Jean Landru
By John Hyam

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 speedway touring group, It would appear that Boston who had worked on the promotional 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.

This article was first published on 22nd March 2020

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