customhouseregular Posted January 21, 2019 Report Share Posted January 21, 2019 Are there any members old enough to remember the first Scandinavians to ride here? I believe Morian Hansen (West Ham) was the first but I doubt any forum member saw him reide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andout Posted January 21, 2019 Report Share Posted January 21, 2019 Never saw him ride but I did meet him as a very young lad while he was talking to Ron Johnson at New Cross around 1960......I remember him as being about 10 feet tall!!!!! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
customhouseregular Posted January 22, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2019 I'm pretty sure Bjorn Knutsson was the first Scandinavian I saw, followed by Sverre and Olle Nygren. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
customhouseregular Posted January 22, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2019 3 minutes ago, customhouseregular said: I'm pretty sure Bjorn Knutsson was the first Scandinavian I saw, followed by Sverre and Olle Nygren. As an aside...the 1964 Easter meeting at Custom House, which included Knutsson, Fundin and Nygren attracted a crowd of 15,000. Happy days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted January 22, 2019 Report Share Posted January 22, 2019 The first Scandinavian I saw was Ove Fundin in my very first meeting, New Cross v. Norwich in 1960. He scored an 18 point maximum and ever since I have considered him to be not only the greatest Scandinavian of all time, but also the greatest rider full stop of all time. It's strange to think really that almost 60 years later we have become good friends and that his on-track ruthlessness and cuthroat attitude is equalled by his off-track gentleness and gentlemanly behaviour 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wealdstone Posted January 22, 2019 Report Share Posted January 22, 2019 Suspect it may have been Rune Sormander Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
customhouseregular Posted January 22, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2019 4 minutes ago, norbold said: The first Scandinavian I saw was Ove Fundin in my very first meeting, New Cross v. Norwich in 1960. He scored an 18 point maximum and ever since I have considered him to be not only the greatest Scandinavian of all time, but also the greatest rider full stop of all time. It's strange to think really that almost 60 years later we have become good friends and that his on-track ruthlessness and cuthroat attitude is equalled by his off-track gentleness and gentlemanly behaviour I expect, like me you were there to see him win his 5th. title Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted January 22, 2019 Report Share Posted January 22, 2019 34 minutes ago, customhouseregular said: I expect, like me you were there to see him win his 5th. title I was. I went to college in Norwich and although Norwich speedway had, of course, closed by then, I managed to persuade some of my friends who had never been to speedway to come and watch him and cheer him on as a Norwich legend. I didn't hold out much hope that he would win as he was past his best by then, but when he did, I had some very happy friends! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andout Posted January 22, 2019 Report Share Posted January 22, 2019 5 hours ago, wealdstone said: Suspect it may have been Rune Sormander May be wrong but I think Olle Nygren may have been just before Rune.....in 1951 for Harringay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ovalman Posted January 31, 2019 Report Share Posted January 31, 2019 First Scandanavian for me Ove Fundin won 1963 World Final. Bjorn Knutsson at West Am one of my favs. Fundin probably best ever rider IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Posted January 31, 2019 Report Share Posted January 31, 2019 The first Scandinavian I remember was Dag Lovaas in 74. My first speedway memory is of a rider in yellow leathers gliding effortlessly around the Wick. I remember how sad I was when he wasn't there the following year. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted February 1, 2019 Report Share Posted February 1, 2019 7 hours ago, Terry said: The first Scandinavian I remember was Dag Lovaas in 74. My first speedway memory is of a rider in yellow leathers gliding effortlessly around the Wick. I remember how sad I was when he wasn't there the following year. ...and we got to marvel at his silky style at Cowley in 1975! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Posted February 1, 2019 Report Share Posted February 1, 2019 5 hours ago, steve roberts said: ...and we got to marvel at his silky style at Cowley in 1975! You were the lucky ones! We got Christer Lofqvist as a replacement for Dag but he was a big disappointment. Missing meetings and refusing any offers of help with his equipment. Len Silver said that Christer took an instant dislike to him for some reason, although Hackney team-mate Ted Hubbard said he could've been suffering from his illness at that stage. He died a couple of years later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted February 1, 2019 Report Share Posted February 1, 2019 28 minutes ago, Terry said: You were the lucky ones! We got Christer Lofqvist as a replacement for Dag but he was a big disappointment. Missing meetings and refusing any offers of help with his equipment. Len Silver said that Christer took an instant dislike to him for some reason, although Hackney team-mate Ted Hubbard said he could've been suffering from his illness at that stage. He died a couple of years later. Yes I recall when 'The Rebels' visited Hackney in 1975 with Dag in the team we pulled off a tremendous win and Christer registered probably his best return for 'The Hawks' of 13 points. Highlights of that meeting are featured on the 'London Tracks' DVD...a great addition to my nostalgia collection. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Posted February 1, 2019 Report Share Posted February 1, 2019 7 minutes ago, steve roberts said: Yes I recall when 'The Rebels' visited Hackney in 1975 with Dag in the team we pulled off a tremendous win and Christer registered probably his best return for 'The Hawks' of 13 points. Highlights of that meeting are featured on the 'London Tracks' DVD...a great addition to my nostalgia collection. I've got all the Hawks/Kestrels books and dvd's. I'll have to buy this. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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