Jean Landru (France)

[Guest]

Elsewhere in YEARS GONE BY there has been much debate regarding the suggestion that Jean Landru (France) won a Buffalo Stadium, Paris, staged world championship in 1934.

It has been proven elsewhere that he DID NOT win any event classified as a World Championship. His main and only recorded major success was in some form of open championship in Paris that year.

In post-war seasons Landru was a member of the Victor Boston proved speedway touring group,  It would appear that Boston who had worked on the pronotioal side pre- and post-war for speedway, midget car racing and stock car racing at the Buffalo Stadium later established his own speedway tour group. This basically featured French, British, Australian and Spanish riders. Landru was among the French riders and the possibility is that Boston recalling his 1934 achievement elevated that success to a 'world championship.'

Indeed, in an article in 'The Voice' some years ago British rider Peter Rogers who spent several seasons with the Boston troupe mentioned he had met and competed against 'former world champion Jean Landru.' Sadly, that erroneous statement has been quoted (myself among them) many times. I now accept that I was wrong to have done so and accept that Jean Landru never won any 'unoffcial'speedway world championship in the early 1930s.

 

Edited February 8, 2020 by Guest

[iris123]

It is possibly not unique for a rider to be mentioned as a former world champion. Some years back I talked with post war German rider Dannmeyer and I got onto the subject of Alfred Rumrich. Dannmeyer told me he was competing at a meeting in Denmark where Rumrich made an appearance and was greeted as  ‘ World champion’....whether this was a misunderstanding on the promoters part or on Dannmeyer’s I have no idea

Edited February 8, 2020 by iris123