’s regular season finale against the combined Scunthorpe/Sheffield squad. There will be no extra charge for the second fixture, with normal Premier League prices applying. Saturday, September 3rd sees the staging of the National League Riders Championship, while Sunday, October 30th, is set to be the dateline for the season finale Ace of Herts Championship. Saturday, Aug 6th Rockets v Redcar (PL) (7pm) Saturday, Aug 13th Rockets v Glasgow (PL) (7pm) Saturday, Aug 20th Rockets v Scunthorpe (PL), plus visit of Ivan Mauger (7pm) Saturday, Aug 27th Hackney v Mildenhall (NL) (7pm) Monday, Aug 29th Rockets v Newcastle (PL) (2pm) Saturday, Sept 3rd National League Riders' Championship (7pm) Sunday, Sept 11th Rockets v Plymouth (PL) plus Hackney vs Scunthorpe (NL) (2pm) Saturday, Sept 17th Short Track Racing Final Sunday, Sept 18th Rockets v Berwick (PL) (2pm) Sunday, Sept 25th Reserved NL Play Off (2pm) Sunday, Oct 2nd Rockets v Sheffield (PL) (2pm) Sunday, Oct 9th Rockets v Workington (PL) (2pm) Sunday, Oct 16th Rockets v Ipswich PL (2pm) Sunday, Oct 23rd Reserved NL Play Off (2pm) Sunday, Oct 30th Ace Of Herts Championship (2pm) Rockets’ away fixtures: Thursday, July 28th Rockets @ Sheffield (PL) Thursday, Aug 4th Rockets @ Redcar (PL) Monday, Aug 8th Rockets @ Newcastle (Phase Two, PL) Thursday, Aug 25th Rockets @ Ipswich (Phase Two, PL) Thursday, Sept 8th Rockets @ Sheffield (Phase Two, PL) Saturday, Sept 17th Rockets @ Berwick (Phase Two, PL) Saturday, Oct 8th Rockets @ Workington (Phase Two, PL) TBC Rockets @ Plymouth (Phase Two PL)
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Post by Administrator on Jul 29, 2011 6:51:59 GMT
Rockets Suffer Tigers Mauling Sheffield 64 Rye House 29 (Premier League, Thursday July 28th 2011) The Silver Ski Rockets fell to their heaviest defeat of the season, as the current League leaders concurrently ran up their biggest winning margin of the term. Two early victories by Jordan Frampton kept the Rockets briefly in contention at 20-13, before the home side stormed away. The Rye House No.1 ultimately carried most of the team’s workload, contributing just over half of the side’s total points.
In contrast, six of the Tigers’ seven riders were paid for double figures, with Shane Parker going through the card and Ricky Ashworth, Josh Auty and Emiliano Sanchez each dropping points in just a single race – ironically to Frampton. Rye House Team Manager John Sampford admitted afterwards that “You can see why Sheffield are where they are in the League table. They were head and shoulders above us tonight. What little luck we had was not good - what with falls, a broken steel shoe and one or two mechanical problems - but to be honest, Jordan aside, the Tigers were simply far better than us. The key now is to re-group when we have our first home match in a month against Plymouth on Saturday.” Rye House scorers: Jordan Frampton 14 (5 rides, inc 6 as a TR) James Brundle 1+1 (4) Ritchie Hawkins 1+1 (3) Chris Neath 5 (4 rides, inc 1 as a TR) Steve Boxall 2 (5) Luke Bowen 4 (4) Nelson 2 (5) Sheffield scorers: Ricky Ashworth 9+2 (4 rides) Hugh Skidmore 11+1 (5) Josh Auty 13+1 (5) Emiliano Sanchez 8+3 (4) Shane Parker 11+1 (4 rides, maximum) Simon Lambert 11+2 (6) Ashley Birks 1 (1) Match Points: Sheffield 3 Rye House 0 ENDS
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Post by Administrator on Jul 31, 2011 6:52:58 GMT
Rockets Spell Trouble For Devils Rye House 54 Plymouth 41 (Premier League, Saturday July 30th 2011) The Silver Ski Rockets celebrated their return to home comforts after a month’s absence by completing their first Premier League double of the season against the League’s bottom team. But while the final margin of 13 points was more than healthy, the Rockets were made to fight all the way in what proved a highly entertaining meeting. Ultimately, Rye’s all-round firepower was simply too much for a Devils side that proved too over-reliant on Ben Barker and Ricky Wells. Steve Boxall led the Rockets’ assault with 11+1, swiftly followed by Chris Neath, whose 11 tally hid a stoppage while leading Heat 9 and a host of other mechanical issues. The night was also highly productive for Luke Bowen (9+1) and James Brundle – who produced two wins despite a heavy fall in Heat 8 - while the rest of the side all provided solid contributions. A rapid start from the Rockets saw them zip into an early 17-7 lead that was never really questioned, but with nationally ranked No.1 Ben Barker soon building personal momentum after an uneasy start the Devils always had an outside chance of snatching a match point. It was Barker who featured in the most exciting race of the night. The British international, Steve Boxall and Jordan Frampton were side by side entering the second lap of Heat 13, only for Frampton to feel the pressure on the outside and hit the deck for the second time in the match. That left Boxall to go it alone for Rye in the re-run, and the 24 year produced a dramatic burst between Barker and Wells to lead in the early stages. Barker found a way past again, but was never given a moment to relax during the remaining laps. Rye House captain Chris Neath was more than happy to be back on home turf – although the night proved an expensive personal one. “It was nice to finally be able to do some meetings here…. albeit on Jordan (Frampton’s) bike in three of my heats, for which I need to say a huge thank you to him. I had problems before the meeting, and tried to swap bits from my spare bike and ended up with neither working! It’s cost me a fortune, because the thing has timed out wrong, got too hot and melted the piston. “We’re looking forward to going up to Redcar next Thursday. We won there last year, and it is quite a good track. It’s a circuit we all like going to, so we should give them a good match. “The Phase Two groupings mean that we’ve got a lot of tough meetings and long distance travelling coming up, so we need to knuckle down and get stuck into it after the break we’ve just had.” Rye House scorers: Jordan Frampton 5+1 (4 rides) James Brundle 7 (3) Ritchie Hawkins 6 (4) Chris Neath 11 (5) Steve Boxall 11+1 (5) Luke Bowen 9+1 (5) Nelson 5+3 (4) Plymouth scorers: Ben Barker 15 (5 rides, inc 4 as a TR) Lee Smart 0 (4) Hynek Stichauer 5 (4) Jesper Kristiansen 6+1 (4) Ricky Wells 11 (5 rides, inc 6 as a TR) Kyle Hughes 3+1 (6) Jake Knight (guest) 1 (4) Match Points: Rye House 3 Plymouth 0 Ben Fund Collection: Thank You Rye House supporters maintained their reputation as the most generous in the sport on Saturday night during the Rockets-Plymouth fixture. The club’s annual collection for the Speedway Riders Benevolent Fund raised the magnificent total of £1135.25. Whether a large or small amount, our grateful thanks to all who contributed.
Rockets on the Road The Silver Ski Rockets head out on the road to complete their Phase One away schedule at Redcar on Thursday (August 4th). The Rockets will be hoping for better weather than they witnessed in June’s rain-aborted trip to Teesside – and also a positive result. They bested the Bears 51-42 on their last trip to the venue, after a previous string of near misses, and will clearly be targeting something positive to go with the away wins they have already gained this season at Newport and Plymouth. The Bears return the favour when they visit Rye House next Saturday. The Rockets are back in the North-East the following Monday (August 8th) when they trek even further afield to tackle Newcastle in their first Phase Two League fixture. The Rockets have contributed to two tense fixtures on Byker already this season, going down 50-43 in a Phase One fixture and then pushing their hosts all the way before succumbing 50-38 in the Knock-Out Cup. Bring ‘Em On: Redcar The Silver Ski Rockets return to centre stage on Saturday (June 18th) as the focus swings back to the Premier League with the visit of Redcar. At time of writing, the Bears are currently in 7th place in the table – one place above the Silver Ski Rockets. They have dropped a draw (against front-runners Ipswich) and a defeat (against fellow title-chasers Glasgow) on Teesside but also won at both Newcastle and Leicester, and bagged a draw on Friday at Somerset. They will be bringing with them a side headed by double Overseas Champion and World Cup winner Jason Lyons, who has moved north following Birmingham’s winter elevation to the Elite League. Also in the mix are Czech national titlist Matej Kus, 2008 treble winner with Edinburgh, Aaron Summers and former Rocket Adam Roynon, who has just returned from injury. The Furness Flyer zipped to paid 12 in the 45-45 result at Somerset. The Bears’ additional trump card is, of course, Gary Havelock, whose lengthy resume includes the British League Riders crown, two British titles and the little matter of the 1992 World Championship. The action starts at 7pm. Forthcoming Fixtures at Rye House Saturday, August 6th Rockets vs Redcar (Premier League) 7.00pm Saturday, August 13th Rockets vs Glasgow (Premier League) 7.00pm Saturday, August 20th Rockets vs Scunthorpe (PL) + Ivan Mauger visit 7.00pm ENDS
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Post by Administrator on Aug 14, 2011 6:50:42 GMT
Rockets Sneak Past Tigers in Last Heat Thriller Rye House 47 Glasgow 46 (Premier League, Saturday August 13th 2011) A last gasp 5-1 from Jordan Frampton and Chris Neath edged the Silver Ski Rockets past championship favourites Glasgow at Rye House on Saturday night. The final race decider also proved to be the most emotional race of the evening, with Frampton storming from the gate but the Tigers looking set for the narrowest of wins until Neath found a way past Joe Screen coming off the last bend of the third lap. It was a fitting climax to a dramatic meeting that had ebbed and flowed, with more than a few twists and turns along the way. The lead changed hands three times in the early stages, with Frampton setting the scene with a from-the-back victory over Screen in Heat 1 in a time just 0.8 of a second outside Chris Neath’s track record. Not to be outdone, Neath then posted a time 0.6 of a second outside his own mark in Heat 3. With solid support from Ritchie Hawkins and James Brundle, the Rockets eventually pulled clear to 35-25, only for Glasgow to slam in an 8-1 from Tactical Rider Screen and Theo Pijper after Luke Bowen had hit the deck in a huge battle for the lead in Heat 11. Worse was to befall the home side in the penultimate race when Chris Neath’s machine gave up the ghost when the Rye captain had victory in sight and Bowen took a second tumble in a last bend attempt to round Richard Sweetman for second place. The resultant 5-1 gifted Glasgow a sudden 45-42 advantage, to set up the barnstorming finish in Heat 15. The Tigers left Hoddesdon with a match point to cement their position as title favourites, but it could easily have been more. Screen, James Grieves and hot reserve Theo Pijper gave them a three-pronged attack, but they sorely missed Nick Morris. The high-flying 17 year old suffered an accident on his BMX bike the previous day which had left him with a twisted and severely lacerated knee, and the Tigers with no option but to bring in a National League guest. Glasgow’s gap was, however, balanced out by the Rockets’ own problems. In addition to Neath’s mechanical problems – the Rye star was otherwise unbeaten – and Bowen’s two falls, the Rockets also had to contend with Nelson’s personal misfortunes. The Aussie teenager endured no less than three falls, two resulting from broken chains when in scoring positions (first and third no less). Talking after the meeting, Chris Neath considered the result as overall “a point dropped, rather than two won. Everyone was trying really hard, though, and you can’t knock that.” About the ultra-quick times from Jordan Frampton and himself in the early races, “I can’t have Jordan going around faster than me, can I?! Seriously, though, the track was really good. Sometimes when they are a bit grippy, they can be tricky, but it felt consistently grippy. My tyre still looked brand new afterwards, which is a good sign because it meant that it wasn’t spinning so hard. The only problem came in Heat 14; we think it was electrical, but at least it wasn’t a blow-up this week.” As for the epic last race decider, “We had the choice of gate positions, and Jordan (Frampton) wanted three. Gate one wasn’t the best, and I got clamped a bit, but I had speed all night so I thought if I could keep on Joe Screen’s tail I could find a way past. I could see him peel into the corners a bit early, but I could tell that he was never going to come out on the line, so I stuck on his back wheel and put a Robbo-esque (a la former Rye star Stuart Robson) cut-back on him, and got through. We’ve dropped silly points at Redcar and Newcastle in the last couple of weeks, but we are picking up a lot more now. Jordan and myself are riding quite consistently, and the others are picking up their game – not dramatically, but they are all chipping in. I think we can produce a good finish to the season. While we won’t be challenging for the title, we can definitely play the role of spoilers.” Rye House scorers: Jordan Frampton 14 (5 rides) James Brundle 5 (4) Ritchie Hawkins 7+1 (4) Chris Neath 12+1 (5) Steve Boxall 3+1 (4) Luke Bowen 5 (4) Nelson 1 (4) Glasgow scorers: Joe Screen 14 (5 rides, inc 6 as a TR) Michal Rajkowski 2+2 (4) Christian Henry 4+1 (4) Richard Sweetman 2+1 (4) James Grieves 8 (5) Aaron Baseby (guest) 1 (3) Theo Pijper 15+2 (7) Match points: Rye House 2 Glasgow 1 Home Fixtures: Changes in Dates There has been a change in sequence to a number of home meetings at Rye House this autumn. Sunday, September 18th (originally the 25th) is the new date provisionally set aside for National League play-off action involving the Hackney Hawks, while the Phase Two Premier League matches against Sheffield and Berwick have also been switched. The title-chasing Tigers will now visit Hoddesdon on Saturday, September 24th (originally Sunday, October 2nd), while the Bandits will be now in town on Sunday, October 2nd (originally Sunday, September 18th). Hawks on the Road: Newport Away The Hackney Hawks head to Wales tomorrow (Sunday, August 14th) aiming to cement their play-off hopes against the Newport Hornets. The Hawks are currently in pole position in the National League table, although the pressure is on given the tightness of the standings; you can still perm any four from six teams – the Hawks, Potters, Heathens, Mildenhall, Belle Vue and the combined Scunthorpe-Sheffield outfit in the race to make the cut. Working in their favour, the Hornets have already proven vulnerable at home, having lost to Stoke and drawn against Dudley at Queensway Meadows. They were also stung 59-35 by the Hawks when the two sides met at Hoddesdon on July 2nd. Hackney will be back to full strength for the clash, with the new averages meaning a change in team order. Barrie Evans returns to the No.1 mantle, with Marc Owen dropping down to a reserve slot. The full side is: 1. Barrie Evans, 2. Ben Morley, 3. David Mason, 4. Shane Hazelden, 5. Ben Hopwood, 6. Brandon Freemantle, 7. Marc Owen. Following tomorrow’s action, Hackney face two remaining away fixtures – at Belle Vue on August 31st and Stoke on September 10th. Their remaining home matches – both at Rye House – are against Mildenhall on August 27th and – in what could yet prove the final settler for post-season play – against Scunthorpe-Sheffield on September 11th. That latter fixture will form part of a Sunday double header, with the National League action preceded by the Premier League match between the Silver Ski Rockets and Plymouth. There will be no additional charge for the double header, with standard Premier League prices applying. The Galloping Mauger is Coming to Town Next Saturday (August 20th) sees the Silver Ski Rockets face Scunthorpe in the Premier League in a fixture re-arranged following its original late rain-off last month. It’s also the occasion for another re-scheduled visit, however, because also joining the meeting will be the rider held by many to be the best ever in the sport’s history: Ivan Mauger won the World Speedway Championship a record six times – a feat subsequently equalled only by Tony Rickardsson. Including his additional Longtrack, Pairs and World Team Cup achievements, he was an incredible fifteen-times World titlist in total. Next Saturday, he will be in town to promote and sign copies of his autobiography “The Will to Win”. The legendary Kiwi was originally scheduled for a book signing at Rye House last season, only for the weather to intervene. To help make amends this time, he plans to display one of the original machines on which he won two of his titles. Bring ‘Em On: Scunthorpe (Saturday, August 20th @ 7pm) The focus at Rye House remains very much on Premier League business on Saturday when the Silver Ski Rockets head into ignition sequence against Scunthorpe to complete their Phase One fixtures. The Scorpions are headed into town by 2008 Grand Prix Qualifier Semi-Finalist – and 2010 PLRC runner-up – David Howe, although there is much more to them than that. Finnish international Tero Aarnio has developed into a near 7 ½ point star, while Ben Wilson was the 2006 British U-21 Champion and Richard Hall has recently returned to his 2008 stamping ground to replace the injured Viktor Bergstrom. There will be first Hoddesdon visits from newcomers Thomas Jorgensen and Michael Palm Toft, who have quickly settled into 6 and 5 ½ point men, respectively, for the Lincolnshire side. The Scorpions are rounded out by fast developing British U-21 Bronze winner and World U-21 competitor Steven Worrall. The action starts at 7pm. Forthcoming Fixtures at Rye House Saturday, August 20th Rockets vs Scunthorpe (Premier League) 7.00pm Saturday, August 27th Hawks vs Mildenhall (National League) 7.00pm Monday, August 29th Rockets vs Newcastle (Premier League) 2.00pm Saturday, September 3rd National League Riders Championship 7.00pm ENDS
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Post by Administrator on Aug 20, 2011 14:06:23 GMT
Rye House vs Scunthorpe - Postponed
Tonight's scheduled Premier League fixture at Hoddesdon between the Silver Ski Rockets and Scunthorpe was called off just four and a half hours ahead of start time due to persistent rain. It was the second time the meeting had fallen foul of the weather.
The next scheduled action at Rye House is next Saturday (August 27th) when the Hackney Hawks face Mildenhall in a crunch match in the race for the National League play-offs. The start time is 7pm.
That meeting will be followed on Bank Holiday Monday by the Rockets' first home Second Phase Premier League fixture. They face Newcastle (start 2pm), with the main action followed by a junior match between the Rye House Raiders and Milton Keynes.
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Post by Administrator on Aug 21, 2011 9:20:36 GMT
Rockets on the Road The Silver Ski Rockets head out on the highway on Thursday (August 25th) when they make the journey to Ipswich for their second Phase Two Premier League fixture. The Rockets will be aiming to go one better than on May 2nd’s visit to Foxhall Heath. On that occasion, Rye had to settle for a single match point from a 47-49 defeat after Lasse Bjerre surged inside Jason Doyle on the final bend to prevent the Aussie and race winner Jordan Frampton from completing a last race 5-1. The arch-rival Witches are due to return the favour when they visit Hoddesdon for the Rockets’ final home League match of 2011 on October 16th. Bring ‘Em On (1): Mildenhall (Saturday, August 27th 2011 @ 7pm) It’s win-or-bust time for the Hackney Hawks here at Rye House next Saturday (August 27th). Last Sunday’s disappointing result at Newport - coupled with successes elsewhere for rivals Stoke and Mildenhall - has pushed the Hawks down to third spot in the National League table. With the joint Scunthorpe-Sheffield side, Dudley and Belle Vue all chasing hard – and even King’s Lynn entering the mix following their win at Buxton – there is no margin for error if the Hawks are to progress to post-season play-off action. Next Saturday’s match brings them head-to-head against one of those key rivals - and also a team that has proven a real bugbear so far. The Mildenhall Fen Tigers have won all three matches between the sides this season, ousting the Hawks from the Knock-Out Cup by a 36 point aggregate margin and also biting them 57-35 in the first League match at West Row. Hackney will need to forget the past and focus only on the present and future when they face a Fen Tigers squad fronted by former Birmingham, Redcar and Stoke Premier Leaguer Jack Hargreaves, the fast-emerging Lewis Blackbird and 2010 National League Riders Finalist Mark Baseby, who will hopefully be back in action from last weekend’s grasstrack injury. They also can’t ignore five season Cobra/Raider Danny Halsey, 2010 British U-18 runner-up Joe Jacobs or 2010 British U-21 Finalist Aaron Baseby, who guested for Glasgow at Rye House only a week ago. One rider who will unfortunately be missing is Cameron Heeps who is being tipped by many as one of Speedway’s Next Big Things. The 15 year old from Perth - already a 5-time Western Australia U-16 Champion – suffered a broken wrist on the Isle of Wight on Tuesday. With the teenager rapidly rising from a reserve to the No.1 position with a remarkable 8.74 average, though, the Fen Tigers will have access to a guest replacement. Bring ‘Em On (2): Newcastle (Monday, August 29th 2011 @ 2pm) The Hackney-Mildenhall clash is not the only fixture at Rye House next weekend. Bank Holiday Monday brings the first home Second Phase match in the Silver Ski Rockets’ Premier League programme. The opposition is provided by a Newcastle team yet to lose to the Rockets in five matches so far this season – although there was definitely a certain “get out of jail” feel about August 8th’s 45-44 squeeker on Tyneside. Despite a seemingly relentless run of injuries and misfortune which has blighted their season, the Diamonds still retain an exciting look about themAt the top of the tree, they will be hoping to welcome back Mark Lemon, who has been sidelined due to complications over his broken collarbone. If the Aussie veteran is unable to take his place, Newcastle will have access to a guest replacement for their No.1 star. Back in the saddle already is 2010 Danish U-21 Champion and World Finalist Rene Bach, who has amazingly returned from April’s “season-ending” broken leg. The Dane has been named as a Wildcard for the second round of this year’s U-21 series at Holsted on the 28th. Bach is joined in the Byker team by fellow countryman Claes Nedermark, whose first year in Britain is set to bring an impressive 7 point average, and fourth season Diamond Derek Sneddon, who previously captained Edinburgh to a 2008 League and Trophy double Elsewhere, 2010 British U-21 Champion Joe Haines has recently joined the Newcastle set-up – after already seeing action this term for Newport, Scunthorpe and Somerset - as a replacement for the injured Jason King. The second Diamond to receive a Wildcard spot at Holsted, “Smokin’ Joe” is still remembered in these parts for his 2009 season at Rye House. Finally, down at reserve, there’s Richie Worrall and World U-21 competitor Kyle Newman, who has also enjoyed doubling-up duty with Elite League Poole and won his first ever Heat 15 to cap a fine paid 11 against Ipswich last Sunday. Bank Holiday Monday’s action starts at 2pm. As an added bonus, following the conclusion of the Rockets-Diamonds fixture, there will be a junior match between a Rye House Raiders side and the Milton Keynes Knights. Forthcoming Fixtures at Rye House Saturday, August 27th Hawks vs Mildenhall (National League) 7.00pm Monday, August 29th Rockets vs Newcastle (Premier League) 2.00pm Saturday, September 3rd National League Riders Championship 7.00pm Sunday, September 11th Rockets vs Plymouth (Premier League) 2.00pm followed by Hawks vs Scunthorpe-Sheffield (NL) ENDS
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Post by Administrator on Aug 23, 2011 8:26:41 GMT
Ace of Herts - New Date
The postponement of Saturday's Premier League action against Scunthorpe has had a cascade effect for the Silver Ski Rockets' home fixture list. The season ending Ace of Herts individual championship will now take place on Sunday, October 30th.
Please note that this will be a 6pm start, to allow for the gigantic fireworks display afterwards that will close out the 2011 season at Rye House.
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Post by Administrator on Aug 26, 2011 6:22:16 GMT
Dear All, Please find below a report on tonight's Ipswich-Rye House match, and a preview of the NLRC based on the BSPA website release of earlier: Rockets Lose Match to Witches, and Neath to Illness
Ipswich 55 Rye House 37 (Premier League, Thursday August 25th 2011) What began brightly ultimately transitioned to gap-plugging and general disappointment, as the Silver Ski Rockets slipped to an 18 point defeat at their East Anglian rivals. The Rockets opened powerfully at Foxhall Heath, with a Heat 2 maximum from Nelson and James Brundle backed by a 4-2 from Ritchie Hawkins and Chris Neath – who nearly re-passed Morten Risager for second place right on the line – helping them to an early 9-3 advantage. The home side was level by Heat 6, but it was only after Neath’s withdrawal through illness after the following race that Rye really tailed away. In the final analysis, their only real positives came from a double figure haul from Jordan Frampton and two race wins from former Witch Hawkins. Team Manager John Sampford admitted afterwards that “It’s certainly been a disappointing night for us, especially after the way we started out. I can’t claim that we would have won if Chris had been OK, but we maybe would have had a shot at a match point. He had not been feeling particularly well during the day, but he was determined to ride and do his bit. In the end, though, he was feeling really ill and the doctor signed him off after two races…. which also left us with only one rider in one of his heats.” Neath and the Rockets will have the best part of four days to recover. They are next in Premier League action at home to Newcastle on Bank Holiday Monday (2pm start). Ahead of that, the Hackney Hawks will take centre stage at Rye House on Saturday (August 27th) as they host second placed Mildenhall in a must-win meeting in the race for the National League Play-Offs. That fixture starts at 7pm. Rye House scorers: Jordan Frampton 11 (5 rides, inc 4 as a TR) Luke Bowen 3+1 (4) Ritchie Hawkins 8 (5) Chris Neath 3 (2) Steve Boxall 2 (3) James Brundle 4+2 (5) Nelson 6 (6 rides, inc 1 as a TR) Ipswich scorers: Kevin Doolan 10 (4) Taylor Poole 2 (4) Mathieu Tresarrieu 7+1 (4) Morten Risager 12+2 (5) Lasse Bjerre 11 (5) Jerran Hart 6 (4) Chris Mills 7+1 (4) Match Points: Ipswich 3 Rye House 0
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Post by Administrator on Aug 28, 2011 7:11:44 GMT
Next Up at Rye House: Rockets vs Newcastle The Silver Ski Rockets are set to welcome Chris Neath back to their side when they take on Newcastle in Premier League action at Rye House on Bank Holiday Monday. The Rye captain was forced to withdraw through illness midway through the Rockets’ defeat at Ipswich on Thursday. The Hertfordshire side will be looking to bounce back from that disappointing result at Foxhall Heath as they face a Diamonds team that has already won (League) and drawn (Knock-Out Cup) in two previous visits to Hoddesdon this season. The Byker outfit, for their part, have called up double Overseas Champion and former Grand Prix rider Jason Lyons as a guest for their still-sidelined No.1 Mark Lemon, while Rider-Replacement will operate for Rene Bach, who will be absent following the previous day’s World U-21 round for which he is a Wildcard. All of the remaining Diamonds will be eligible for replacement outings as coverage. Monday’s Premier League match will be followed by a six heat junior challenge fixture between the re-launched Rye House Raiders and Milton Keynes. The action starts at 2pm.
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Post by Administrator on Aug 29, 2011 20:37:39 GMT
Rockets Back From Brink to Cut Down Diamonds Rye House 51 Newcastle 38 (Premier League, Monday August 29th 2011) The Silver Ski Rockets produced a remarkable fight-back – achieving an incredible 21 point swing along the way – to claim all three match points against a Diamonds team that had won (League) and drawn (Cup) on its two earlier visits to Hoddesdon this season. Three visiting 5-1s across the first seven races had left Rye seemingly down and out at 17-25, only for the team to dig deep with five maximums of its own from the remaining eight heats for an ultimately comfortable winning margin of 13. Chris Neath led the way with a faultless 15 point maximum which represented his fifth full house of the campaign. The Rye House captain also lent his bike to Steve Boxall and Nelson for winning rides, as no less than six different Rockets were paid for at least one race victory. The above statistics tell only part of the story, however, in an afternoon which produced plenty of other talking points. There was controversy, as the Diamonds’ Claes Nedermark and Richie Worrall were both excluded from races for a second starting infringement. There were falls, including two for Jordan Frampton who hit the deck while battling Newcastle guest Jason Lyons for the lead in Heat 1 and later dismounted on the last lap of Heat 15 when chasing Nedermark for third spot. There was emotion, most notably after Luke Bowen had taken a last bend tumble when trying to find a way past Kyle Newman for second place in Heat 6. The Harlow Flyer temporarily let the heat of the moment get the better of him and lashed out at his rival as Newman completed a further celebratory lap. Bowen apologised to both Newman and Newcastle team manager George English after the match. The infraction soured what was otherwise a solid performance from the local star, who featured in critical 5-1s in Heats 8 and 10. Finally, there was close, compelling racing, most notably in Heat 13 when Frampton and Boxall displayed excellent team riding to keep Nedermark and Lyons behind them for virtually the whole four laps. Nedermark somehow found a route through to second place right on the line to deny Rye a 5-1, as all four riders took the flag within a few metres of each other. Maximum man Chris Neath looked back positively on the afternoon. “At one point we were looking, if not dead and buried, then on the brink. Fortunately, we knuckled down and really got going in the end. “My bikes had seven rides and seven wins today! To be honest, it was my spare bike that Steve and Nelson used, which shows that all my bikes are going well this year. Steve has been struggling recently for speed, and I think that he found a few things in using my equipment today that will help him going forward. He is probably the most important member of the team, and we know that he can score far more points than he’s been achieving lately. That’s not to knock him in any way – he is trying really, really hard – but if we can get him going again, we can really transform ourselves into one of the strongest teams in the League.” Rye House scorers: Jordan Frampton 6+1 (5 rides) Luke Bowen 6+1 (4) Ritchie Hawkins 5+2 (4) Chris Neath 15 (5 rides, maximum) Steve Boxall 6 (4) James Brundle 2 (4) Nelson 11+1 (5) Newcastle scorers: Jason Lyons (guest) 13 (6 rides) Derek Sneddon 4+1 (5) Joe Haines 4+1 (5) Rene Bach R/R Claes Nedermark 7+2 (6) Kyle Newman 4+1 (4) Richie Worrall 6+1 (6) Match Points: Rye House 3 Newcastle 0 Monday’s main event was followed by a junior match between the Rye House Raiders – made up of riders from the track’s regular Sunday training schools – and Milton Keynes. The Knights won out 21-15 in a 6 race fixture, although the Raiders were badly hit by Alex McLeod’s personal misfortunes. The rider hit mechanical problems when leading Heat 1, and then fell when in another 5-1 situation with Nick Lee in Heat 6, suffering a dislocated shoulder in the process. Rye House scorers (each from 3 rides): Nick Lee 7, Josh Pickering 5, Alex McLeod 3, Danno Verge 0 Milton Keynes scorers (each from 3 rides): Trevor Heath 9, Niall Strudwick 5+1, Ben Holloway 4+1, Adam Briggs 3 Rockets on the Road: Plymouth Buoyed by Bank Holiday Monday’s home win over Newcastle, the Silver Ski Rockets fly out of town on Friday (September 2nd), with their destination the St Boniface Arena in Plymouth. While it is a lengthy trek down to Devon, they will undoubtedly be buoyed by the knowledge that their last visit to the circuit in June delivered an impressive 51-39 victory, and also that Plymouth are entrenched in a basement battle with fellow newcomers Leicester to avoid the wooden spoon. Ben Barker and the Devils will return the favour in a fortnight’s time, when they visit Hoddesdon on Sunday, September 11th, as the first part of a double bill that also features the Hackney-Scunthorpe/Sheffield cruncher. Forthcoming Fixtures at Rye House Saturday, September 3rd National League Riders Championship 7.00pm (sponsored by Paradise Wildlife Park) Sunday, September 11th Rockets vs Plymouth (Premier League) 2.00pm followed by Hawks vs Scunthorpe-Sheffield (NL) Sunday, September 18th Reserved; National League
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