BOBBATH Posted August 28, 2016 Report Share Posted August 28, 2016 Just heard from Reg Fearman that Ronnie died today. R.I.P. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted August 28, 2016 Report Share Posted August 28, 2016 My sincere condolences to the family and friends of Ronnie. He was a popular rider at Oxford and will leave many memories I am sure for those who remember him. RIP 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wessex Wanderer Posted August 28, 2016 Report Share Posted August 28, 2016 Sad news. Always a very popular rider. RIP Ronnie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucifer sam Posted August 28, 2016 Report Share Posted August 28, 2016 RIP Ronnie Genz - a true Oxford Cheetahs legend. All the best Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobC Posted August 28, 2016 Report Share Posted August 28, 2016 A Poole legend, without any doubt. For those unsure of who he is, go to http://www.skidmarks1928.com/ , tap collections, then in search type in Ronnie Genz. Loads of images of a fine rider. RIP Ronnie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Split Posted August 29, 2016 Report Share Posted August 29, 2016 (edited) Ronnie was an integral part of that wonderful Oxford team of the 60’s. My sincere condolences to the family. Edited August 29, 2016 by Split 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucifer sam Posted September 6, 2016 Report Share Posted September 6, 2016 CHEETAHS’ LONGEST-SERVING RIDER PASSES AWAY OXFORD CHEETAHS’ legend Ronnie Genz has passed away at the age of 86. London-born Genz started his speedway career at New Cross in 1950, also racing for Wolverhampton and Yarmouth over the next few seasons. Ronnie moved to Oxford in 1954 and spent 11 successive seasons at Cowley, often as a leading light. He topped Cheetahs’ averages for the first time in 1955. Oxford moved up to the top flight for the first time in 1957. Ronnie, alongside Jack Biggs, led the Cheetahs’ charge, but he suffered an eye injury which affected him for the rest of his career. The Cheetahs were surprising National League contenders in 1960, before having to settle for third place in the table, behind the mighty duo of Wimbledon and Belle Vue (Manchester). Ronnie reached the penultimate stage of the World Championship in 1961, the British Final at Wembley, and narrowly missed out on claiming a place for the final in Malmo, Sweden. It was closest he came to reaching a World Final. The same year a serious injury to Cheetahs’ Danish superstar Arne Pander placed even more emphasis on the contributions of Ronnie towards the side. In 1964, new promoters Cyril Melville and Rodney Rycroft took over at Cowley. They brought in Ron How and Jimmy Gooch; and Cheetahs swept to a glorious treble of National League, National Trophy and Britannia Shield. During that season, Ronnie had found himself in hot water, after riding one meeting for Provincial League Exeter under the assumed name of ‘Reg Neal’. The Provincial League tracks were running ‘black’ after a dispute with the Speedway Control Board and Ronnie was fined £5 for his indiscretion. 1965 saw the formation of the British League, and the newly-formed Rider Control Committee ordered Genz to move away from Oxford to Poole. Nevertheless, he enjoyed one of the best seasons of his career, leading the Pirates’ averages on 9.45. After three seasons at Poole, Ronnie returned ‘home’ to Cowley in 1968, and once more topped the Oxford score-chart. He completely missed the 1969 season through injury, but was still a heat-leader on his return in 1970. Halfway through the 1971 season, Oxford wished to strengthen. However, a move for Belle Vue’s Tommy Roper was counter-balanced by the enforced release by the Rider Control Committee of Genz to Newport. Ronnie spent one-and-a-half seasons with Newport Wasps, before retiring from speedway at the age of 42. Genz scored 2740.5 points from 314 meetings across 14 seasons (1954-1964, 1968, 1970-71) for the Cheetahs. Long-time Oxford supporter and former Supporters’ Club treasurer Cliff Peasley said: “Ronnie was such a good rider for such a long time for the Cheetahs. “These days, he would have been granted a testimonial meeting for his lengthy service. “Apart from a couple of years, we had a pretty poor team for most of the years that Ronnie rode for Oxford, but he was always a strong scorer.” Genz lived in London in his later years. After a period of illness, he died over the Bank Holiday weekend. Oxford Speedway has lost another of its heroes. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOBBATH Posted September 7, 2016 Report Share Posted September 7, 2016 Ronnie repeated his 1961 feat of getting to the British final which was the penultimate hurdle for the World Final, by doing the same thing in 1965 when he got to the British Final again when it was also the last hurdle before the World Final. Great rider , sadly missed by all . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidney the robin Posted September 7, 2016 Report Share Posted September 7, 2016 Ronnie repeated his 1961 feat of getting to the British final which was the penultimate hurdle for the World Final, by doing the same thing in 1965 when he got to the British Final again when it was also the last hurdle before the World Final. Great rider , sadly missed by all ."BOBBATH" the British Final for me is heaped in great history means alot certainly to me but now it is down the pecking order.I went for the first time in 75 when Willy beat Ashby in a run off the crowd was huge great night the place buzzing going back to Ronnie Genz a very good rider indeed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.