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Craven v Fundin


Sidney the robin

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I was there when Craven won his second world title at Wembley in 1962. Fundin was third that year and the two met in that famous heat 6 where four of the big five were involved. As well as being a rider of undoubted world class, Peter was also one of the most spectacular and universally known as "The Wizard of Balance".   

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Belle Vue  05 th Sept    1961 ( British match race championship) Peter 2.     -  Ove 1.                                Belle Vue   26 th April. 1961.    Golden helmet match race championship.       Peter 0. —   Ove 2.                                             Norwich.  28th April 1961.        GH              Peter 0. —.   Ove 2.                                                 Belle Vue. 26th May 1962.             GH.        Peter 2.    —.   Ove 0.                                          Norwich 15th April 1963.                  GH.         Peter 1.  ——.    Ove 2.                                                     Belle Vue 04th May 1963.                            GH.               Peter 2.  —.   Ove.0.                                                      Belle Vue.09th July 1963.                            GH.                           Peter 2. —    Ove 0.        (  PETER 9 -     OVE  7.   )        sadly Peter lost his life after his crash on the 20th September  Edinburgh.  1963.

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3 hours ago, Sidney the robin said:

Belle Vue  05 th Sept    1961 ( British match race championship) Peter 2.     -  Ove 1.                                Belle Vue   26 th April. 1961.    Golden helmet match race championship.       Peter 0. —   Ove 2.                                             Norwich.  28th April 1961.        GH              Peter 0. —.   Ove 2.                                                 Belle Vue. 26th May 1962.             GH.        Peter 2.    —.   Ove 0.                                          Norwich 15th April 1963.                  GH.         Peter 1.  ——.    Ove 2.                                                     Belle Vue 04th May 1963.                            GH.               Peter 2.  —.   Ove.0.                                                      Belle Vue.09th July 1963.                            GH.                           Peter 2. —    Ove 0.        (  PETER 9 -     OVE  7.   )        sadly Peter lost his life after his crash on the 20th September  Edinburgh.  1963.

The races at Belle Vue on 26th May 1962 were not for the Golden Helmet, they were described as challenge races in the programme.

Not forgetting the earlier clashes in the Golden Helmet:
Belle Vue 20/07/57 GH Peter 2 Ove 0.
Norwich 07/08/57 GH Peter 1 Ove 2
Southampton 20/08/57 Peter 2 Ove 0
Norwich 07/05/58 GH Peter 0 Ove 2
Belle Vue 31/05/58 GH Peter 2 Ove 0
Poole 09/06/58 GH Peter 0 Ove 2
Norwich 27/05/59 GH Peter 1 Ove 2
Belle Vue 03/06/59 GH Peter 1 Ove 2
Norwich 29/08/59 GH Peter 1 Ove 2
Belle Vue 05/09/59 GH Peter 2 Ove 1   (included in Sid's list as 05/09/61)
Peter Craven won the decider by default as Ove Fundin was unable to ride due to commitments in Sweden.

Additionally:

Oxford 09/05/63 Peter 2 Ove 0
Norwich 17/07/63 Peter 1 Ove 2
Wimbledon 29/07/63 Peter 0 Ove 2

That gives a total in the Golden Helmet races of Peter 20 Ove 23.


 

Edited by BL65
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8 hours ago, BL65 said:

The races at Belle Vue on 26th May 1962 were not for the Golden Helmet, they were described as challenge races in the programme.

Not forgetting the earlier clashes in the Golden Helmet:
Belle Vue 20/07/57 GH Peter 2 Ove 0.
Norwich 07/08/57 GH Peter 1 Ove 2
Southampton 20/08/57 Peter 2 Ove 0
Norwich 07/05/58 GH Peter 0 Ove 2
Belle Vue 31/05/58 GH Peter 2 Ove 0
Poole 09/06/58 GH Peter 0 Ove 2
Norwich 27/05/59 GH Peter 1 Ove 2
Belle Vue 03/06/59 GH Peter 1 Ove 2
Norwich 29/08/59 GH Peter 1 Ove 2
Belle Vue 05/09/59 GH Peter 2 Ove 1   (included in Sid's list as 05/09/61)
Peter Craven won the decider by default as Ove Fundin was unable to ride due to commitments in Sweden.

Additionally:

Oxford 09/05/63 Peter 2 Ove 0
Norwich 17/07/63 Peter 1 Ove 2
Wimbledon 29/07/63 Peter 0 Ove 2

That gives a total in the Golden Helmet races of Peter 20 

The record looks pretty impressive for Peter  BL  does it not ?

Edited by Sidney the robin
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2 hours ago, norbold said:

Incidentally, Ove was 88 on 23 May. And still as fit and active as ever.

Well Norwich has shut, but KL are looking for a No.1

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On 5/28/2021 at 12:07 PM, norbold said:

I suppose a lot of how we remember the riders is coloured by our early recollections of them. As you know, my first two speedway years were at New Cross. Fundin was a master of the Frying Pan and was virtually unbeatable (except for that one unforgettable night when Split Waterman beat him three times!). Ronnie Moore was also a top man at New Cross. Whereas for some reason, Peter Craven and Briggo (even though he rode for New Cross in 1960) never seemed comfortable on the track and were definitely behind Fundin and Moore. I didn't see Bjorn Knutson much, but after New Cross closed I moved across to West Ham, where Bjorn was the no.1. He was class personified and almost unbeatable at Custom House. So, in my memory from early days, I always put Fundin, Moore and Knutson ahead of Craven and Briggo.

One other class rider I should mention is Jack Young. He was, of course, well past his best in the early 1960s but at the end of the 1961 season, he took part in two individual championships at New Cross - the King of the South Cup and the Tom Farndon Memorial Trophy. He won them both, beating every one of The Big Five in the process. I felt very privileged to see Youngie as he must have been at his peak in the early 1950s. For just those two meetings, he turned the Big Five into the Big Six - and he was the best!

Like yourself we followed the Rangers, half hour walk from our Peckham home, until they closed in 63. Jimmy Squibb was good number 1. We then went to Wet Spam, because the great Knutson rode for them. Also Wimbledon and Ackney.

Still remember that fateful night when my dad came into my bedroom to say Peter Craven had been killed. Had his rosette on my wall. My first shale hero.

For me Fundin was the best I've seen. But moving to Swindon in 68, Briggo became my number 1. He was top rider for mid 60s I reckon.

Edited by auntie doris
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Mid 60s is quite a shout Doris about Barry but valid  ?.. but by 69 Ove was finished he was never winning another title.On another thread Craven has been mentioned before his death who knows what he would of done at the age of 36 out of all the old champions .Ove had the least chance of  winning a title .. Barry in 71/ 72 reievented himself and had every chance and was unlucky not to to capture another title.

 

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