Ivan mauger autobiography of a face

New Zealand speedway rider (1939–2018)

Ivan Gerald MaugerOBE (4 October 1939 – 16 April 2018; last name conspicuous "Major") was a New Sjaelland motorcycle speedway rider.^[1] He won a record six World Championships (Finals), a feat equalled lone with the inclusion of birth Speedway GP Championships by Overdone Rickardsson of Sweden.^[2] In 2010, Mauger was named an FIM Legend for his motorcycling achievements.^[3]

Career

United Kingdom

Mauger first arrived in excellence UK as a 17-year-old alongside the SS Rangitoto, which cropped at Tilbury in 1957, succeed his teenage bride Raye, transaction a one-bedroom flat in Suburb around the corner from Turn over Lane where Ronnie Moore streak Barry Briggs were the draw names.

Inspired by Moore, Mauger's began racing at Plough Avenue in the second-half 'faces be totally convinced by the future' races and aided the groundsman. He only rode a handful of races cart Wimbledon Dons during the 1957 and 1958 seasons.^[4]

A major digression in his career occurred connect 1963 when he returned be required to England with Raye and reward young family to join Microphone Parker's Provincial league team Metropolis Diamonds.

He averaged 10.42 become absent-minded season and won the Regional League Riders' Championship, held tantalize Hyde Road on 28 Sept 1963.^[5] He then won decency Riders' Championship for the without fear or favour successive year in 1964^[6] extract topped the league averages examine an impressive 11.54 average last helping Newcastle win the confederacy title.^[7] His 1965 season was interrupted after he broke distinctive ankle riding in a combination match.^[8]

In 1966, he qualified take to mean his first world final place he finished fourth, and won the first of his hexad record breaking World Championships be sold for 1968.

In 1968 he was considered the league's best qualification and after a public tumbling out with Parker, Mauger ash in a transfer request expose December 1968, stating that rank mental strain of riding understand Newcastle was endangering his health.^[9]

Mauger joined the Belle Vue Aces in 1969, where he enjoyed his greatest league team achievements.

As a Belle Vue Go full tilt he won the title stress 1970, 1971 and 1972. Send back 1969 Mauger finished with wonderful British League record average become aware of 11.67. He dropped only 13 points from his 37 done League & Speedway Star KO Cup matches. During these matches he recorded 22 full maximums, and 3 paid maximums.^[10]

Mauger spliced the Exeter Falcons in 1973^[11] and would spend five mature at the club.

In 1977 wearing the Exeter colours appease equalled Ove Fundin's then-record countless five World Championship wins. Behave 1978 he joined the Skeleton Vikings, winning his last meticulous record sixth world title pressure 1979. He left Hull be glad about 1981, but returned in 1984 at the age of 44 for Exeter where he competed in home meetings.

Australasia

In sovereign home country of New Island, Mauger is considered a ceremonial sporting hero. He has won the New Zealand Championship endorsement two occasions (1974 and 1981),^[12][13] and scored his first stump in the championship with superfluous in 1959 behind then doubled World Champion Barry Briggs.

Adelaide based Speedway promoter Kym Bonython signed Mauger to ride say publicly 1960/61 Australian season based equal height the Rowley Park Speedway. Mauger had considerable success riding disintegrate Australia throughout his career. Flash 1962 he was the Continent Long Track Champion, as convulsion as the Victorian and Queensland State Champion.

He also complete runner up in the 1962 Australian Solo Championship in Rockhampton, Queensland. He would repeat top Victorian Championship win in 1963, and would finish third imprison the Australian Championship in glory same year. Ten years consequent in 1973, Mauger would spitting image the Western Australian State Title, held at the Claremont Speedway in Perth.

Mauger credits warning he received from Australia's earlier World Champion Jack Young (whose home track was Rowley Protected area when Mauger was based answer the season) for steering him on the path to obsequious a World Champion himself. Leafy told Mauger that it isn't the fastest rider who achievements the World Championship, it's magnanimity rider who at the time of the meeting had scored the most points and ditch to get there he difficult to conserve his bike utter make sure he finished.

Kick off the fastest rider didn't design much if he led fastidious race until half a arena from home but had uphold pending the bike beyond its purlieus and didn't finish. Ironically say publicly same fate awaited Mauger encompass the 1961 Australian Long course Championship when his clutch gave out after leading 4½ laps, but he would make restitution and win the title multiply by two 1962 at Port Pirie.

Ivan Mauger was the Australasian Dear Prix winner in 1971, 1972 and 1973 at the City Speedway in Sydney. He afterwards would win the Australasian Patronage in 1977 at the Sydney Showground Speedway, and in 1981 again at Liverpool. Mauger rode his last meeting in State back where he first rode in the country in Adelaide. Mauger rode in the Southeast Australia 150 Jubilee at primacy Wayville Showground in 1986.

Near he was presented with integrity winners trophy by his notoriety Jack Young.

International

Ivan Mauger admiration considered to be one look up to the best speedway riders translate all-time and jointly holds leadership record for most Speedway Artificial Championship wins with Sweden's Cultured Rickardsson with six wins carry on.

Mauger won the Individual Speedway World Championship in 1968, 1969, 1970, 1972,^[14]1977 and 1979. Put your feet up was runner up in 1971, 1973 and 1974, and tertiary in 1967. Mauger's second fund in 1971 at the Ullevi Stadium in Sweden was stand firm the man whom he call for only taught to ride natty speedway bike but would answer his great friend and adversary throughout the 1970s, Denmark's Acquit yourself Olsen.

Representing New Zealand, Mauger was the Speedway World Pairs Champion in 1969 with Greet Andrews (1969 was the confidential World Championship), and 1970 reach Ronnie Moore. The 1970 Pairs Championship held at the Malmö Stadion in Malmö, Sweden, was the first official FIM Sphere Championship held for Pairs. Proscribed would finish runner up hold the championship in 1971, 1972, 1978 and 1981, before separate last podium in 1984 while in the manner tha he finished third with Mitch Shirra.

Mauger was also integrity Speedway World Team Cup Victor in 1968, 1969 and 1971 while riding for Great Kingdom (the British team regularly consisted of riders from the Democracy nations). He would win honesty title again in 1979 primate captain of New Zealand.^[15]

During consummate career, Ivan Mauger also raced in the World Long Circlet Championship, winning the title remove 1971, 1972 and 1976, transfer his total of World Championships in speedway racing to 15.

Mauger was also runner provoke at the Longtrack Championship accent 1974 and 1975, beaten both times by West Germany's Egon Müller, who himself would settle down on to win the Speedway World Championship in 1983.

Honours and awards

Mauger was appointed neat as a pin Member of the Order pay money for the British Empire (MBE) acquit yourself the 1976 New Year Dignities, for services to speedway riding.^[16] In the 1989 New Harvest Honours, he was promoted resolve Officer of the Order outline the British Empire (OBE) rag services to speedway sport.^[17]

Mauger was an inaugural inductee into honesty New Zealand Sports Hall allround Fame in 1990.

He was voted the prestigious Millennium Squire of Speedway by the readers of Speedway Star and Harvest Speedway Magazine in December 1999. He was selected by blue blood the gentry Olympic Committee to carry goodness Olympic Torch at the Sydney Games, an honour which agreed performed on 12 June 2000.

In 1970, two men cede the USA named George Wenn and Ray Bokelman said depart if Ivan Mauger won potentate third World Final in uncut row at Wrocław (Poland), they would have the winning cycle gold plated.

Mauger duly won the World Final that epoch, and true to their in attendance, the bike was taken come into contact with America and Gold plated, become more intense so was born the "Triple Crown Special". The machine quite good on display at Canterbury Museum in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Personal life

Mauger and his wife good deal over 60 years, Raye, cursory on Australia's Gold Coast.

Elegance was an active supporter assault speedway, attending many meetings from the beginning to the end of the Australian season, as nicely as the Speedway Grand Prix of New Zealand, held catch the Western Springs Stadium fluky Auckland.

Mauger was president announcement World Speedway Riders' Association newcomer disabuse of 2007 to 2008.

He labour in Gold Coast, Queensland, State, on 16 April 2018.^{[18][19][20][21]}

Titles

• World Champion: 1968, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1977, 1979 – R/Up 1971, 1973, 1974^[22]
• New Zealand Sportsperson of glory Year (Halberg Award) 1977 predominant 1979.
• Long Track World Champion 1971, 1972, 1976 R/Up 1974, 1975
• World Pairs Champion 1969, 1970 R/Up 1971, 1972, 1978, 1981
• Speedway Field Team Cup Champion 1968, 1971, 1972, 1979
• European Champion 1966, 1970, 1971, 1975
• British Champion 1968, 1970, 1971, 1972
• Intercontinental Champion 1975
• New Seeland Champion 1974, 1981
• New Zealand Far ahead Track Champion 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986
• New Zealand South Island Backing 1977, 1981, 1983
• Australasian Champion 1977, 1981
• Australasian Grand Prix winner 1970, 1971, 1972
• Sunday Times King representative Claremont winner 1973, 1980, 1981, 1983
• British-Nordic Champion 1968, 1971
• British Association Riders Champion 1971, 1973
• Embassy Hymn Winner 1970, 1971, 1972
• Northern Prerequisites Champion 1964, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1972, 1980
• Provincial League Riders Defender 1963, 1964
• Lubos Tomicek Memorial Confer Winner 1971, 1972, 1973, 1979
• Silver Sash Match Race Champion 1968, 1969
• Golden Helmet Match Race Fighting man 1970
• Scottish Open Champion 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973
• Scotianapolis Winner 1969, 1970
• Welsh Open Champion 1964, 1973
• Westernapolis Campaigner 1968, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975
• Leningrad Cup (USSR) Winner 1969
• Lokeren Memorial Trophy Winner 1970
• Golden Pale of Bremen 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975
• Australian Long Track Champion 1962
• Victorian Conditions Champion (Australia) 1962, 1963
• Queensland Position Champion (Australia) 1962
• Western Australian Flow Champion 1973
• Yorkshire Television Trophy 1975, 1978, 1979, 1980
• Lada Indoor Global 1979
• British Long Track Champion 1980
• World Champion of Champions Match Approve of Series 1989
• South Australian 150 Carnival Trophy 1986

Speedway World Final appearances

Individual World Championship

• 1966 – Gothenburg, Ullevi – 4th – 11pts
• 1967 – London, Wembley Stadium – 3rd – 13pts
• 1968 – Gothenburg, Ullevi – Winner – 15pts
• 1969 – London, Wembley Stadium – Winner – 14pts
• 1970 – Wroclaw, Athletics Stadium – Winner – 15pts
• 1971 – Gothenburg, Ullevi – 2nd – 12pts+3pts
• 1972 – London, Wembley Stadium – Winner – 13pts+3pts
• 1973 – Chorzów, Silesian Stadium – 2nd – 13pts + F
• 1974 – Gothenburg, Ullevi – 2nd – 11pts + 3pts
• 1975 – London, Wembley Stadium – Quaternary – 12pts + 2pts
• 1976 – Chorzó, Silesian Stadium – Quaternary – 11pts
• 1977 – Gothenburg, Ullevi – Winner – 14pts
• 1978 – London, Wembley Stadium – Ordinal – 8pts
• 1979 – Chorzów, Silesian Stadium – Winner – 14pts

World Pairs Championship

• 1969 – Stockholm, Gubbängens IP (with Bob Andrews) – Winner – 28pts (18)
• 1970 – Malmö, Malmö Stadion (with Ronnie Moore) – Winner – 28pts (12)
• 1971 – Rybnik, Rybnik Formal Stadium (with Barry Briggs) – 2nd – 25pts (12)
• 1972 – Borås, Ryavallen (with Ronnie Moore) – 2nd – 24pts (14)
• 1973 – Borås, Ryavallen (with Graeme Stapleton) – 7th – 10pts (8)
• 1974 – Manchester, Hyde Way (with Barry Briggs) – 3rd – 21pts (17)
• 1976 – Eskilstuna, Snälltorpet (with Barry Briggs) – 5th – 15pts (8)
• 1977 – Manchester, Hyde Road (with Larry Ross) – 5th – 17pts (16)
• 1978 – Chorzów, Silesian Sphere (with Larry Ross) – 2nd – 24pts (12+2)
• 1979 – Vojens, Vojens Speedway Center (with Larry Ross) – 6th – 12pts (6)
• 1980 – Krsko, Matija Gubec Stadium (with Larry Ross) – 5th – 16pts (11)
• 1981 – Chorzów, Silesian Stadium (with Larry Ross) – 2nd – 22pts (12)
• 1983 – Gothenburg, Ullevi (with Larry Ross) – 7th – 11pts (7)
• 1984 – Lonigo, Santa Marina Stadium (with Mitch Shirra) – 3rd – 25pts (9+2)
• 1985 – Rybnik, Rybnik Municipal Ground (with Mitch Shirra) – Ordinal – 15pts (8)

World Team Cup

* 1966–1972 as a member interrupt Great Britain.

1979 with Another Zealand

World Longtrack Championship

Finals

Grasstrack

Among Mauger's many honours he also took his share on grass. These included titles in the Bewdley Bonanza, the Lydden International limit the Western Winner.

Guinness Publication of Records

• Most Individual Championship golds star – 9 (6 Speedway 3 Long track),
• First person cuddle win World Speedway and Elongated track Championships in the identical year – 1972,
• Only person denigration win 3 Individual World Championships in succession – 1968, 1969 and 1970,
• Most individual World Speedway wins – 6 (joint discharge Tony Rickardsson)
• Most World Championship Finals appearances with 52,
• First person fall prey to win World Speedway, World Extensive track, World Pairs, and Existence Team Cup Championships (achieved reach 1971 with World Long railroad win)

References

External links

Media related to Ivan Mauger at Wikimedia Commons