1975 Individual Speedway World Championship

The 1975 Individual Speedway World Championship was the 30th edition of the official World Championship to determine the world champion rider.^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]^[5]^[6]

Ole Olsen won his second World title in front of 81,000 at Wembley Stadium in London with a 15 point maximum from his five rides. Defending champion Anders Michanek finished second and England's John Louis won the run-off for the bronze medal, defeating four time world champion Ivan Mauger. Some criticism was aimed at the track surface which was described as dusty and dry.^[7]

Format changes[]

The format of the Championship changed for the 1975 event. This time the British riders (not including Commonwealth riders for the first time) were allowed four places in the World Final to be held in England. All other nations had to go through the European Final route to provide the remaining 12 riders for the World Final. The European Final qualification route included a new Intercontinental Final which feature riders from the United States for the first time for many years.

First Round[]

British Qualifying - 16 British riders to British Final
Oceania Qualifying - 5 riders to Intercontinental Final
United States Qualifying - 2 riders to Intercontinental Final
Continental Qualifying - 16 to Continental Final
Norwegian Final - 3 to Nordic Final
Swedish Qualifying & Final - 8 to Nordic Final
Danish Qualifying - 3 to Nordic Final
Finnish Qualifying - 2 to Nordic Final

British Qualifying[]

Date	Venue	Winner	Runner-up	3rd place
Preliminary Round
19 April	Canterbury		Les Rumsey
22 April	Weymouth	Paul Gachet	Trevor Geer	Ian Cartwright
27 April	Rye House	Phil Herne	Joe Owen
30 April	Bradford			Geoff Bouchard
16 May	Newport	Bob Kilby	Tom Owen	John Boulger
16 May	Wolverhampton	Ivan Mauger	Arthur Price	Chris Morton
17 May	Halifax	Chris Pusey	Dave Morton	Charlie Monk
19 May	Exeter	Ivan Mauger	Steve Reinke	Martin Ashby
19 May	Reading	Terry Betts		Bobby Beaton
20 May	Leicester	Ray Wilson	Billy Sanders	Bob Valentine
21 May	Poole	Malcolm Simmons		Neil Street
21 May	Hull	Bruce Cribb	Jim McMillan	John Boulger
24 May	King's Lynn	Ray Bales		Terry Betts
24 May	Coventry	Nigel Boocock	George Hunter	Malcolm Simmons
29 May	Sheffield	Ray Wilson	Chris Morton	Carl Glover
29 May	Oxford	Phil Herne	Dave Jessup	Richard Greer
29 May	Ipswich	John Louis	Billy Sanders	Jim McMillan
30 May	Wimbledon	Peter Collins	Colin Gooddy	Eric Broadbelt
30 May	Hackney	Dave Morton	Ray Wilson	Billy Sanders
31 May	Swindon	Ivan Mauger	Martin Ashby	Barry Thomas
31 May	Cradley Heath	Arthur Price	George Hunter	John Boulger
31 May	Belle Vue	Alan Wilkinson	Chris Morton	Peter Collins
Semi-Finals
24 June	Leicester	Martin Ashby	Malcolm Simmons	Bob Kilby
24 June	Sheffield	Ray Wilson	Dave Jessup	Peter Collins

Continental Qualifying[]

Date	Venue	Winner	Runner-up	3rd place
Quarter-Finals
18 May	Krumbach	Jan Hadek	Marek Cieślak	Valery Gordeev
18 May	Krsko	Henryk Glücklich
18 May	Ostrava	Jiří Štancl	Vladimir Gordeev	Paweł Waloszek
18 May	Miskolc	Edward Jancarz		Viktor Trofimov
Semi-Finals
29 May	Olching	Valery Gordeev	Edward Jancarz	Zenon Plech
31 May	Prague	Piotr Bruzda	Jan Verner	Vladimir Gordeev

Swedish Qualifying[]

Date	Venue	Winner	Runner-up	3rd place
Semi-Finals
1 May	Malilla	Jan Simensen	Christer Sjösten	Bengt Jansson
1 May	Lindesberg	Bernt Persson	Tommy Johansson	Sören Sjösten
1 May	Visby	Tommy Jansson	Hasse Holmqvist	Sören Karlsson

Swedish Final[]

May 21, 1975
SWE Norrköping
First 8 to Nordic Final

Placing	Rider	Total	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	Pts	Pos
1	(1) Tommy Jansson	14	3				3				3				2				3				14	1
2	(5) Anders Michanek	13		3			2					3					3					2	13	2
3	(14) Bernt Persson	13				3		3					3		3							1	13	3
4	(4) Sören Karlsson	12	1							3				3				3				2	12	4
5	(2) Tommy Johansson	11	2					2				2				2				3			11	5
6	(7) Bengt Jansson	10		2					3					2	1					2			10	6
7	(8) Sören Sjösten	10		1						2			2			3			2				10	7
8	(10) Hasse Holmqvist	7			3			1						0			2		0				6	8
9	(16) Christer Sjösten	5+3				2				1	0						1			1			5	9
10	(3) Åke Andersson	5+2	0						1				1				0				3		5	10
11	(9) Bo Josefsson	4			2		0						0					2		0			4	11
12	(15)	4				0			2			1						1	0				4	12
13	(13) Jan Simensen	4				1	1							1		0					1		4	13
14	(12)	3			1					0		0			0						2		3	14
15	(6) Leif Enecrona	1		0				0			1							0			0		1	15
16	(11) Conny Samuelsson	0			0				0		-					-						-	0	16
	(17)	2									2											0	2
	(18) Richard Hellsen	1														1							1
Placing	Rider	Total	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	Pts	Pos

m - exclusion for exceeding two minute time allowance • t - exclusion for touching the tapes • x - other exclusion • e - retired or mechanical failure • f - fell • ns - non-starter • nc - non-classify

gate A - inside	gate B	gate C	gate D - outside

Norwegian Final[]

Skien
First 3 to Nordic Final

Pos.	Rider	Total
1	Reidar Eide	15
2	Dag Lovaas
3	Edgar Stangeland
4
5

Second Round[]

Nordic Final - 9 to Intercontinental Final

Nordic Final[]

June 1, 1975
NOR Skien
First 9 to Intercontinental Final

Pos.	Rider	Heat Scores	Total
1	Ole Olsen	3,2,3,3,3	14
2	Tommy Jansson	2,3,2,3,3	13
3	Dag Lovaas	3,0,3,3,3	12+3
4	Bernt Persson	2,3,2,3,2	12+2
5	Reidar Eide	3,3,1,2,1	10
6	Tommy Johansson	2,1,3,1,3	10
7	Hasse Holmqvist	1,2,2,1,2	8
8	Anders Michanek	F,1,3,2,2	8
9	Bengt Jansson	0,3,0,2,2	7
10	Edgar Stangeland	0,2,1,2,1	6
11	Ila Teromaa	2,2,1,0,F	5
12	Finn Thomsen	3,F,0,0,1	4
13	Sören Sjösten	1,1,1,1,E	4
14	Sören Karlsson	1,0,2,0,0	3
15		0,0,0,1,0	1
16	Bent Nørregaard-Jensen	F,-,-,-,-	0
R1		1,0	1
R2		1,0,1	2

Third Round[]

Intercontinental Final - 8 to European Final
Continental Final - 8 to European Final

Intercontinental Final[]

June 3, 1975
SWE Göteborg, Ullevi
First 8 to European Final plus 1 reserve

Placing	Rider	Total	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	Pts	Pos
1	(2) Ivan Mauger	14	2					3				3				3				3			14	1
2	(11) Anders Michanek	12			2				3		3					1						3	12	2
3	(13) Bernt Persson	11+3				3	3							0		2					3		11	3
4	(1) Ole Olsen	11+2	3				1				2				2				3				11	4
5	(6) Scott Autrey	9		3				2			1							2			1		9	5
6	(9) Tommy Jansson	9			3		2						2					1		1			9	6
7	(14) Reidar Eide	8+3				2		1					3		0							2	8	7
8	(3) Phil Crump	8+2	1						2				1				2				2		8	8
9	(7) Tommy Johansson	8+1		1					0					2	3					2			8	9
10	(4) Dag Lovaas	7	0							3				1				3				0	7	10
11	(12) John Boulger	4			1					0		2			1						0		4	11
12	(8) Billy Sanders	4		0						2			0			0			2				4	12
13	(16) Bengt Jansson	4				0				1	0						3			0			4	13
14	(5) Hasse Holmqvist	4		2			0					1					0					1	4	14
15	(10)	3			0			0						3			0		F				3	15
16	(15) Barry Briggs	1				1			-			-						-	-				1	16
	(17)	0																					0
	(18) Jan Andersson	2							1			0						0	1				2
Placing	Rider	Total	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	Pts	Pos

m - exclusion for exceeding two minute time allowance • t - exclusion for touching the tapes • x - other exclusion • e - retired or mechanical failure • f - fell • ns - non-starter • nc - non-classify

gate A - inside	gate B	gate C	gate D - outside

Continental Final[]

June 22, 1975
Soviet Union Leningrad
First 8 to European Final

Placing	Rider	Total	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	Pts	Pos
1	(6) Edward Jancarz	12		3				1			3							2			3		12	1
2	(4) Valery Gordeev	11	3							0				2				3				3	11	2
3	(15) Viktor Kalmykov	11				3			3			3						0	2				11	3
4	(10) Vladimir Gordeev	10			3			3						1			0		3				10	4
5	(13) Marek Cieślak	10				0	2							3		3					2		10	5
6	(8) Henryk Glücklich	10		1						3			1			2			3				10	6
7	(2) Viktor Trofimov	10	2					2				2				1				3			10	7
8	(1) Zenon Plech	7+3	1				1				1				3				1				7	8
9	(16)	7+2				1				2	2						1			2			8	9
10	(5) Piotr Bruzda	7+1		2			0					1					2					2	7	10
11	(9) Jiri Stancl	7+0			0		3						3					1		0			7	11
12	(12) Mikhail Starostin	6			1					2		0			2						1		6	12
13	(14) Jan Verner	5				2		0					2		1							0	5	13
14	(11) Bogusław Nowak	5			2				2		0					0						1	5	14
15	(3) Paweł Waloszek	1	0						1				0				0				0		1	15
16	(7) Manfred Poschenreider	1		0					0					0	0					1			1	16
	(17) Andrzej Jurczyński	0																					0
	(18)	0																					0
Placing	Rider	Total	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	Pts	Pos

m - exclusion for exceeding two minute time allowance • t - exclusion for touching the tapes • x - other exclusion • e - retired or mechanical failure • f - fell • ns - non-starter • nc - non-classify

gate A - inside	gate B	gate C	gate D - outside

Fourth Round[]

British Final - 4 to World Final
European Final - 12 to World Final

British Final[]

July 30, 1975
GBR Coventry, Brandon Stadium
First 4 to World Final plus 1 reserve

Placing	Rider	Total	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	Pts	Pos
1	(6) John Louis	15		3				3			3							3			3		15	1
2	(8) Peter Collins	13+3		2						2			3			3			3				13	2
3	(9) Malcolm Simmons	13+2			3		3						2					2		3			13	3
4	(12) Ray Wilson	11+3			F					3		3			3						2		11	4
5	(3) Martin Ashby	11+2	3						3				1				3				1		11	5
6	(10) Chris Pusey	10			1			2						3			2		2				10	6
7	(11) Tony Davey	9			2				2		1					1						3	9	7
8	(1) Gordon Kennett	6	2				1				2				1				0				6	8
9	(2) Dave Jessup	6	0					0				2				2				2			6	9
10	(4) Doug Wyer	5	1							1				2				1				0	5	10
11	(7) Jim McMillan	5		1					1					0	2					1			5	11
12	(13) Bob Kilby	5				2	2							1		0					0		5	12
13	(14) Chris Morton	5				3		1					0		0							1	5	13
14	(5) Dave Morton	3		0			E					1					0					2	3	14
15	(16) Alan Wilkinson	2				1				0	F						1			0			2	15
16	(15) Carl Glover	1				0			0			0						0	1				1	16
	(17) Nigel Boocock	0																					0
	(18) Bobby Beaton	0																					0
Placing	Rider	Total	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	Pts	Pos

m - exclusion for exceeding two minute time allowance • t - exclusion for touching the tapes • x - other exclusion • e - retired or mechanical failure • f - fell • ns - non-starter • nc - non-classify

gate A - inside	gate B	gate C	gate D - outside

European Final[]

August 24, 1975
POL Bydgoszcz
First 12 to World Final plus 1 reserve

Placing	Rider	Total	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	Pts	Pos	21
	(12) Ivan Mauger	14			3					3		3			3						2		14	1	3
	(3) Ole Olsen	14	2						3				3				3				3		14	2	2
	(9) Phil Crump	11			2		3						1					2		3			11	3
4	(6) Anders Michanek	10		3				0			3							3			1		10	4
5	(2) Henryk Glücklich	9	3					1				1				2				2			9	5
6	(13) Tommy Jansson	8				2	1							2		3					0		8	6
7	(14) Valery Gordeev	8				0		3					2		1							2	8	7
8	(10) Viktor Trofimov	8			X			2						3			1		2				8	8
9	(16) Bernt Persson	7				3				2	0						2			E			7	9
10	(1) Edward Jancarz	7	1				2				2				2				0				7	10
11	(7) Zenon Plech	6		2					2					1	0					1			6	11
12	(15) Marek Cieślak	6				1			1			2						1	1				6	12
13	(8) Vladimir Gordeev	5		0						1			0			1			3				5	13
14	(4) Scott Autrey	3	0							0				0				0				3	3	14
15	(11) Reidar Eide	3			1				0		1					0						1	3	15
16	(5) Viktor Kalmykov	1		1			0					-					0					0	1	16
R1	(R1) Tommy Johansson	0																					0	R1
R2	(R2)	0																					0	R2
Placing	Rider	Total	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	Pts	Pos	21

m - exclusion for exceeding two minute time allowance • t - exclusion for touching the tapes • x - other exclusion • e - retired or mechanical failure • f - fell • ns - non-starter • nc - non-classify

gate A - inside	gate B	gate C	gate D - outside

World Final[]

September 6, 1975
London, Wembley Stadium^[8]
Referee: () Torrie Kittelsen

Placing	Rider	Total	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	Pts	Pos
1	(14) Ole Olsen	15				3		3					3		3							3	15	1
2	(16) Anders Michanek	13				1				3	3						3			3			13	2
3	(10) John Louis	12+3			2			2						3			2		3				12	3
4	(6) Ivan Mauger	12+2		3				1			2							3			3		12	4
5	(11) Peter Collins	10			3				3		0					3						1	10	5
6	(1) Phil Crump	10	3				3				1				1				2				10	6
7	(5) Malcolm Simmons	10		2			2					3					1					2	10	7
8	(15) Viktor Trofimov	8				2			1			2						2	1				8	8
9	(8) Tommy Jansson	8		1						2			2			2			0				7	9
10	(3) Bernt Persson	5	0						2				1				0				2		5	10
11	(7) Ray Wilson	5		0					0					1	2					2			5	11
12	(2) Edward Jancarz	4	2					0				1				1				0			4	12
13	(4) Valery Gordeev	4	1							1				2				0				0	4	13
14	(9) Zenon Plech	4			1		1						0					1		1			4	14
15	(13) Marek Cieślak	1				0	0							0		0					1		1	15
16	(12) Henryk Glücklich	0			0					0		0			0						0		0	16
	(17) Martin Ashby	0																					0
	(18) Vladimir Gordeev	0																					0
Placing	Rider	Total	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	Pts	Pos

m - exclusion for exceeding two minute time allowance • t - exclusion for touching the tapes • x - other exclusion • e - retired or mechanical failure • f - fell • ns - non-starter • nc - non-classify

gate A - inside	gate B	gate C	gate D - outside

References[]

^ Oakes, Peter (1981). 1981 Speedway Yearbook. Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd. pp. 20–21. ISBN 0-86215-017-5.
^ "World Championship 1936-1994". Edinburgh Speedway. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
^ "WORLD FINALS 1936-1994" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
^ "HISTORY SPEEDWAY and LONGTRACK". Speedway.org. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
^ "Speedway riders, history and results". wwosbackup. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
^ "WORLD INDIVIDUAL FINAL - RIDER INDEX". British Speedway. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
^ "Olsen-king of the track". The People. 7 September 1975. Retrieved 10 July 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
^ Bamford, R. & Shailes, G. (2002). A History of the World Speedway Championship. Stroud: Tempus Publishing. ISBN 0-7524-2402-5

[1] Oakes, Peter (1981). 1981 Speedway Yearbook. Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd. pp. 20–21. ISBN 0-86215-017-5.

[2] "World Championship 1936-1994". Edinburgh Speedway. Retrieved 10 July 2021.

[3] "WORLD FINALS 1936-1994" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 10 July 2021.

[4] "HISTORY SPEEDWAY and LONGTRACK". Speedway.org. Retrieved 10 July 2021.

[5] "Speedway riders, history and results". wwosbackup. Retrieved 10 July 2021.

[6] "WORLD INDIVIDUAL FINAL - RIDER INDEX". British Speedway. Retrieved 10 July 2021.

[7] "Olsen-king of the track". The People. 7 September 1975. Retrieved 10 July 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.

[8] Bamford, R. & Shailes, G. (2002). A History of the World Speedway Championship. Stroud: Tempus Publishing. ISBN 0-7524-2402-5

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v t Individual Speedway World Championship and Speedway Grand Prix seasons
Speedway World Championship	1936 1937 1938 1939 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994
Speedway Grand Prix (SGP)	1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
See also	Medalists Medal Classification Grands Prix SGP riders Super Prix SGP Statistics