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Swindon Robins
The Swindon Speedway team, also known as the Swindon Robins, are an English motorcycle speedway team established in 1949 that have competed primarily in the top division of speedway league competition in the United Kingdom. They are five times league champions of the United Kingdom. The club have raced on their home track at the Abbey Stadium, Lady Lane, Blunsdon since their inception. History 1928–1949 The formation of the club followed the sport's prehistory in the town at the now-demolished Gorse Hill Aerodrome, where dirt track racing had taken place since 1928. The birth of the Robins was a product of the partnership of Bristol speedway manager Reg Witcomb and businessman Bert Hearse. Under their direction, a cinder track was built. The first meeting, a non-league home challenge match, took place on 23 July 1949 against future rivals Oxford, and an official attendance figure of 8,000 was given, although employees of the club believe that 10,000 would be closer to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Swindon Stadium
Swindon Stadium, also known as the Abbey Stadium, is a Greyhound Board of Great Britain regulated greyhound racing track and former speedway track in Blunsdon, Swindon, England. Greyhound racing currently takes place every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday as part of the ARC fixture schedule. Speedway The stadium was home to the Swindon Robins, who competed in the SGB Premiership until 2021. The speedway track has a circumference of 315 metres. Opening The stadium opened to the public on 23 July 1949 when it hosted the Swindon Robins speedway team; greyhound racing followed three years later on 1 November 1952. Swindon had two earlier short-lived greyhound track venues, in the village of Wroughton and near the town centre in Edinburgh Street, but both had disappeared by the mid-thirties. The stadium occupied a rural setting south of Lady Lane and was named after the Blunsdon Abbey estate in Blunsdon St Andrew, a Victorian estate which had seen its main house destroy ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
2012 Elite League Speedway Season
The 2012 Elite League speedway season (also known as the Sky Sports Elite League for sponsorship reasons) was the 78th season of the top division of UK speedway and took place between March and October 2012. Summary The Poole Pirates were the defending champions after winning in 2011. Poole nearly repeated the success of the previous season but fell just short. They topped the regular season table for the third year running and won the Knockout Cup for the third year running but lost in the play off final to Swindon Robins. Darcy Ward and Chris Holder were exceptional for the Pirates again but Swindon's triumph (their first since 1967) was put down to a group of riders all maintaining consistent scores. They were Danes Hans Andersen and Peter Kildemand, Australians Troy Batchelor, Nick Morris and Jason Doyle (the latter recruited from Poole) and Sheffield born Simon Stead. Lakeside Hammers and British speedway was rocked by the news that one of their leading riders Lee Rich ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
SGB Premiership 2017
The 2017 SGB Premiership was the 83rd season of the top division of British Speedway. It was the first time that it was known as the SGB Premiership after changing its name from the Elite League. Summary The season ran between March and October 2017 and 8 teams participated (Coventry withdrew from the league before the season started, after they had originally entered the league). The lineup of teams for 2017 was different from the lineup of the 2016 Elite League. The Lakeside Hammers and Coventry Bees dropped out of the league and were replaced by the Rye House Rockets and the Somerset Rebels. At the annual Speedway AGM, which was held early in November 2016, it was agreed that speedway in Great Britain would be given what was described as "the biggest revamp of the sport in modern history". This involved numerous alterations to both the regulations and the branding of the sport. The former top level of British speedway, the Elite League, was replaced by the Speedway Grea ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Motorcycle Speedway
Motorcycle speedway, usually referred to simply as speedway, is a motorcycle sport involving four and sometimes up to six riders competing over four clockwise, anti-clockwise laps of an oval circuit. The motorcycles are specialist machines that use only one gear and have no brakes. Racing takes place on a flat oval track usually consisting of soil, dirt, loosely packed shale, or crushed rock (mostly used in Australia and New Zealand). Competitors use this surface to slide their machines sideways, powersliding or broadsiding into the bends. On the straight sections of the track, the motorcycles reach speeds of up to . There are now both domestic and international competitions in a number of countries, including the Speedway World Cup, whilst the highest overall scoring individual in the Speedway Grand Prix events is pronounced the world champion. Speedway is popular in Central Europe, Central and Northern Europe and to a lesser extent in Australia and North America. A variant of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
COVID-19 Pandemic In The United Kingdom
The COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom is a part of the worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In the United Kingdom, it has resulted in confirmed cases, and is associated with deaths. The virus began circulating in the country in early 2020, arriving primarily from travel elsewhere in Europe. Various sectors responded, with more widespread public health measures incrementally introduced from March 2020. The first wave was at the time one of the world's largest outbreaks. By mid-April the peak had been passed and restrictions were gradually eased. A second wave, with a new variant that originated in the UK becoming dominant, began in the autumn and peaked in mid-January 2021, and was deadlier than the first. The UK started a COVID-19 vaccination programme in early December 2020. Generalised restrictions were gradually lifted and were mostly ended by August 2021. A third wave, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wolverhampton Wolves
Wolverhampton Wolves are a British speedway team based in Wolverhampton, England. They are sponsored by Parry's International Travel, and signed a deal with owner Dave Parry (previous speedway rider for the Wolverhampton Wolves) for the 2008 season onwards. The team is managed by Peter Adams and the promoter of the club is Chris Van Straaten. History 1928–1960 The club was founded in 1928 racing at Monmore Green Stadium, and after a brief flirtation with speedway, saw its last pre-war meeting in 1930. It was 20 years later that the sport returned to the town. During 1948 and the post-war optimism, record crowds were attending speedway events up and down the country. With towns keen to cash in on the boom, Wolverhampton's stadium owners applied to the local council for a track to be re-built at the original site. Australian Arthur Simcock set the ball rolling and was granted permission to promote speedway in Wolverhampton and finally his dream came true on 14 October 19 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
2009 Elite League Speedway Season
The 2009 Elite League speedway season (also known as the Sky Sports Elite League for sponsorship reasons) was the 75th season of the top division of UK speedway and the 13th since its establishment as the Elite League in 1997. Summary The first fixtures of the season took place on 30 March and the season ended on 12 October. The Poole Pirates were the defending champions from 2008. Leigh Adams had a stellar season, he once again topped the league averages and became the Australian Champion for the 10th time. He also won the Elite League Riders Championship and nearly led Swindon to a title success, before losing in the play off final to Wolverhampton Wolves. Wolves continued their success of recent years courtesy of heavy scoring throughout the season by Freddie Lindgren, Peter Karlsson and their new signing Tai Woffinden. Lee Richardson top scored for the Lakeside Hammers during the season and the team claimed their first top tier trophy in their history when winning the Kn ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mike Broadbank
Michael Broadbank (also known as Broadbanks) (born 23 September 1934 in Hoddesdon, England) is a former international motorcycle speedway rider who made 560 appearances for the Swindon Robins, scoring over 4,200 points. Rye House Broadbank was first discovered at the Rye House track after working there as a young boy. In the 1950s the track was threatened with closure so Broadbank built a new track on an adjacent site to continue training. After a season the owner of the stadium relented and Broadbank built the track on the site that is still there today. The training track operated a team known as the Roosters, however, with the involvement of Broadbank, the team were renamed the Red Devils, with reference to the red leathers worn by Broadbank, when almost all riders wore black. Career Broadbank won the Southern Area League Riders' Championship, held at Rye House Stadium on 25 September 1955. After impressing at Rye House he managed to get a full-time ride with the Wembley Lio ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bob Kilby
Robert Stanley "Bob" Kilby (23 September 1944 – 11 January 2009) was a British motorcycle speedway rider for the Swindon Robins, Oxford Rebels and Exeter Falcons. Speedway career From the start of his career in 1964 to its end in 1983, he rode some 2,226 times over 556 meetings, and amassed a total of 4,192 points. He was a member of the Robins' British League The British League was the main motorcycle speedway league in Britain from its formation in 1965 until 1995 when British speedway was restructured. It initially had a single division, with a second division starting in 1968 (which was renamed th ... title-winning team of 1967. He died on 11 January 2009 at his home in Stratton St Margaret, Swindon. His son, Lee, wrote a biography of his father "To the Heart of Kilb".Kilby,L (2017)."To The Heart of Kilb". References 1944 births 2009 deaths British speedway riders English motorcycle racers Sportspeople from Swindon Swindon Robins riders Exeter Falcons ri ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Martin Ashby
Martin Ashby (born 5 February 1944) is a retired English international speedway rider who reached the final of the Speedway World Championship in 1968. He also finished third in the Speedway World Pairs Championship in 1969 with Nigel Boocock and was a member of the Great Britain team that won the World Team Cups in 1968 and 1975. His brother David Ashby was a teammate for several years at Swindon Career Ashby began his career with the Swindon Robins in 1961 but was moved on to the Exeter Falcons in 1968 by the speedway rider control committee. Three years later he returned to Swindon, and remained there for the rest of his career, apart from a short spell at Reading Racers in 1980 where he helped secure the title. Ashby was a regular England international. Ashby held the club record for most appearances (641) and points total (5,4765½) until 2008 when Leigh Adams overtook the points record. British Finalist (1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1977) Wor ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Barry Briggs
Barry Briggs (born 30 December 1934) is a New Zealand former speedway rider. Career He won the World Individual Championship title four times – in 1957, 1958, 1964 and 1966.Bamford, R. & Shailes, G. (2002). ''A History of the World Speedway Championship''. Stroud: Tempus Publishing. He appeared in a record 17 consecutive World Individual finals (1954–70), and a record 18 in all, during which he scored a record 201 points. He also won the London Riders' Championship in 1955 whilst riding for the Wimbledon Dons.Jacobs, Norman (2001). ''Speedway in London''. Stroud: Tempus Publishing He is also a six-time winner of the British Championship. He won the first final in 1961 and then dominated the sixties titles by winning in 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, and 1969.Belton, Brian (2003). ''Hammerin' Round''. Stroud: Tempus Publishing Briggs also twice won his home title, the New Zealand Championship, winning in 1959 and again in 1963. Briggs also created a domestic record by wi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hull Vikings
The Hull Vikings were a Motorcycle speedway, speedway team from Kingston upon Hull, Hull, England, who operated primarily from The Boulevard (stadium) and Craven Park, Hull, Craven Park from 1971 to 2005. History The team originated as the Hull Angels and were based at Hedon Stadium in Hedon on the outskirts of Hull between 1947 and mid-1949. Their inaugural league season was in the 1948 Speedway National League Division Three where they finished 9th. The team withdrew during the 1949 season and were replaced by the Swindon Robins When speedway came back to Hull for the 1971 British League Division Two season, the team were known as the Vikings and raced at the The Boulevard (stadium), Boulevard, a long track. The Boulevard was famous as the long time home of Rugby Football League team Hull F.C., Hull FC. During the years of racing at The Boulevard, the Vikings had the dubious distinction of being the last league speedway team ever to appear at the famous West Ham Stadium, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
