The World Pairs Final 1970
By Tracy Holmes

With Sweden playing host to the Final, the biggest news from the Semis was the eliminations of Australia, Denmark and Norway. Poland had safely qualified but withdrew! Now instead of Bulgeria simply stepping up as next in line, Denmark were brought in as a reserve team! And it was agreed that their points would not count in the final tally. SAY WHAT???

The defending champions New Zealand had won their Semi by Ivan Mauger and Barry Briggs. However as Briggo still wanted nothing to do with The Land of the Lakes, Ronnie Moore eagerly stepped up to make up for last year's disappointment.

Malmo staged the World Pairs Final on June 2nd. And what a comeback for Ronnie Moore as he and Ivan Mauger stood on the podium with the Gold Medals! Ronnie was the only rider on a JAP, "The JAP was more suited to the slick Malmo track than the Jawas. I had plenty of drive while all the others got was wheelspin." Their clash with the home team by Ove Fundin and Bangt Jansson would be the highlight, here is how Ronnie saw it:

"For the first lap there were only inches between the four of us. Ove couldn't get past Ivan and I couldn't get past Ove. On the second lap, I managed to draw level with Ove but couldn't quite get far enough ahead to chop across his bows. Down the straight we were neck and neck. He had the inside running and when he hit the bend he started to slide out. I whipped the JAP over and turned inside him. I was then better placed, although a blanket could still have been thrown over us all."

The pressure then went off as Ove's primary chain broke and he was out, the Kiwis securing the 5-1. But Ove then insisted it was Ronnie's fault! Pure Fundin theatre and Ronnie's reply? "Dont be a bloody idiot !"

The only glitch for New Zealand came in the last heat when Ivan forgot to turn his fuel on! So a 5-1 became a 3-3 with Ronnie taking endless delight in securing the victory.

An amazing night too for the 'retired' Fundin. 5 wins and a broken chain. Ove told me he was leading when the chain broke. One day, You-tube may solve that one.

Heats

1 Moore Mauger Stancl Verner
2 E.Boocock Olsen N.Boocock Norregaard
3 Fundin McMillan Jansson Harkins
4 Verner Stancl Perko Kos
5 Moore Mauger E.Boocock N.Boocock
6 Olsen Harkins McMillan Norregaard
7 Fundin Jansson Kos Perko
8 E.Boocock Verner N.Boocock Stancl f
9 Moore Mauger Olsen Norregaard
10 McMillan Harkins Perko Kos ef
11 Fundin Jansson Stancl Verner f
12 Mauger Moore McMillan Harkins
13 Fundin Jansson E.Boocock N.Boocock
14 Olsen Norregaard Perko Kos
15 McMillan Harkins Stancl Verner
16 Mauger Moore Jansson Fundin ef [chain]
17 N.Boocock E.Boocock Perko Kos
18 Olsen Norregaard Stancl Verner
19 Moore Perko Kos Mauger ef
20 E.Boocock Harkins N.Boocock McMillan
21 Fundin Jansson Norregaard Olsen ef

1st New Zealand 28
Ronnie Moore 3 3 3 2 2 3 16
Ivan Mauger 2 2 2 3 3 ef 12

2nd Sweden 25
Ove Fundin 3 3 3 3 ef 3 15
Bengt Jansson 1 2 2 2 1 2 10

3rd England 19
Eric Boocock 3 1 3 1 2 3 13
Nigel Boocock 1 0 1 0 3 1 6

4th Scotland 18
Jim McMillan 2 1 3 1 3 0 10
Bert Harkins 0 2 2 0 2 2 8

5th CZ 11
Jiri Stancl 1 2 1 0 1 1 6
Vaclav Verner 0 3 0 2 0 0 5

6th Yugoslavia 8
Drago Perko 1 0 1 1 1 2 6
Ivan Kos 0 1 ef 0 0 1 2

7th Res Denmark 17
Ole Olsen 2 3 1 3 3 ef 12
Bengt Norregaard 0 0 0 2 2 1 5

This article was first published on 21st July 2014