A trip north and a bridge with a difference...

A few days ago myself and friend H decided to take a trip to Middlesbrough to see our Ipswich Witches boys take on the Redcar Bears in a Premier League Speedway meeting. The Witches have not had the best of starts really, with the team failing to gel and meetings being lost as a result, so we felt some trepidation ahead of our 235 mile journey, although with a decent weather forecast for the other end, for a change rain was the least of our worries! We were bolstered too by two wins away from home for the team in the previous few days, giving us at least a little help!

We set off at 1pm, car loaded up with plenty of snacks, sweets and drinks to keep us going, and allowing plenty of time in case of delays. So much time, in fact, that by 5pm we'd found the track and were able to head off on my other mission of the day - to see the Middlesborough Transporter Bridge. I'd read plenty about this, but never actually seen it, so as I said to H when we decided on the trip - I'm not going that close to the thing and not going for a look!"

 Impressive, isn't it? A remarkably simple way of overcoming the challenge of needing to allow people and vehicles to cross the river, whilst still maintaining a channel for large vessels to pass beneath. The passengers are carried on a suspended platform - or gondola - with cables connecting it to the trolley that allows it to travel across the gantry at the top - you can just see the cables to the right of the picture below...

...and a better view still in this one...

I just loved its cheery blue and yellow colours too! Imagine having to travel on that as part of your daily commute?!  Pictures taken, we headed back in the direction of the track ready for the speedway - straight to the pits and a nice natter with Ipswich team manager Pete Simmons who determinedly stated that we were going for the win, which was good, because as we said, that was what we'd travelled for! A nice surprise when we discovered that the meeting referee was an old friend too, so more chat with him, before it was time for them to head off and do their relevant jobs, and for us to head for the terraces. A far more determined looking Ipswich side took to the track - we were pleased to see it, even though it did look for a while with the mist coming in off the river that we weren't going to get the meeting through to its end...

Dodgy quality picture from my phone...

Thankfully it never got any worse than that, and we were delighted to end up on the winning side - the 10 or so Witches fans who had made the journey were extremely satisfied with having done so! Well done boys! The night was wrapped up with a nice smooth trip home as well - just under 4 hours and we didn't stop from leaving the track to getting home! Great trip, good company, an item ticked off my "must see" list, and a witches win!

Robyn

Sideways.....

I finally got to my first speedway of the season last night. Due to a combination of the trackworks at Ipswich being delayed by the bad winter weather, and Easter falling slightly earlier this year, I missed our first three meetings. Usually I get one or two in before scarpering to the Hebrides - this year I had to be content with Press Day until we got back. Last night saw the Eastbourne Eagles visiting, and the night ended with a narrow win for the Witches. The new track is excellent - and from my point of viewstill a brilliant place for photos, although inevitably it will take a bit of time to get fully used to it.  All in all it was great to be back and see everyone again - lots of news (gossip!) to catch up on too!

Robyn

Speedway!

A quick shot from Press & Practise today....

Robyn

Welcome....

To the start of a new speedway season. We had our press and practise day at Ipswich today - for the first time this was not open to the general public due to Health & Safety restrictions relating to the stadium. As the main photographer for the official website though, thankfully I still got to attend - excellent for me as it means a sneaky-peek at the new riders, racesuits etc as well as the chance to get a bit of practise shooting action stuff before the season kicks off.

Our team has a fairly familiar look to it this year - with Piotr Swiderski, Tobi Kroner and Jarek Hampel all back from last year, plus the return of "old boys" Leigh Lanham, Carl Wilkinson and Danny King, the only true new faces are Pole Dawid Stachyra and Aussie Kozza Smith - both of whom can be seen kneeling at the front of the picture above.  Nice to see the return of a retro-look to the racesuits too, with the red/white/blue flash round the right knee and the stripes round the arms being a nod both to long term promoter John Louis and to the fact that 2009 marks the 40th anniversary of speedway returning to Ipswich. There is a good, positive feel to the team, with everyone speaking of aiming high and finishing higher up the table than last year's fourth place.

Now I've got the smell and sound of this wonderful sport again I'm looking forward to the season - bring it on!

Robyn

Time to experiment a little...

No action this week at Ipswich, but I thought I'd post up a speedway pic anyway, with some background explaining how a "regular" night at Ipswich goes for me. I leave work as early as I can get away with, but realistically about 5.15 - 5.20pm. Hot-foot it up the A12 to get to the track as early as possible, and generally arrive at Foxhall Heath, home of the Witches, at around 6.45pm. First stop is off to get myself a quick bite to eat, checking in with my contact on the supporters club committee on the way to find out a little bit of info about the nights meeting mascot - are they nervous, is it a special occasion like a birthday, that sort of thing. Then it's down to the pits to get my kit sorted out and get a feel for the way things are going to go that evening. At about 7.15pm Nicola joins me along with the mascot for the night (they are usually between about 5 and 14 years old) and we spend a few minutes getting the kiddie at their ease if nervous, or calmed down if overexcited, before one of us goes off to round up their favourite rider for the first photos. The lads are all very good about it - and there's always time for a few quick words with the child whose big night it is before they have to get back to business. The tension then starts to rise - final adjustments are made to both bikes and cameras, before the riders hit the track for the pre-meeting parade, and we head off to the centre green. The riders line up for introduction to the crowd but prior to that it's the all-important coin toss to decide starting positions for the meeting - the two team Captains link up with the mascot for another photo and it's time for me to get it right - not something that can be re-done this one, no pressure or anything! A bit of banter with our Captain - Chris Louis - when I let the opposing skipper know that there will be two photos taken "Yeah, the first one never comes out does it!" jeers Chris with a grin, always making the mascot laugh which makes for a nice shot! Then the Mascot tosses the coin before it's helmets on for the warm up. Nicola and mascot head away out through the pits and I grab my bag and leg it down the centre green to change lenses and settings and get ready for the start of racing. I have "starting point" settings for speedway which I default to although these tend to get "tweaked" as the night wears on. Heats 1 - 4 are the most important for me - to make sure I get at least one clear action shot of each of the witches riders as early in proceedings as possible takes concentration but is essential before they get dirty with shale. Once I know I've got those in the bag then it's time to relax a bit - up to the interval (usually heat ten or thereabouts) it's a case of watching for any "handbags" with elbows flying as the riders jostle for positions, hopefully no crashes but got to be ready just in case, and generally reinforcing the action stuff with different angles, shooting positions etc. The crowd on the terraces know when the interval is even before it's announced as those of us on the centre immediately start heading for the pits as the riders cross the line. Time to go and see Pat in the tea-room for a much welcomed cuppa and, if we're lucky, a ginger nut or two! I usually spend the heat after the interval in the pits - saves me having to gulp down my tea and it's nice to get a feel for how things are with the lads. If I'm lucky there is space at the pit gate - the Poles usually shuffle along to make room for me and I watch the race from there - Robert says something unrepeatable in Polish as one of our reserves takes a tumble on the third bend, as the red lights come on the team all pour out of the pits to see if he's OK.....
Back out on the centre for the final few heats and for me this is time to play about a bit - hence the posted picture. I like to try to get something a bit "different" - the shot above was with the flash turned off, and shot at 1/80th, f2.8. Heat 15, and either jubilation all round as the witches rack up some vital points, or crestfallen faces and a downbeat atmosphere if things haven't turned out so well. For me it's time to get packed up before heading up to the bar for a bit of a gossip and the "post mortem" on the meeting. Then it's home (about an hour and a quarter for me!) and time for bed - none too soon!

Robyn