Split

I also remember seeing a rider named Vladimir Sokolov top scoring for the Soviet Union in a test match against Great Britain at Wimbledon in the mid 60's, outscoring his more famous teammates.

I think my previous post on the short stay thread actually belongs here: He remained in Britain until 1971, riding for Wembley Lions so it was certainly not a "short stay" for Sverre Harrfeldt. But I thought I would mention that I saw the Norwegian make his debut for Wimbledon in 1963. I recall he rode an introductory lap around the track carrying a Norwegian flag before the meeting. He moved on to West Ham and I believe Olle Nygren went in the opposite direction in a swap deal. At West Ham he was undoubtedly a world class performer recording two ten plus average seasons and finishing runner-up to Barry Briggs in the 1966 world final.

He remained in Britain until 1971, riding for Wembley Lions so it was certainly not a "short stay" for Sverre Harrfeldt. But I thought I would mention that I saw the Norwegian make his debut for Wimbledon in 1963. I recall he rode an introductory lap around the track carrying a Norwegian flag before the meeting. He moved on to West Ham and I believe Olle Nygren went in the opposite direction in a swap deal. At West Ham he was undoubtedly a world class performer recording two ten plus average seasons and finishing runner-up to Barry Briggs in the 1966 world final.

Reg rode in the first race I ever saw which was at New Cross back in 1960. He fell which is no surprise on that rainy night. He was a second string to captain Split Waterman in that New Cross team but went on to attain heat leader status at Wimbledon and rode in the 1965 World final.

I once got a birthday card from the family with Les McGillivray's picture on the front. He had a very distinctive riding style and I recognised him straight away.

Sad to see another world finalist is no longer with us. Condolences to the family. I remember watching Ian load his bike after a meeting and thinking that his handlebars were the widest I had ever seen on a speedway bike.

Eight for me too which is no surprise as I know we started watching speedway at about the same time. I would have nine if I had attended the 1960 world final as I could add Hofmeister to the list.

Born in Tasmania. So, can anybody tell us why he became a naturalised New Zealander?

When I went to school it was called 'rounders' and only played by girls.

I believe that Hans Wasserman, a German rider who appeared for Reading back in the 70's was nicknamed Split, Wassermann being the German translation of Waterman.

It's interesting that Murray Briggs assumed the surname, Burt. He obviously didn't want to be confused with Wayne

Zenon Plech was undoubtedly a world class rider and would have been worthy of the title of World Champion. Szczakiel simply got it right on the night and things just fell (no pun intended!) into place. I don't think I'm alone in thinking that riders like Szczakiel and Müller would never have been crowned World Champions if they had been competing in the present Grand Prix format where consistency is essential.

I happened to be looking though the results of past world finals and picked up the name of Ukrainian, Grigory Khlinovsky finishing at number 5 in 1973. He had 10 points from his first four starts and but for an exclusion in his last race, might have finished up with 13 points and ridden in a three man run-off for the title. He had beaten the eventual World Champion in a previous heat so it's not impossible that he would have repeated that feat that in the run-off. Grigory Khlinovsky is certainly not a name that we see mentioned often but if he had not been excluded in heat 19, who knows?

I remember seeing Stan ride regularly, for New Cross in their provincial days and later for West Ham. Glad to see that after surviving that awful Lokeren disaster, he's made it to 90 years of age - Happy Birthday Stan!

Maybe we should go back before1965 and discuss the home track advantage Wembley riders like Tommy Price and Freddie Williams had at the World final.

Thanks for the prompt response! Strangely (without double-checking the entries), I thought the bio was correct and that the world final appearance was an error. I've always thought Dick Fisher only came good in the mid 60's having been considered a second string at Belle Vue with Craven, Johnstone and Duckworth the heat leaders. As you rightly say though, he definitely rode in the 1956 world final and with a C.M.A of 8.40, he finished 9th in the National League averages that year.

In Wikipedia's results for the 1956 World Championship final, Dick Fisher is shown as finishing 12th with 5 points. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1956_Individual_Speedway_World_Championship In his Wikipedia bio he is shown as only having ridden in the 1963 and 1964 finals. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_Fisher_(speedway_rider) Can anybody clarify this?

Like Norbold, I saw my first race at New Cross but a few months later in September 1960 when Wimbledon were the visitors. The race finished Moore, Tebby, Waterman, Luckhurst (fell) and I think that sadly, only Reg is still with us. I wonder how many people have seen the reigning world champion win the first ever race they ever saw. Okay, Ronnie Moore did relinquish the title when he was runner up to Ove Fundin at Wembley a few days later.

Not sure on which thread I should post this but anyway .... In the link below it states that, "The very first oval earth track, purposely built for motorcycle racing, in Scandinavia and most likely in Europe opened in Bagsvaerd, a suburb north of Copenhagen in 1920." I know that it’s generally accepted that the “first speedway meeting ever” was held at the West Maitland Showground in Australia in 1923. So, it’s possible that the style of racing at this Danish track was not speedway as we know it. However, according to Wikipedia, Morian Hansen stated riding in 1928 so presumably there were Danish riders before him. http://speedwaylife.com/danish-tracks/history/

My mother was at New Cross when the great Tom Farndon was fatally injured so she was there well before 1946

You'll find "The Complete History of the Speedway / Wills / Embassy Internationale by Robert Browne" here: https://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/wimbledoninternationale.pdf

Briggs, Craven, Knutson, Fundin.

My first world final was 1962 won by Peter Craven. It was the one that featured four of the "big five" in heat six. They ended up as the top four on the night although not in order they finished that race. The other member of that illustrious quintet (Ronnie Moore) finished joint fifth.

Just noticed that there are seven swedes in the top twenty and three of them won the World Championship with one runner-up. Maybe it's the saunas that keep them fit and well.

I recall a mechanics' race being part of the end of season fun at Wimbledon. The time in the programme was shown as Hours ... Minutes ...