It didn't take me long to bag my second match of the season.

Podebrady to Prague Main Station then metro to Muzeum change to metro out to Petriny.

Same location as the first but this time Czech League racing ( 1 Liga druzstev)

A four team tournament involving AK Marketa Prague, Junior CZ, Zarnovica and AMK ZP Pardubice.

The racing was decent if not spectacular a curious mix of 4 team tournament format and pairs.

The result can be found here :

http://www.speedway-prague.cz/prvni-ligu-vyhrali-jezdci-z-markety/

The top Czech riders don't compete at this level so it is a mix of very experienced and very young riders.

Jan Kvech had been picked to ride as the Czech Republic under 21 reserve for the Speedway of Nations, so it was an opportunity to see him perform.  He didn't drop too many silly points but it is difficult to gauge where he sits in comparison to other up and coming riders on the continent e.g. how does he fair against the young Poles?  

So finally the first meeting of my speedway season.  Not a bad choice and ultimately a very enjoyable meeting, once it got going.

Our day started with a train from Podebrady into Prague Main Station (Hlavni Nadrazi).  A wee catch up with a few friends from Scotland.   Then tram 22 out towards the west of the city, jumped off at Brevnovsky Klaster.  A quick wander about the nearby Monastery and then round the corner and up to Marketa Stadium.

The last time I was in the stadium, probably 2003, it was reasonably basic with very little seating and few facilities.  That has since changed with the stadium fully seated and more food and drink outlets. There is no real cover but the weather is generally so warm and dry in Prague in summer there isn't really the need for it.

The meeting took a bit to get going but the second half of the meeting offered up some good speedway with the last and final heat being an absolute classic.  Freddie Lindgren (after upsetting Woffinden with a move on the first lap) stalked and passed Dudek on the line.

A wonderful way to end a great meeting.

A few more drinks at the stadium and then it was off via the metro.  Petriny to Muzeum and then onto Hlavni Nadrazi and train back to Podebrady.

Marketa was not a new stadium to me but still offered up a nice experience.  We sat in section B2 which was as you entered the first turn and it provided good viewing and a lively atmosphere.