The World Pairs Final - 1969
By Tracy Holmes

A new system this year saw Semi-finals introduced, the top 3 from each joining the host country.

Great Britain was scrapped with England, Scotland, New Zealand and Australia fighting it out for a Final place. The Poms and Kiwis were joined by the Danes for the Final in Stockholm, Scotland, Australia and Norway all sadly eliminated. Also sadly, Ronnie Moore who had qualified with Ivan Mauger for NZ, got his right foot smashed up on August 18. It knocked the stuffing out of his World [ Individual ] Final comeback at Wembley, as it turned out the Silver Medal would have been his for the taking and he was in no fit state for the Pairs Final.

Barry Briggs was still in his self-imposed Swedish exile while Dave Gifford was overlooked. Easily the next in line, Dave was hopeful of a call-up but not so. Now with Olsen and Giffy both Newcastle riders, perhaps Mike Parker played a hand in Dave's 'no show' ? It would make sense especially as Ivan's departure from Parker was acrimonious to say the least! We may never know but its oh so much fun playing 'who pulled the strings'!

On the night before the Final, Bob decided to take Ivan out for some XXX Swedish entertainment. But it didn't last long as Ivan was not into this at all. The only 'Tatas' he was interested in was hopefully waving goodbye with the Gold Medals !

The World Pairs Final was held on September 25 in Stockholm and would Andrews prove a successful partner for Ivan Mauger? Yes Siree Bob! NZ won the Gold Medals, an 18 point maximum for Ivan with Bob following him home in 5 out of their 6 races, beaten only by Sweden.

The home team by Ove Fundin and Gote Nordin were next but they were not at all happy about it. England's Nigel Boocock and Martin Ashby [ replacement for Trevor Hedge ] were quite happy with their Bronze Medals. Ole Olsen was very impressive for Denmark but his 'engine failure' against NZ, in the very last race, being best mates with Ivan Mauger and all did not go down well at all with the home fans! Ah well nothing like a bit of scandal eh Christine?!!!

Heats

1 Boocock Ashby Holub Majstr

2 Mauger Andrews Petkov Iliev

3 Fundin Nordin Olsen Norregaard

4 Boocock Ashby Uhlenbrock Dinse nf

5 Holub Majstr Petkov Iliev

6 Mauger Nordin Fundin Andrews

7 Olsen Uhlenbrock Norregaard Dinse

8 Boocock Ashby Petkov Iliev

9 Mauger Andrews Holub Majstr

10 Fundin Nordin Dinse Uhlenbrock f

11 Olsen Boocock Ashby Norregaard

12 Fundin Nordin [res] Enecrona Holub Majstr xt

13 Olsen Norregaard Petkov Iliev

14 Mauger Andrews Uhlenbrock Dinse

15 Nordin Ashby Fundin Boocock

16 Olsen Majstr Holub Norregaard

17 Uhlenbrock Petkov Iliev Dinse f

18 Mauger Andrews Ashby Boocock ef

19 Holub Majstr Uhlenbrock Dinse nf

20 Fundin Nordin Iliev Petkov

21 Mauger Andrews Norregaard Olsen ef

1st New Zealand 28
Ivan Mauger 3 3 3 3 3 3 18
Bob Andrews 2 0 2 2 2 2 10

2nd Sweden 27
Ove Fundin 3 1 3 3 1 3 14
Gote Nordin 2 2 2 2 3 2 13

3rd England 21
Nigel Boocock 3 3 3 2 0 ef 11
Martin Ashby 2 2 2 1 2 1 10

4th Denmark 17
Ole Olsen 1 3 3 3 3 ef 13
Bengt Norregaard 0 1 0 2 0 1 4

5th CZ 15
Jan Holub 1 3 1 0 1 3 9
Zdenek Majstr 0 2 0 xt 2 2 6

6th East Germany 9
Gerhard Uhlenbrock 1 2 f 1 3 1 8
Jochen Dinse nf 0 1 0 f nf 1

7th Bulgeria 8
Peter Petkov 1 1 1 1 2 0 6
Peter Iliev 0 0 0 0 1 1 2

Res Sweden 1
Leif Enecrona - - - 1 - -
Anders Michanek dnr

Res Sweden
Bengt Jansson dnr
Hans Hallberg dnr

This article was first published on 13th July 2014