oldace Posted September 20, 2013 Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 Today marks the 50th anniversary of the crash at Edinburgh that 4 days later would claim the life of one of Englands finest RIP the original PC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemini Posted September 20, 2013 Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 R.I.P Peter. Brilliant rider never forgotten. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheReturn Posted September 20, 2013 Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 For the young whipper snappers. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Craven Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waiheke1 Posted September 20, 2013 Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 those who were lucky enough to see him ride round Hyde Rd - which of the PCs ould you rate the better rider? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucifer sam Posted September 20, 2013 Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 RIP Peter Craven - my dad's favourite speedway rider. All the best Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmy jimmy Posted September 20, 2013 Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 Given he died 50 years ago and people still talk about him and the Belle Vue promotion still run a memorial meeting, must have been some rider. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheReturn Posted September 20, 2013 Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 Given he died 50 years ago and people still talk about him and the Belle Vue promotion still run a memorial meeting, must have been some rider. Two times World Champion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The White Knight Posted September 20, 2013 Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 Peter Craven - R.I.P. + The 'Wizard of Balance'. Still a Hero to me - and I never saw him ride sadly. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wealdstone Posted September 20, 2013 Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 I was there at both world championships he won. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BritPete Posted September 20, 2013 Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 (edited) Peter Craven was hugely popular at Swindon, and once, he equalled the track record (72.0secs.) twice in one meeting. I have put a typical action picture of him in my profile. Edited September 20, 2013 by BritPete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stratton Posted September 20, 2013 Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 Peter Craven was hugely popular at Swindon, and once, he equalled the track record (72.0secs.) twice in one meeting. I have put a typical action picture of him in my profile. Great rider his record speaks for itself,Style wise what balance how exciting was he to watch?He for me has to be the finest rider we have had with in my opinion Lee,and Collins just behind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BritPete Posted September 20, 2013 Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 (edited) Great rider his record speaks for itself,Style wise what balance how exciting was he to watch?He for me has to be the finest rider we have had with in my opinion Lee,and Collins just behind. I always looked forward to his visits to Swindon and anywhere else I saw him. He was by far the most spectacular of the big five. I like to think he was our best rider, maybe he was, but Peter Collins was also terrific. Edited September 20, 2013 by BritPete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stratton Posted September 20, 2013 Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 I always looked forward to his visits to Swindon and anywhere else I saw him. He was by far the most spectacular of the big five. I like to think he was our best rider, maybe he was, but Peter Collins was also terrific. He was Pete no doubt about it , Collins was a terrific rider at Hyde Rd especially, Mauger and Olsen were the only two who could beat him there at his peak regularly .Lee was just a talent who just burst on the scene, my way of thinking is at there best i personally think Lee would beat Collins more times than not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BritPete Posted September 20, 2013 Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 If Michael Lee had managed a full career, it could have been very different for him, but, as we all know................ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nw42 Posted September 20, 2013 Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 I always looked forward to his visits to Swindon and anywhere else I saw him. He was by far the most spectacular of the big five. I like to think he was our best rider, maybe he was, but Peter Collins was also terrific. Great picture Pete, I never saw him ride as I was only born in 1960. My first favourite rider was Soren Sjosten, apparently similar in stature to Peter Craven, definitely similar in style judging by the stills I've seen of Peter. I loved watching Soren, even at 10yrs old I reckoned if he could do it at five foot nothing it wouldn't be long before I was on the track myself, sadly my hopes dwindled. RIP Peter & Soren. Nice thread OP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wealdstone Posted September 20, 2013 Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 Great rider that Peter Craven was, personally I think Brian Crutcher was better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keepturningleft Posted September 20, 2013 Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 Fitting that an Englishman is poised to take the world crown at this time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BritPete Posted September 21, 2013 Report Share Posted September 21, 2013 Great picture Pete, I never saw him ride as I was only born in 1960. My first favourite rider was Soren Sjosten, apparently similar in stature to Peter Craven, definitely similar in style judging by the stills I've seen of Peter. I loved watching Soren, even at 10yrs old I reckoned if he could do it at five foot nothing it wouldn't be long before I was on the track myself, sadly my hopes dwindled. RIP Peter & Soren. Nice thread OP Peter Craven himself was just slightly above 5ft in height! I remember when Norman Wisdom was presenting the trophies at a Wembley final one year, he was a very short guy too,and Peter Craven and him were comparing their heights on the centre green! Also, Peter Craven, being so small, and riding at such an angle, prompted Ove Fundin to say in his book,that when leading him, he would sometimes have a glance behind him, and just see an "empty bike" as he put it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stratton Posted September 21, 2013 Report Share Posted September 21, 2013 Great rider that Peter Craven was, personally I think Brian Crutcher was better. Big shout that 'wealdstone, and Crutcher was top class his record does indicate that.Why would you put Brian in front of Peter? some might say at 29 Craven had still to reach his peak and maybe he could of won a couple more world titles. Great picture Pete, I never saw him ride as I was only born in 1960. My first favourite rider was Soren Sjosten, apparently similar in stature to Peter Craven, definitely similar in style judging by the stills I've seen of Peter. I loved watching Soren, even at 10yrs old I reckoned if he could do it at five foot nothing it wouldn't be long before I was on the track myself, sadly my hopes dwindled. RIP Peter & Soren. Nice thread OP Sjosten was a favourite of mine to,i still have his prize autograph and was lucky anough to see him ride quite a few times but unfortunately not at the great Hyde Rd.If you look back at the footage of Soren,s defeat of PC in 1974,Gothenburg that race with the camera work really shows how Soren,s style was quite similar to Peter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pugwash Posted September 21, 2013 Report Share Posted September 21, 2013 Remember him well at Hyde rd from my early teens. Made quite an impression. Bought an old bantam with my paper round money for 10 bob and rode it round a site of demolished prefabs thinking I was PC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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