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Oldest Surviving World Finalists


BOBBATH

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  • 1 month later...
On 7/12/2023 at 6:34 PM, chunky said:

Updated after the recent sad loss of Billy Bales, here is the COMPLETE list of surviving World Finalists. If you spot any mistakes, please don't hesitate to let me know.

01 - Arthur Payne - 28/08/23
02 - Chum Taylor - 04/04/27
03 - Ian Williams - 04/08/31
04 - Ove Fundin - 23/05/33
05 - Dan Forsberg - 25/03/34
06 - Josef Hofmeister - 17/06/34
07 - Brian Crutcher - 23/08/34
08 - Mike Broadbank - 25/09/34
09 - Barry Briggs - 30/12/34
10 - Aage Hansen - 13/04/35
11 - Gote Nordin - 02/07/35
12 - Bob Andrews - 27/10/1935
13 - Reg Luckhurst - 11/11/1935

14 - Sverre Harrfeldt - 23/11/1937
15 - Leif Larsson - 16/02/1938

16 - Bjorn Knutson - 27/04/38

17 - Rick France - 12/07/1938
18 - Gunnar Malmqvist - 25/12/1940

The #10 on the list, Aage Hansen of Norway has passed away this week on Wednesday, November 15, 2023.  

https://www.speedwaynorge.no/index.php/component/content/article/aage-hansen-er-dod?catid=10&Itemid=101

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23 minutes ago, Bavarian said:

The #10 on the list, Aage Hansen of Norway has passed away this week on Wednesday, November 15, 2023.  

https://www.speedwaynorge.no/index.php/component/content/article/aage-hansen-er-dod?catid=10&Itemid=101

Oh, that's so sad to hear. I know he was still very active on Facebook, but I haven't been on there for a few days. Thanks for that...

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  • 3 weeks later...

So, here is the current list, and hopegully there won't be any other changes this year. Must admit, it's nice to see four Dons at positions 9-12!

Looking at World Champions, I found this very interesting! Looking at how many surviving World Champions (World Fnals) were born in each decade, we find:

1930's - 3 (10 titles)
1940's - 3 (5 titles)
1950's - 5 (11 titles)
1960's - 4 (4 titles)
1970's - 1 (1 title)

01 - Arthur Payne - 28/08/23
02 - Chum Taylor - 04/04/27
03 - Ian Williams - 04/08/31
04 - Ove Fundin - 23/05/33
05 - Dan Forsberg - 25/03/34
06 - Josef Hofmeister - 17/06/34
07 - Brian Crutcher - 23/08/34
08 - Mike Broadbank - 25/09/34
09 - Barry Briggs - 30/12/34
10 - Bob Andrews - 27/10/1935
11 - Reg Luckhurst - 11/11/1935

12 - Sverre Harrfeldt - 23/11/1937
13 - Leif Larsson - 16/02/1938

14 - Bjorn Knutson - 27/04/38
15 - Rick France - 12/07/1938
16 - Gunnar Malmqvist - 25/12/1940

17 - Andrzej Wyglenda 04/05/1941

18 - John Louis - 14/06/1941

19 - Jim Airey - 19/08/1941
20 - Bengt Jansson - 09/01/1943
21 - Anders Michanek - 30/05/1943
22 - Trevor Hedge - 30/08/1943
23 - Terry Betts - 15/09/1943
24 - Howard Cole 29/12/1943
25 - Martin Ashby - 05/02/1944
26 - Jan Simensen - 26/07/1944
27 - Zygfryd Friedek - 19/10/1944
28 - Jerzy Trzeszkowski - 10/01/1945
29 - Eric Boocock - 02/02/1945
30 - John Boulger - 18/06/1945
31 - Hasse Holmqvist - 18/06/1945
32 - Jim McMillan - 03/12/1945
33 - Soren Karlsson - 23/10/1946
34 - Ole Olsen - 16/11/1946
35 - Ray Wilson - 12/03/1947
36 - Doug Wyer - 16/08/1947
37 - Grigori Khlinovsky - 11/11/47

38 - Egon Muller - 26/11/1948
39 - Christoph Betzl - 13/02/1949
40- Jiri Stancl - 18/11/1949
41 - Viktor Kuznetsov - 27/11/1949

42 - Georg Hack - 20/02/1950
43 - Marek Cieslak - 28/06/1950
44 - Alois Wiesbock - 31/07/1950
45 - Tommy Johansson - 21/10/1950
46 - Vladimir Gordeev - 30/11/1950

47 - John Titman - 26/01/1951
48 - Dag Lovaas - 25/02/1951
49 - Jan Verner - 03/03/1951

50 - Petr Ondrasik - 08/10/1951
51 - Phil Crump - 09/02/1952
52 - Henny Kroeze - 11/03/1952
53 - Valery Gordeev - 28/08/1952
54 - Dave Jessup - 07/03/1953
55 - Ales Dryml - 10/06/1953
56 - Scott Autrey - 09/07/1953
57 - Gordon Kennett - 02/09/1953
58 - Robert Slabon - 15/09/1953
59 - Peter Collins - 24/03/1954
60 - Larry Ross - 15/06/1954
61 - John Davis - 10/11/1954
62 - Finn Thomsen - 16/02/1955
63 - Mikhail Starostin - 24/02/1955
64 - Tommy Nilsson - 10/03/1955
65 - Jan Andersson - 07/05/1955
66 - Kai Niemi - 15/09/1955

67 - Jerzy Rembas - 18/04/1956
68 - Chris Morton - 22/07/1956
69 - Steve Bastable - 16/09/1956
70 - Bruce Penhall - 10/05/1957
71 - Karl Maier - 24/08/1957
72 - Roman Jankowski - 05/10/1957
73 - Bo Petersen - 21/02/1958
74 - Les Collins - 24/05/1958
75 - Mitch Shirra - 27/09/1958
76 - Michael Lee - 11/12/1958
77 - John Cook - 18/12/1958
78 - Richard Knight - 26/05/1959

79 - Dennis Sigalos - 16/08/1959
80 - Erik Gundersen - 08/10/1959
81 - Hans Nielsen - 26/12/1959

82 - Olli Tyrvainen - 11/01/1960
83 - Phil Collins - 02/06/1960
84 - Sam Ermolenko - 23/11/1960
85 - Rick Miller - 12/01/1961
86 - Jeremy Doncaster - 16/06/1961
87 - Tommy Knudsen - 09/11/1961
88 - Zoltan Adorjan - 15/11/1961
89 - Shawn Moran - 19/11/1961
90 - Peter Ravn - 16/03/1962
91 - Zenon Kasprzak - 10/05/1962
92 - John Jorgensen - 18/07/1962
93 - Antal Kocso - 22/12/1962
94 - Sandor Tihanyi - 28/04/1963
95 - Lance King - 13/08/1963
96 - Armando Castagna - 22/09/1963
97 - Kelvin Tatum - 08/02/1964
98 - Marvyn Cox - 11/07/1964
99 - Zdenek Tesar - 30/07/1964
100 - Mikael Blixt - 08/08/1964
101 - Paul Thorp - 09/09/1964
102 - Tony Olsson - 13/03/1965
103 - Gerd Riss - 17/03/1965
104 - Conny Ivarsson - 15/04/1965
105 - Simon Cross - 31/05/1965
106 - Bohumil Brhel - 10/06/1965
107 - Slawomir Drabik - 06/02/1966
108 - Per Jonsson - 21/03/1966
109 - Andy Smith - 25/05/1966
110 - Jan Staechmann - 05/06/1966
111 - Ronnie Correy - 08/11/1966
112 - Jimmy Nilsen - 16/11/1966
113 - Brian Karger - 09/02/1967
114 - Jan O. Pedersen - 27/07/1967
115 - Craig Boyce - 02/08/1967
116 - Troy Butler - 22/09/1967
117 - Piotr Swist - 20/06/1968
118 - Todd Wiltshire - 26/09/1968
119 - Gary Havelock - 04/11/1968
120 - Stefan Danno - 10/02/1969
121 - Martin Dugard - 18/05/1969
122 - Gert Handberg - 30/05/1969
123 - Chris Louis - 09/07/1969

124- Billy Hamill - 23/05/1970
125 - Greg Hancock - 03/06/1970
126 - Henrik Gustafsson - 14/08/1970
127 - Tony Rickardsson - 17/08/1970
128 - Mark Loram - 12/01/1971
129 - Tomasz Gollob - 11/04/1971
130 - Leigh Adams - 28/04/1971
131 - Josh Larsen - 12/05/1972
132 - Joe Screen - 27/11/1972
133 - Jason Crump - 06/08/1975

Edited by chunky
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  • 1 month later...
1 hour ago, BOBBATH said:

Now sadly Rick France drops off the list and Anrzei Wyglenda makes the top 16.

And I will be updating the list shortly...

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Here is the updated list after the sad passing of Rick France...

01 - Arthur Payne - 28/08/23
02 - Chum Taylor - 04/04/27
03 - Ian Williams - 04/08/31
04 - Ove Fundin - 23/05/33
05 - Dan Forsberg - 25/03/34
06 - Josef Hofmeister - 17/06/34
07 - Brian Crutcher - 23/08/34
08 - Mike Broadbank - 25/09/34
09 - Barry Briggs - 30/12/34
10 - Bob Andrews - 27/10/1935
11 - Reg Luckhurst - 11/11/1935

12 - Sverre Harrfeldt - 23/11/1937
13 - Leif Larsson - 16/02/1938

14 - Bjorn Knutson - 27/04/38
15 - Gunnar Malmqvist - 25/12/1940
16 - Andrzej Wyglenda 04/05/1941


17 - John Louis - 14/06/1941
18 - Jim Airey - 19/08/1941

19 - Bengt Jansson - 09/01/1943
20 - Anders Michanek - 30/05/1943
21 - Trevor Hedge - 30/08/1943
22 - Terry Betts - 15/09/1943
23 - Howard Cole 29/12/1943
24 - Martin Ashby - 05/02/1944
25 - Jan Simensen - 26/07/1944
26 - Zygfryd Friedek - 19/10/1944
27 - Jerzy Trzeszkowski - 10/01/1945
28 - Eric Boocock - 02/02/1945
29 - John Boulger - 18/06/1945
30 - Hasse Holmqvist - 18/06/1945
31 - Jim McMillan - 03/12/1945
32 - Soren Karlsson - 23/10/1946
33 - Ole Olsen - 16/11/1946
34 - Ray Wilson - 12/03/1947
35 - Doug Wyer - 16/08/1947
36 - Grigori Khlinovsky - 11/11/47

37 - Egon Muller - 26/11/1948
38 - Christoph Betzl - 13/02/1949
39 - Jiri Stancl - 18/11/1949
40 - Viktor Kuznetsov - 27/11/1949

41 - Georg Hack - 20/02/1950
42 - Marek Cieslak - 28/06/1950
43 - Alois Wiesbock - 31/07/1950
44 - Tommy Johansson - 21/10/1950
45 - Vladimir Gordeev - 30/11/1950

46 - John Titman - 26/01/1951
47 - Dag Lovaas - 25/02/1951
48 - Jan Verner - 03/03/1951

49 - Petr Ondrasik - 08/10/1951
50 - Phil Crump - 09/02/1952
51 - Henny Kroeze - 11/03/1952
52 - Valery Gordeev - 28/08/1952
53 - Dave Jessup - 07/03/1953
54 - Ales Dryml - 10/06/1953
55 - Scott Autrey - 09/07/1953
56 - Robert Slabon - 15/09/1953
57 - Peter Collins - 24/03/1954
58 - Larry Ross - 15/06/1954
59 - John Davis - 10/11/1954
60 - Finn Thomsen - 16/02/1955
61 - Mikhail Starostin - 24/02/1955
62 - Tommy Nilsson - 10/03/1955
63 - Jan Andersson - 07/05/1955
64 - Kai Niemi - 15/09/1955

65 - Jerzy Rembas - 18/04/1956
66 - Chris Morton - 22/07/1956
67 - Steve Bastable - 16/09/1956
68- Bruce Penhall - 10/05/1957
69 - Karl Maier - 24/08/1957
70 - Roman Jankowski - 05/10/1957
71 - Bo Petersen - 21/02/1958
72 - Les Collins - 24/05/1958
73 - Mitch Shirra - 27/09/1958
74 - Michael Lee - 11/12/1958
75 - John Cook - 18/12/1958
76 - Richard Knight - 26/05/1959

77 - Dennis Sigalos - 16/08/1959
78 - Erik Gundersen - 08/10/1959
79 - Hans Nielsen - 26/12/1959

80 - Olli Tyrvainen - 11/01/1960
81 - Phil Collins - 02/06/1960
82 - Sam Ermolenko - 23/11/1960
83 - Rick Miller - 12/01/1961
84 - Jeremy Doncaster - 16/06/1961
85 - Tommy Knudsen - 09/11/1961
86 - Zoltan Adorjan - 15/11/1961
87 - Shawn Moran - 19/11/1961
88 - Peter Ravn - 16/03/1962
89 - Zenon Kasprzak - 10/05/1962
90 - John Jorgensen - 18/07/1962
91 - Antal Kocso - 22/12/1962
92 - Sandor Tihanyi - 28/04/1963
93 - Lance King - 13/08/1963
94 - Armando Castagna - 22/09/1963
95 - Kelvin Tatum - 08/02/1964
96 - Marvyn Cox - 11/07/1964
97 - Zdenek Tesar - 30/07/1964
98 - Mikael Blixt - 08/08/1964
99 - Paul Thorp - 09/09/1964
100 - Tony Olsson - 13/03/1965
101  Gerd Riss - 17/03/1965
102 - Conny Ivarsson - 15/04/1965
103 - Simon Cross - 31/05/1965
104 - Bohumil Brhel - 10/06/1965
105 - Slawomir Drabik - 06/02/1966
106 - Per Jonsson - 21/03/1966
107 - Andy Smith - 25/05/1966
108 - Jan Staechmann - 05/06/1966
109 - Ronnie Correy - 08/11/1966
110 - Jimmy Nilsen - 16/11/1966
111 - Brian Karger - 09/02/1967
112 - Jan O. Pedersen - 27/07/1967
113 - Craig Boyce - 02/08/1967
114 - Troy Butler - 22/09/1967
115 - Piotr Swist - 20/06/1968
116 - Todd Wiltshire - 26/09/1968
117 - Gary Havelock - 04/11/1968
118 - Stefan Danno - 10/02/1969
119 - Martin Dugard - 18/05/1969
120 - Gert Handberg - 30/05/1969
121 - Chris Louis - 09/07/1969

122 - Billy Hamill - 23/05/1970
123 - Greg Hancock - 03/06/1970
124 - Henrik Gustafsson - 14/08/1970
125 - Tony Rickardsson - 17/08/1970
126 - Mark Loram - 12/01/1971
127 - Tomasz Gollob - 11/04/1971
128 - Leigh Adams - 28/04/1971
129 - Josh Larsen - 12/05/1972
130 - Joe Screen - 27/11/1972
131 - Jason Crump - 06/08/1975

Edited by chunky
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Sadly, Gordon Kennett needs to come off the list.

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On 1/26/2024 at 3:33 AM, frigbo said:

Sadly, Gordon Kennett needs to come off the list.

Sorry, don't know how I missed him. Thanks. Just scary to think of riders of his/my generation leaving us...

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On 1/29/2024 at 12:24 AM, chunky said:

Just scary to think of riders of my generation leaving us.

I only have to go down to Ray Wilson at number 34 to find a rider younger than I am - that's really scary! 

Edited by Split
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Split I am in an even worse shape than you, I gotta go to young Jim McMillan at #31. I can recall watching Jim's older brother, Bill, and seeing Jim starting out. Class bloke!! Wot about others of our generation e.g. Norbold, BL65 where would you rank!!

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