This race gets its name from the Isle of Man which is a tiny island that lies between Great Britain and Ireland. Most of the year, it is a pretty quiet place. Come spring, the air fills with excitement as racers show up to try their luck in the high-velocity race that ensues owing to the lack of speed limits in the region. Tens of thousands show up annually to watch this highly anticipated event.
The Isle of Man Tourist Trophy has earned the title of the most dangerous motorcycle racing event, and it is not for naught. Ever since the competition began more than one hundred years ago, there have been 140 deaths. In 2017, three racers died while participating in the tournament.
As racers driving at speeds averaging 200mph navigate the hundreds of turns in the track, it is quite easy for them to go off-road and plunge to their death, sometimes taking the spectators with them. The total lives lost as a result of the race total 250 once the sum includes that of people watching the event. Most of the people who have participated in the competition and lived to tell their story cannot believe their luck on looking back. For the brave souls who live for the thrill though, the Isle of Man is the place to be each year. The best of luck to all racers!
Read More →
Bournemouth Castle Cover Wessex Marine Buccaneers ran aground on the Isle of Wight on Tuesday night, incurring the biggest defeat in their short history, going down by 32-60 and having both the Baseby brothers withdrawing from the meeting with injuries.
Mark Baseby was the first of the siblings to pull out of the meeting, damaging his wrist in a heat 6 fall by which time the Buccaneers were alreaday facing a 10 point deficit and had seen just two extra points from their first tactical ride. That was through a second place by James Brundle comprehensively beaten by maximum man, former Buccaneer Danny Warwick.
Then Aaron Baseby joined the ever growing list of retirees after being a victim of a challenging move from Brendan Johnson in heat 9. Johnson was disqualified from the re-run but promptly joined Tom Hill on the sick list and although Aaron Baseby managed to limp round for a point in the re-start his night was over as he was struggling with a thigh injury.
The powerful Islanders though – claiming 9 maximum heat scores across the night – were always in control and the lack of league points from the Dorset side could prove costly in the final reckonings for the play-offs. Scorers: Isle of Wight D.Warwick 15, D.Felton 13+6, B.Hopwood 13+1, N.Simmons 7+1, L.Smethills 7+1, T.Hill 3, B.Johnson 2+1
Bournemouth K.Howarth 7+1, J.Brundle 7, K.Mason 7, J.Resch 5+1, A.Baseby 4+1, D.Halsey 2+1, M.Baseby 0
Read More →
Bournemouth’s planned double header on Sunday August 22nd will still go ahead with Rye House the second attraction on that date in a real crucial play-off chasing contest. The Cobras were originally set to visit Wimborne Road a week later but the visit has bee brought forward 7 days.
It will be a vital Sunday afternoon for the Bournemouth Buccaneers who need to maximise their home points and try and pick up something on their remaining away fixtures (Plymouth August 13th, King’s Lynn date to be confirmed) if they are to consolidate their current fourth place in the National Development league.
Rivals Rye House have home fixtures against Isle of Wight, Newport, Plymouth and Scunthorpe and besides the trip to Bournemouth they still have to visit Buxton, Dudley and Isle of Wight
Read More →
Ignition problems for James Brundle whilst on parade cost him an appearance in the opening heat, won by his partner Kyle Howarth but left the Buccaneers conceding points to Dudley. Although Brundle was able to sort out his bike problems in time for Bournemouth’s second appearance, winning it in style, Howarth struggled against the Isle of Wight pair of Nick Simmons and Danny Warwick, and again conceded a 4-5.
against the eventual champions, Plymouth, the Buccaneers conceded a 7-2 with Brundle failing to finish and Howarth trailing winner Nicki Glanz and experienced Mark Simmonds and whilst that result kept the Devils in-line for a final appearance it meant that Bournemouth’s chances of winning the group was well beyond them.
They finished, however, strongly with a 7-2 of their own against Newport (winners last season) after Tony Atkin had fallen at the first attempt to get heat 17 underway. Bournemouth’s 17 point total left them third in Group A.
In the other section it was King’s Lynn who came out on top with Simon Lambert unbeaten in his heats and Adam Lowe bagging one second place and two thirds as they headed the group and earned the right to meet Plymouth in the all-deciding final
That final was pretty much one way traffic as Lambert was kept at bay on the opening lap cleverly by Simmonds as Glanz sped away.
Result: Final: Plymouth 7 (N.Glanz 4 M.Simmonds 3′) King’s Lynn 2 (S.Lambert 2, A.Lowe 0)
Group A: Plymouth 24 (N.Glanz 14, M.Simmonds 10+2); Newport 19 (T.Kurtz 13, T.Atkin 6+1); Bournemouth 17 (K.Howarth 9+1, J.Brundle 8); Dudley 16 (J.Anderson 11+1, M.Dyer 5); Isle of Wight 14 (N.Simmons 9, D.Warwick 5+1)
Group B: King’s Lynn 23 (S.Lambert 16, A.Lowe 7); Buxton 21 (A.Allott 15, R.Branford 6+2); Weymouth 20 (J.Cockle 12+1, B.Bekker 8+1); Scunthorpe 17 (S.Worrall 10, A.Birks 7+1); Rye House 9 (J.Jacobs 6, S.Hazelden 3)
Read More →
The new look Bournemouth Castle Cover Buccaneers face two big challenges this week starting with a confrontation against the team that were denied the opportunity to go top of the National Development League just 24 hours before arriving at Wimborne Road
British Speedway’s newest side, Dudley were due to race at the Isle of Wight on Tuesday but that fixture fell victim to the weather, the Heathens needing a victory (or an away draw) to take them to the top of the table.
The Wednesday visit will get underway immediately after the Poole Castle Cover Pirates Elite league fixture against Swindon and is a must win for the Buccaneers if they are to consolidate their current 4th place in the league standings. Former Dudley ride James Sarjeant will be making his official debut for the Buccaneers, the youngster released by the Heathens in favour of Mickey Dyer earlier this season, rode for Bournemouth in their away victory at Rye House but that was a guest appearance.
Sarjeant will be joined by fellow debutant Danny Stoneman in the reserve berths with their third ‘new’ face, Jerran Hart spearheading the Buccaneers side
A double winner in 2009 Hart is a proven points scorer and team manager Garry May is hoping that the re-introduction of Hart to the side could bolster the Buccaneers as they bid to defend their league title.
Like the Buccaneers the Heathens also acted swiftly in snatching up a Mildenhall rider, Barrie Evans joining them as a replacement for the injured Jon Armstrong, and making what will now be his debut for the club.
On Friday night the Buccaneers head west for a tough clash against the Plymouth Devils, Stoneman’s former club and the venue at which Hart romped to a massive 21 point cup maximum last season.
Plymouth no doubt will be celebrating the NDL Pairs success of Nicki Glanz and Mark Simmonds who won the title last Saturday at Newport.
Team News: Bournemouth: J.Hart, A.Baseby, K.Howarth, M.Baseby, J.Brundle, J.Sarjeant, D.Stoneman
Dudley: L.Smart, M.Dyer, T.Perry, J.Anderson, B.Evans, A.Morris, R.Franklin
Plymouth: N.Glanz, J.Pickard, M.Bates, S.Stephens. M.Simmonds, D.Gough, B.Reade
Bournemouth: J.Hart, A.Baseby, K.Howarth, M.Baseby, J.Brundle, J.Sarjeant, D.Stoneman
Read More →
Bournemouth Buccaneers have made significant team changes as they look to take advantage of their ‘back door entry’ into a play-off position following the withdrawal of Mildenhall from the National Development League for the remainder of the 2010 season
By pulling out of the league their records have been expunged which meant Bournemouth moved into 4th place and it also made 2009 Buccaneer Jerran Hart available, an option that attracted team managers Garry May and Neil Vatcher.
They have announced that Hart will rejoin Bournemouth for the remainder of the season along with James Sarjeant and Danny Stoneman a reshuffle that sees Karl Mason, Daniel Halsey and John Resch step aside.
Team manager May said “We have been given a real opportunity now to make the play-offs and once in it we would certainly want to go all the way. Jerran is a proven points scorer home and away and we felt that we just couldn’t overlook the chance to bring him back. He is really keen to come back to Bournemouth and try and play his part in us defending our league title. That said, it is hard on Karl, Dan and John who, because of the averages become victims of circumstances and it was not the sort of news we really wanted to break to them. Other teams are making changes too in an effort to strengthen up and we could ill-afford to miss the boat. Giles Hartwell and Matt Ford are both 100% behind us with these changes and that is good to know that we have their total backing. It is going to be a really tough run-in for us now. We need to maintain our proud home record and also look to gain something from our matches at Plymouth and King’s Lynn.
Bournemouth’s new declared 1 to 7 will be Jerran Hart 9.50; James Brundle 8.58; Kyle Howarth 6.94; Mark Baseby 6.93; Aaron Baseby 4.00; Danny Stoneman 3.00; James Sarjeant 3.00
Read More →
Bournemouth Buccaneers had three unbeaten riders as late as heat 10 as they hit the Dudley Heathens hard from the off in their National Development league, but the Heathens recovered well and claimed a valuable league point that moved them to joint top of the league and left Bournemouth still perilously poised in 4th place, 5 points ahead of Rye House who have 4 matches in hand.
Lee Smart, himself beaten when on a tactical ride by Mark Baseby was the first Heathens to upset James Brundle unbeaten run with a vital heat 11 victory and then he inflicted the same agony on Jerran Hart, who was returning to the Bournemouth fold and had three hugely impressive race wins to his name, when the pair met in heat 13.
One heat later Mark Baseby’s unbeaten sequence was broken when tactical rider Jake Anderson claimed a race win that putshed the Heathens into grappling distance of the consolation away point – leaving the visitors needing a 5-1 to do so, a mission that Anderson and Smart accomplished with style.
Speaking about the fightback of the Heathens, the Buccaneers team manager Garry May said “I am not that surprised to be honest. I have been watching their results and they are renowned for being strong finishers. I have to say that I really feared our 100% home record was going to be lost tonight but the new guys came in and all did their bit. James (Sarjeant) scored well and being against his old club will have pleased him no end, that’s for sure. Danny (Stoneman) gained that valuable paid win to start with and Jerran did what we knew he was capable of. That said, I would like to stress the point that making the changes was no easy task and we really didn’t want to break up the team that we started with but we want to defend that league title and we just fel that they we needed a little more impetus at this stage of the season. We still have a lot of work today, especially as we dropped a point tonight, but like I said it could have been worse. Dudley are a good side and deserved something for their efforts. It just means that our meeting at Plymouth on Friday becomes even more crucial for us to try and come away with a point from their. That will be tough though.”
Scorers: Bournemouth 50 M.Baseby 12 (3,3,3,2,1); J.Hart 11 (3,3,3,2,0); J.Brundle 9+1 (3,3,2,1′); J.Sarjeant 8+3 (3,2′,1,1′,1′); K.Howarth 6+2 (2′,0,2′,2); D.Stoneman 2+1 (2′,0,0); A.Baseby 2 (0,1,0,1)
Dudley 45 L.Smart 14+1; J.Anderson 14; A.Morris 8+1; M.Dyer 6+1; B.Evans 2; T.Perry 1+1; R.Franklin 0
League Points awarded: Bournemouth 2 Dudley 1
Read More →
Bournemouth Buccaneers head west on Friday (13th August) for a vital National Development League fixture against Plymouth Devils that could help cement their play-off position.
Facing the National League pairs winners – Nikki Glanz and Mark Simmonds – Bournemouth will need to be firing on all cylinders if they are to come away with any league points from this meeting. The Devils themselves lay 7 points behind Bournemouth having been moved up a place following further distress for the Rye House Cobras who had their July result at Scunthorpe amended from an away win by more than 6 points to an away defeat by less than 7 points after fielding an ineligible rider in the form of Tyson Nelson. The Australian had score 17 points on the night but was not in possession of the necessary paperwork to make his appearance legitimate under the Regulations. The outcome of that result change has seen the Cobras lose a further 3 league points, the club having already been hit by the expunging of the Mildenhall results recently once the Fen Tigers confirmed their cessation of activities at West Row for the remainder of the season.
Whilst that provides additional breathing space for Garry May’s Buccaneers the Bournemouth team manager is stressing that the fortunes of last year’s league and cup double winners rest firmly in their own court. “We have got to pick up as many of the league points as possible and keep our destiny in our own hands. A win at Plymouth won’t be an easy task, just look at their home results this season they have won four of their 8 matches by more than 20 points, two of those coming in their last two meetings. We need to upset that sequence, and do a Newport, who won there by 7 points.”
Undoubtedly May will have his fingers crossed that his new number one Jerran Hart can replicate the form he showed at St Boniface Arena last year. A 21 point maximum in a cup visit and an 18 point maximum in the play-off final is a record that few visiting riders will be able to boast about, but there will also be an eye or two cast in the direction of young reserve Danny Stoneman who returns to the club where it all began for him in 2007. Having scored 29 points from 15 appearances last season he was released by the Devils at the start of this year , moving to his first Dorset club Weymouth before being snapped up by Bournemouth.
Team news:
Plymouth: N.Glanz, J.Pickard, M.Bates, S.Stephens, M.Simmonds, D.Gough, B.Reade
Bournemouth: J.Hart, A.Baseby, K.Howarth, M.Baseby, J.Brundle, J.Sarjeant, D.Stoneman
Read More →
Top
