Re-live 3 Old World Finals 1981,1982,1987

[racers and royals]

A polish chap who regularly puts on you tube Polish matches has put on 3 old world finals.

Wembley 1981 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9kW8Ie8yko&list=PLLP7YA_mSetF6AniATMly-Vw9_QEHBD36

Los Angeles 1982 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrRVx26lfHI&list=PLLP7YA_mSetF6AniATMly-Vw9_QEHBD36

Amsterdam 1987 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iea-qDk2t-o&list=PLLP7YA_mSetF6AniATMly-Vw9_QEHBD36

 

Enjoy

 

[ColinMills]

i defy anyone who prefer little cardiff over this

[BangerBoy]

ahh memories

 

speedway as it should be

[stratton]

ahh memories

 

speedway as it should be

You can't say that BangerBoy, you will be accused of living in the past i agree i would have those days back in a shot.

[The White Knight]

ahh memories

 

speedway as it should be

I can do no more than concur with you.

 

Those were, indeed, the Days. :sad:

[waiheke1]

Wembley 81 - the last truly great world final (though the racing was better at odsal in 90)

 

LA - memorable only for the penhall/carter clash (thoughwhat a clash!)

 

Amsterdam - the first step towards gps.

 

What these meetings do show is how much better gp racing frequently is, and how gps dont have a third of the field filled of no hopers. People complain about harris, but look how far off the pace starostin fir exsmple is.

 

Loved the world finals, but dont know how people could look at the 82 or 87 finals and think that is better than what we have now.

[stratton]

Wembley 81 - the last truly great world final (though the racing was better at odsal in 90)

LA - memorable only for the penhall/carter clash (thoughwhat a clash!)

Amsterdam - the first step towards gps.

What these meetings do show is how much better gp racing frequently is, and how gps dont have a third of the field filled of no hopers. People complain about harris, but look how far off the pace starostin fir exsmple is.

Loved the world finals, but dont know how people could look at the 82 or 87 finals and think that is better than what we have now.

But there is a BUT eaces1? at the moment there is a bit of a closed shop, you said there were no hopers in the field then but they had the opportunity to get there.Are the likes of Jonsson,Bjerre,Harris,Holta,Lindgren,(ect) are they not no hopers in a way,they will never be world champion yet they get in year after year. Edited July 26, 2014 by sidney

[waiheke1]

There will always be riders in a world championship not good enough to be world champion, especially under a gp format where one brilliant night isnt enough.

But you csnt compare those riders - jonsson has a runners up medal to his name! - with the likes of starostin, kroeze, verner, dryml etc.

The list you have given is closer to the likes of Anderson, morton, shirra, cross riders good enough to make world final s but never getting close to winning it.

the "but" for me would be that no gp will match the atmosphere of the 81 wembley final or sheer drama of 82 - even the title deciding holder v pedersen clash in 12 wont get 10% of the ongoing debste the csrter/penhall clash still does. Wouldn't it have been better though - fairer at least - if the questuon of whether penhall or carter was best in the world in 82 had been settled over a season, snd not just one race?

[stratton]

There will always be riders in a world championship not good enough to be world champion, especially under a gp format where one brilliant night isnt enough.

But you csnt compare those riders - jonsson has a runners up medal to his name! - with the likes of starostin, kroeze, verner, dryml etc.

The list you have given is closer to the likes of Anderson, morton, shirra, cross riders good enough to make world final s but never getting close to winning it.

the "but" for me would be that no gp will match the atmosphere of the 81 wembley final or sheer drama of 82 - even the title deciding holder v pedersen clash in 12 wont get 10% of the ongoing debste the csrter/penhall clash still does. Wouldn't it have been better though - fairer at least - if the questuon of whether penhall or carter was best in the world in 82 had been settled over a season, snd not just one race?

Good points as usual, yes it would be better to decide over a season.My take is it takes a different quality to win a one off final and a different skill to win over a period in an ideal world wouldn't it be great to have both.It is not to be though, the series at the moment though is doing the sport proud great value great entertainment. Edited July 26, 2014 by sidney

[waiheke1]

And tbh I will often go on YouTube or pull out dvds of old world finals, will hardlt ever watch old gps.

Forgot to say, thanks to r@r for posting these links.

[chunky]

but look how far off the pace starostin fir exsmple is.

 

Starostin was never going to be a real threat, I admit, but in his defence, he had a nightmare trip to L.A. He lost all his gear, and ended up riding Brad Oxley's machinery.

 

Steve

[Gavan]

But there is a BUT eaces1? at the moment there is a bit of a closed shop, you said there were no hopers in the field then but they had the opportunity to get there.Are the likes of Jonsson,Bjerre,Harris,Holta,Lindgren,(ect) are they not no hopers in a way,they will never be world champion yet they get in year after year.

but at least over a season the best rider will become world champion.

 

If the world final was at Copenhagen Troy Batchelor would have been number one!

[The White Knight]

but at least over a season the best rider will become world champion.

 

If the world final was at Copenhagen Troy Batchelor would have been number one!

Surely THAT was the beauty of the Competition. Whoever was the BEST Rider on the night was the winner.

[stratton]

Surely THAT was the beauty of the Competition. Whoever was the BEST Rider on the night was the winner.

Was Loram the best over a season? also to even get into a one off final was tough especially getting through some of those tough british rounds(ie) British finals (with Briggs,Mauger,Moore in them.

[SCB]

But there is a BUT eaces1? at the moment there is a bit of a closed shop, you said there were no hopers in the field then but they had the opportunity to get there.Are the likes of Jonsson,Bjerre,Harris,Holta,Lindgren,(ect) are they not no hopers in a way,they will never be world champion yet they get in year after year.

Holta? The guy who made top 8 for about 7 seasons? Hardly fair including him. As for AJ, Harris, Bjerre and Lindgren if they are top 16 riders in the World they deserve to be there.

 

It's not a closed shop, its just the top 16 rider in the World doesn't change much form year-to-year and tbh I wouldnt expect it to.

 

Was Loram the best over a season? also to even get into a one off final was tough especially getting through some of those tough british rounds(ie) British finals (with Briggs,Mauger,Moore in them.

Loram was certainly top. Only other two rider with an arguement were TRick and Adams and we all know about Adams poor(er) GP form. He's a long way from being a contentious winner. Nicki 2003 was, based on all meetings a worse WC in 2003.

Edited July 30, 2014 by SCB

[Guest]

On the permise of a return to a one-off world final, how would qualifying rounds and the actual qualification system to find the finalists be established?

[waiheke1]

Not going to happen, though I would like to see a competition along those lines run alongside the gps.

If you had it, id look at doing it slong the lines of the old world chsmps. National chsmps to determine qualifiers to essentially four "quarter-finals" (overseas final, nordic final, two continental semi final s). Then inter continental and continental finals to determine world finalists (or whatever u call it).

Personally thats the format id like the European champs to take, would complement the gp series rather thsn being a rival to it.

[stratton]

Holta? The guy who made top 8 for about 7 seasons? Hardly fair including him. As for AJ, Harris, Bjerre and Lindgren if they are top 16 riders in the World they deserve to be there.

 

It's not a closed shop, its just the top 16 rider in the World doesn't change much form year-to-year and tbh I wouldnt expect it to.

 

 

Loram was certainly top. Only other two rider with an arguement were TRick and Adams and we all know about Adams poor(er) GP form. He's a long way from being a contentious winner. Nicki 2003 was, based on all meetings a worse WC in 2003.

Loram was a huge favourite of mine, remember him as a mascot also riding as a 16 year one of the most exciting riders i have ever seen.My point is in the year he won it,he did not win a round if i am correct? was just saying is that rule that was in place then did it give us the right winner who knows.?In my memory of the old WC only Jerzy Szczakiel and to a lesser exstent Muller were surprise winners generally the deserved winners won it not always in the right year though.

[The White Knight]

Loram was a huge favourite of mine, remember him as a mascot also riding as a 16 year one of the most exciting riders i have ever seen.My point is in the year he won it,he did not win a round if i am correct? was just saying is that rule that was in place then did it give us the right winner who knows.?In my memory of the old WC only Jerzy Szczakiel and to a lesser exstent Muller were surprise winners generally the deserved winners won it not always in the right year though.

Jerzy was a very good Rider at times. That was the problem 'at times'. He could end up with a Maximum - or - a Zero. You never knew what to expect...........................

[stratton]

Jerzy was a very good Rider at times. That was the problem 'at times'. He could end up with a Maximum - or - a Zero. You never knew what to expect...........................

I remember Ivan saying what a good rider Jerzy was, he respected his ability and he thought in 73 he was just as much of a threat as the darling of Poland Zenon Plech.