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World Champions That Never Were


Snyper1010

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I'm not convinced at all regarding Sanders in '83. Other than second place in Norden, what else did he do that year? There's more of a case, I would say, for Nielsen, Gundersen, Lee, Sigalos or maybe Carter.

 

Just to answer my own question, Sanders was white hot in the 1983 World Pairs Final as well as finishing runner-up in Norden. So he's a contender - along with Nielsen, Gundersen, Lee, Sigalos and maybe Carter.

 

I think '83 may be the hardest year of the lot to try to work out the winner (although 1936 is still causing problems :lol: ). Who would it have been in '83? I'm really not sure.

 

The contenders are:

* Hans Nielsen - won the Nordic and Inter-Continental Finals, was favourite heading into the World Final, would have probably finished runner-up in Norden bar an engine failure whilst leading Muller, and in great form for Birmingham all season.

* Erik Gundersen - won the BLRC at Belle Vue, scored a maximum in the WTC Final, and led Cradley to victory in the British League.

* Michael Lee - a move to Poole revitalised his career, finished third in the World Final.

* Dennis Sigalos - topped the BL averages with Ipswich.

* Kenny Carter - partnered Peter Collins to victory in the World Pairs Final, but not quite the rider he was in '82.

* Billy Sanders - the individual star of the World Pairs Final, finished second in Norden and registered an impressive average with Ipswich.

 

Six riders who COULD have won the '83 GP series, but no-one stands out...

 

All the best

Rob

Edited by lucifer sam
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Right, we've leapt forward a bit but I think it's time for people to nail their colours to the mast for 1964-1878. My own choices are:

 

....

1971 - Ivan Mauger

1972 - Ole Olsen

1973 - Ivan Mauger

1974 - Ivan Mauger

1975 - Ivan Mauger

1976 - Peter Collins

1977 - Ole Olsen

1978 - Ole Olsen

 

Well, since we're racing ahead, I reckon:

 

1979 - Michael Lee (and yes he would have been in it. In fact, he had an outstnading 1977 season and would have qualified for the 1978 GP series).

1980 - Dave Jessup

1981 - Bruce Penhall

1982 - either Bruce Penhall or Kenny Carter - discuss wink.gif

1983 - no outstanding candidate, probably Hans Nielsen but I could be persuaded elsewhere on this one

1984 - Erik Gundersen - IMO, this was his best year and I think it unthinkable that Erik wouldn't have won a single GP series

1985 - Hans Nielsen (Nielsen stepped up his game even further this season)

1986 - Hans Nielsen

1987 - Hans Nielsen

1988 - Hans Nielsen

1989 - Hans Nielsen

1990 - Hans Nielsen (Actually not Hans's best year by a long shot, I think Gundersen's accident was on his mind, but who else could have won a GP series this season? There isn't anyone!)

1991 - Jan O. Pedersen

1992 - Per Jonsson

1993 - Hans Nielsen (remember lay-downs would be allowed in the GP series and Ermolenko didn't have one icon_smile_wink.gif )

1994 - Hans Nielsen

 

All the best

Rob

My thoughts starting in 71 because that's where I can start adding personal recollection to interpretation of statistics.

 

71 - agreed - Mauger

72 - agreed Olsen

73 - Michanek - his form was stunning that season he won the following open meetings on British tracks (as well as topping the averages by a country mile): The Spring Classic (Wimbledon),

Manpower (Reading), Pride of the East (King's Lynn), Blue Riband (Poole), Golden Gauntlets

(Leicester), Brandonapolis (Coventry), Superama (Hackney), Champion of Champions

(Wolverhampton), Prince of Wales Trophy (Newport), Autumn Classic (Halifax), Brew XI

Trophy (Wolverhampton)

74 - Mauger agreed

75 - undecided I think it's a close call between Mauger and Collins, and I'm also taken by the Crump argument. As the GP appears to have benefited older riders I suspect that you may be right and Mauger's experience would have told in the end

76 - Collins agreed

77 - I think I'd go for Collins rather than Olsen, but it is a close call (and of course there is PC's broken leg)

78 - Olsen agreed

79 another tricky one - I think I'll go with Lee, but I'm tempted to put in a claim for Scott Autrey

80 - I just can't see Jessup winning. Lee is my choice again but Collins, Penhall and Nielsen wouldn't be far behind

81- Penhall of course

82 - although it pains me to say as I was firmly in the Penhall camp, my choice is Carter

83 - a really tough choice but I'm going for Sigalos (add his really impressive test scores v England to topping the averages)

84 - 90 Nielsen everytime but I am sure that Gundersen would have pipped him somewhere along the line. If everything went to form Gundo would have been second 5 years in a row (and would have been heading for 2nd in 89 ahead of Shawn Moran or Kelvin Tatum). I think Moran would have been 2nd in 1990 (assuming he wasn't stripped of his position through over-indulgence in cough medicine) Note that in 84 Nielsen was way ahead of Gudersen in the British averages, but that was due to the new tape touching rule - which didn't apply at FIM level.

91 Nielsen again with Jonsson second (Jonsson was second to Nielsen in Polish averages and topped Swedish averages with Nielsen second)

92 Jonsson agreed

93 Ermolenko not Nielsen In my view. He was just superb that year. As well as topping British averages by some distance he also topped Polish averages with Nielsen 2nd.

94 agree with Nielsen, but Jonsson might have been leading before his accident (Per topped Polish and British averages that season)

Edited by arnieg
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Well, since we're racing ahead, I reckon:

1983 - no outstanding candidate, probably Hans Nielsen but I could be persuaded elsewhere on this one

1984 - Erik Gundersen - IMO, this was his best year and I think it unthinkable that Erik wouldn't have won a single GP series

1985 - Hans Nielsen (Nielsen stepped up his game even further this season)

1986 - Hans Nielsen

1987 - Hans Nielsen

1988 - Hans Nielsen

1989 - Hans Nielsen

1990 - Hans Nielsen (Actually not Hans's best year by a long shot, I think Gundersen's accident was on his mind, but who else could have won a GP series this season? There isn't anyone!)

1991 - Jan O. Pedersen

1992 - Per Jonsson

1993 - Hans Nielsen (remember lay-downs would be allowed in the GP series and Ermolenko didn't have one :wink: )

1994 - Hans Nielsen

 

Sorry TNT, but I can't see Ermolenko ever taking a GP series. In Ermolenko's best domestic season (1993), Nielsen would have had the advanatage of being on lay-downs. Nielsen looked the fastest rider at the '93 World Final by quite a way.

 

All the best

Rob

Not surprising that you should have nailed your colours to the Nielsen mast. No arguing that he was the most consistent rider in most of the years above. However, in those days consistency didn't win you the World Title on the big night. Gundersen was able to peak for those 5 rides and thus got his 3 titles. I am sure if a different approach had been required then Erik would have adapted accordingly and would have been able to compete (and win) over a 6 round GP series.

 

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I think at one stage in the 80,s Bo Petersen was almost at this level, but more part of a team like Denmark, than an individual winner!

Not sure if he won any pairs or World team championship?

 

Bo Petersen's best year was probably 1980, when he almost led Hackney to the most unexpected British League win of all-time.

 

Bo was very inconsistent - he scored a maximum for Denmark in the 1984 World Team Cup, but failed to score in his other 2 World Team Cup Final appearances. :shock:

 

Any more for any more on the years 1928-1994. :wink:

 

All the best

Rob

 

 

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1940 - Arthur Atkinson

1941 - Jack Parker

1942 - Eric Chitty

1943 - Bill Kitchen

1944 - Vic Duggan

1945 - Vic Duggan

 

War Time years - a field for endless speculation....

Would all depend if they negotiated the German , Polish and Czech GP's without getting shot or captured .

 

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1940 - Arthur Atkinson

1941 - Jack Parker

1942 - Eric Chitty

1943 - Bill Kitchen

1944 - Vic Duggan

1945 - Vic Duggan

 

War Time years - a field for endless speculation....

 

Norbold, I think we can count out any European-based GPs during that period (large sporting events were banned in Britain, as they would have made perfect targets for German bombs) - the whole series would have taken in Australia. In which case, Vic Duggan would have been the dominant force. :wink:

 

OK, moving onto an idea suggested by Grachan. Having staged a GP series from 1928 to 1994, the FIM decide to shake up the championship by introducing a one-off final in 1995. Who would have won each year? :wink:

 

All the best

Rob

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Norbold, I think we can count out any European-based GPs during that period (large sporting events were banned in Britain, as they would have made perfect targets for German bombs) - the whole series would have taken in Australia. In which case, Vic Duggan would have been the dominant force. :wink:

 

OK, moving onto an idea suggested by Grachan. Having staged a GP series from 1928 to 1994, the FIM decide to shake up the championship by introducing a one-off final in 1995. Who would have won each year? :wink:

 

All the best

Rob

Think you will have to sort out the venues for those first Rob :rolleyes:

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Think you will have to sort out the venues for those first Rob :rolleyes:

 

Well fourtunately some FIM documentation from an alternative universe has just appeared through a wormhole in my bedroom and reveals the venues as follows:

 

1995 - Hackney, GB

1996 - Lonigo, Italy

1997 - Wroclaw, Poland

1998 - Prague, Czech Republic

1999 - Vojens, Denmark

2000 - Bydgoszcz, Poland

2001 - Cardiff, GB

2002 - Sydney, Australia

2003 - Stockholm, Sweden

2004 - Cardiff, GB

2005 - Bydgoszcz, Poland

2006 - Copenhagen, Denmark

2007 - Cardiff, GB

2008 - Bydgoszcz, Poland (after cancellation of Gelsenkirchen, Germany)

 

All the best

Rob

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Would all depend if they negotiated the German , Polish and Czech GP's without getting shot or captured .

 

 

Norbold, I think we can count out any European-based GPs during that period (large sporting events were banned in Britain, as they would have made perfect targets for German bombs) - the whole series would have taken in Australia. In which case, Vic Duggan would have been the dominant force. :wink:

 

 

All the best

Rob

I was assuming there would have been no War for the purposes of this.

Edited by norbold
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