Just as 1965, with the merger of the National and Provincial Leagues, proved to be the launch pad for the emergence of an era of British (including NZ) success, so will 2008 signify the burial of British hopes.

In the very first truly international meeting the truly awesome Nicki Pedersen outshone all his rivals and he has been effectively excluded for riding for a British club. Not because of his nationality but because he is too good.

What do we have in his stead? Elite League clubs scrabbling for second (or third) strings from Polish, Swedish and Danish clubs, whilst a wealth of British talent languishes in the Premier League.

What sort of stupidity is this? The costs involved in shipping these fine riders from abroad back and forth from the North and the East is substantial. Why not increase the guarantees for British riders from the Premier to compete in the Elite and still be quids in?

If we continue to see Poles, Czechs. Russians, Slovenians etc competing for reserve berths in the Elite, how in heavens name are we going to breed the next generation of British world-beaters?  

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