The World Pairs Final 1973
By Tracy Holmes

Defending Champions England, Ray Wilson/Terry Betts failed to qualify for the World Final, eliminated from the Western Semi-Final. As were Sweden 2, Scotland and Australia. But the competition saw a very welcome return by the Soviet Union.

Boras in Sweden would again host the Final and on June 8, the home team of Anders Michanek and Tommy Jansson delighted their fans by taking the Gold Medals, three points clear of the Danish pair, Ole Olsen and Kurt Bogh. Ole was unbeaten and then won the Silver Medals by beating the wildly spectacular, Zenon Plech of Poland in the run-off. Plech's partner Zbigniew Marcinkowski was not as impressive as last year but to finish on the rostrum would certainly be his career highlight. Plech's win over the Swedes in heat 14 was extra sensational as he set a new track record, previously held by Michanek! But four heats later, Plech got into big trouble, violently rearing and smashing into Reider Eide. The Norwegian being unable to make the re-run with Plech excluded.

The Russians did not let anyone down but it was 'a bad day at the office' for the Kiwis! Ivan Mauger with his fellow Cantabrian and Semi partner Graeme Stapleton having nothing to write home about. Perhaps a postcard, "Dearest Brenda, we were all at sea."

Heats

1 Olsen Lovaas Eide Bogh
2 Plech Gordeev Marcinkowski Kuzmin
3 Mauger Stancl Ondrasik Stapleton
4 Jansson Michanek Eide Lovaas
5 Olsen Gordeev Kuzmin Bogh
6 Plech Marcinkowski Stancl Ondrasik
7 Michanek Jansson Mauger Stapleton
8 Lovaas Kuzmin Eide Gordeev
9 Olsen Plech Marcinkowski Bogh
10 Michanek Jansson Stancl Ondrasik
11 Eide Mauger Stapleton Lovaas
12 Olsen Stancl Bogh Ondrasik
13 Kuzmin Gordeev Mauger nf Stapleton nf
14 Plech Michanek Jansson Marcinkowski
15 Eide Stancl Ondrasik Lovaas
16 Olsen Bogh Stapleton Mauger ef
17 Michanek Kuzmin Gordeev Jansson
r/r 18 Lovaas Marcinkowski Eide n.s Plech ex
19 Olsen Michanek Jansson Bogh
20 Gordeev Kuzmin Stancl Ondrasik
21 Plech Mauger Marcinkowski Stapleton
2nd place run-off Olsen Plech

1st Sweden 24
Anders Michanek 2 3 3 2 3 2 15
Tommy Jansson 3 2 2 1 0 1 9

2nd Denmark 21
Ole Olsen 3 3 3 3 3 3 18
Kurt Bogh 0 0 0 1 2 0 3

3rd Poland 21
Zenon Plech 3 3 2 3 x 3 14
Zbigniew Marcinkowski 1 2 1 0 2 1 7

4th Soviet Union 20
Vladimir Gordeev 2 2 0 2 1 3 10
Anatoli Kuzmin 0 1 2 3 2 2 10

5th Norway 17
Reider Eide 1 1 1 3 3 ns 9
Dag Lovaas 2 0 3 0 0 3 8

6th CZ 11
Jiri Stancl 2 1 1 2 2 1 9
Petr Ondrasik 1 0 0 0 1 0 2

7th New Zealand 10
Ivan Mauger 3 1 2 nf ef 2 8
Graeme Stapleton 0 0 1 nf 1 0 2

This article was first published on 10th August 2014