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TonyMac

Ole Olsen

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I would like to know what influence Ole has over track surfaces at the GP's. Common feeling is that he is the man responsible for the slick surfaces, maybe he can tell us if that is true and if so why does he feel that slick surfaces are best.

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Good question.

Wasn't it Ole who wanted to change the surface of speedway tracks completely and have them riding on tarmac or something? Perhaps this is all part of the changeover. :D

Can't stand him personally. Sorry Ole - he's probably a nice guy but I never did like him. Perhaps something to do with the fact he rode for the Bees and used to be the main thorn in the side when riding against Leicester. But saying that I've never been very fond of Danish riders; even Brian Andersen when I transferred to supporting Coventry. Hans Nielsen, Hans Andersen, Morten Risager, Nicki Pedersen. :mad:

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I'd like to see that, too, Rob, so can you please provide a link for it when you next get a minute...?

 

I don't know the details of the crash, bit Olsen broke his shoulder at Oxford, which severely hampered his chances of winning the title in ’73.

 

Tony - I'm afraid that the memory cheats - I was sure that Ole had got involved in a ruck with another rider at Oxford in 1973. But that was Ivan Mauger, who withdrew from the Oxford v Exeter match, following an ugly incident with Malcolm Ballard after a tapes incident.

 

As for Ole, Steve said: "Wolverhampton were easily sent packing the following week when Ole Olsen, after winning his first race, hit the fence when exiting the second bend in Heat 3, breaking his collarbone and so withdrawing from the meeting."

 

No further details I'm afraid.

 

Not the best year for World Champions at Oxford. Jerzy Sczcakiel, set to triumph later that season in Katowice, went under the safety fence during the Australia vs Poland match and that signalled the end of his participation in the Daily Mirror tournament.

 

All the best

Rob

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Tony - I'm afraid that the memory cheats - I was sure that Ole had got involved in a ruck with another rider at Oxford in 1973.  But that was Ivan Mauger, who withdrew from the Oxford v Exeter match, following an ugly incident with Malcolm Ballard after a tapes incident.

 

As for Ole, Steve said: "Wolverhampton were easily sent packing the following week when Ole Olsen, after winning his first race, hit the fence when exiting the second bend in Heat 3, breaking his collarbone and so withdrawing from the meeting."

 

No further details I'm afraid.

 

Not the best year for World Champions at Oxford.  Jerzy Sczcakiel, set to triumph later that season in Katowice, went under the safety fence during the Australia vs Poland match and that signalled the end of his participation in the Daily Mirror tournament.

 

All the best

Rob

Thanks, Rob, for looking anyway. Wonder what caused Olsen to hit the fence - unlike him to go there without 'help' from a rival? Maybe there was a mechanical problem? Can anyone shed any light? Ole couldn't recall the details of this incident when asked.

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Thanks, Rob, for looking anyway. Wonder what caused Olsen to hit the fence - unlike him to go there without 'help' from a rival? Maybe there was a mechanical problem? Can anyone shed any light? Ole couldn't recall the details of this incident when asked.

 

Speedway Star says Olsen fell in heat 3 whilst well in the lead. It also says the injury was a dislocated shoulder and ligament damage, not a broken collarbone.

Edited by frigbo

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As a Wolves fan, I seem to recall Ole was 'parked' into the fence at Oxford in the early seventies incurring a shoulder injury. It might have been Ronnie Genz who was involved in the incident, but not sure. Either way Ole was never really known for outside overtaking after that.

 

All the best,

Lefty

 

Right - it was an incident with Ronnie Genz in 1971 on the second bend that didn't look too serious, Olsen injured his arm I thought, that was the start of his problem with Oxford.

Edited by miro

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Sure did ask him...

 

...well, come on, in the real world, there was no way Kittilsen was going to exclude either of those two given the diabolical track conditions, which forced OO to change bikes for a third time.

 

Lee was last in ht 18 when Boulger fell and the race was stopped. If victory came too soon for him in 1980, then '77 would have been far too big a burden for Mike to carry.

 

Olsen was arguably the best rider in the world over the course of that '77 season, although the leg injury to PC was a huge factor.

 

Have to agree, one of the biggest calls against English Speedway to go with riders breaking the time max im such an important event.... NOT FORGOTTEN :angry:

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I've just added some pictures I took of Ole and family to our website.

 

Scroll down to the bottom of the text on the Olsen home page news story...

 

http://www.retro-speedway.com

 

 

Some nice pics Tony( love the gold bike still better looking than today's IMO )and Ole was a great rider but I don't like his attitude to the sport. He is a businessman with a great brain sadly his ideas IMO have been detrimental to our leagues and he can't deny that no matter what he says.

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Excellent issue as always, just like to make a point about the Kevin Jolly article. Good overview of his career, but I am almost certain that he rode for Boston in the NL before he moved to Plough Lane. A programme I have for the 1986 season at Wimbledon confirms he rode at Number 1 for Boston and mentions that he was on loan from Mildenhall. Can it be that Kevin's year riding for the Barracuda's was so traumatic that he has wiped it from his memory????

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Can you buy individual copies of the mag anywhere, I would like to get hold of the Shirra & Olsen editions if possible?

 

HG

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Can you buy individual copies of the mag anywhere, I would like to get hold of the Shirra & Olsen editions if possible?

 

HG

 

Try your track shop.

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Can you buy individual copies of the mag anywhere, I would like to get hold of the Shirra & Olsen editions if possible?

 

HG

 

 

Yes, you can buy all 24 back issues of Backtrack direct from the publishers, online, and have them posted straight to your door.

 

Here's the link:

 

http://www.retro-speedway.com/page.php?47

 

Alternatively, you can order by post and pay by cheque, or phone Retro Speedway (01708 734 502) and pay using your credit or debit card.

 

It's cheaper to subscribe - just £16.00 for six issues per year. The same as it cost when the mag started four years ago.

Edited by tmc

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