European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - February 12, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                A Ter fit storting Gate drops the bikes scramble across the ice at a mile � minute. Aims by Brenda Hosier stiff writer the pop and snarl of  up motorcycles shredded the cold air As Lour bikers Clad in More protective equipment than a Knight ready to do Battle move to the  Lino. Tie riders look More like racing robots than men. They Wear helmets goggles vips is padding thick gloves and feel tipped shoes. A rubber casing guards the a leg from the thigh to just below the Shin. Numbers on Buir  and coloured Caps Over the helmets ire he Only distinguishing Marks. The starting line a they re off darting around the cold Gazett Oval in speeds As High As 75 Mph. Shards of ice Spray up into i he stands As the tires Wilh their 2bmm sled spikes grab and tear at every turn. Biker no. 11 overtakes his opponent on the next turn earning a Roar of approval Troni his fellow t Oun laymen. He s my Virdt Mai Era one of Bavaria s bust ice cycles vying for ii spot at Iho world championships in Budsin nil month. The 15 ice Rai frs repro Helm seven european inn Grifs Mil  Iril sunday to blast race around a -100 meter  on i i ice k t1  is rnorl1 popular in Europe than in ii  a but i to am Kriim Midi la Weir Way to  s ice a Indium. This sport is Awe Sunil said Steven Lem Lin. The  first a is i. Smi Iund la Spang Ahlarn a. I might go   in ,1 torn we motor Cycle but nol one that s on ice. No Way not on ice it s too  Wayne Brown a Corporal from c co 23rd engr in Hanau said i think it takes .1 Strong minded but to do this Type of thing but i in think in lakes one who s a bit crazy  i really Don t know said , i really think you Golta be nuts to race anything let alone race on  Lemelin and Brown were watching men fire choir czechoslovakian made bikes found the track at an average of 33 seconds per Lap about a mile a minute. Sometimes they crashed their bikes Inlo the barriers it the turns spilling and gliding across the ice. Four riders make up each heal of four laps. Points ire awarded from 3 to 0 according to their finish this Type of racing is fast compared to other types of racing where they do More laps said Lemelin. I d Tike to see More than four bps myself by the Lime you get Inlo it that  is  but Lemelin was t bored. There s always a lot of  he said. I just love the Way they can Lay Ihor bikes Down on the  ice racing bikes Are a Petulis i Lesi yid for the sport. 1 he front and rent lire Nave As i  is 300 spikes which must be inserted by . The spikes enable the riders to Lake those turns  m impressed Lemelin. Reg Thomas who Manam s the British racing team  preparing he ires can Mac til hours. It s All done by hand Thomas wed which Means each Hole is punched individually Kirifi it must leg fast make the cornering a site. Be in i he Correct place the from tire gets about 11 u spikes while the rear kits about 250. The amount varies according to Driver preference he said. Tie jaws bikes Are powered by iwo valve 5qo.cc engines and have handlebars that Are nol As wide As those of dirt track bikes. Most protrusions coming from the Bike s sides Are limited to allow belter omering. The cornering is done on the kit Side which explains the left knee padding. Trie padding usually a piece of tired allows the biker to make the turns smoothly without tearing up his knee. Thomas said the Best riders Are the czechs and the soviets the soviets proved him right lie first night taking the iwo top spots. Lee racing started in   said. Not i Only do they have the experience but they have the right weather for in. We in England Don l exactly gel the Best weather for training in this sport. When we do gel some Snow or ice it s   melted by the Imit we get packed up to go out in  Thomas said it s not a lucrative Spori ice racing does t pay All  m uth he said not even if you re the world Chii Impi. This is mostly a sport of Pride and Doiny it lice Iuse you enjoy  if it s dangerous and does t  thai Well Why pursue re Thomas said we admit Suitum l or Wys Aren t very to you know but most of them Rio it because they 8 Iii pts Magiline Lebr utry 11, i9b7