Oldest Rider Still Around

[norbold 7,109]

I went to the Norwich WSRA Eastern Region lunch today and met up with my old friend, Lennie Read, who will be 100 next January. He is still very fit and active with all his marbles.

 

It got me thinking about who is the oldest rider still alive. We've got a list of oldest World Championship finalists, but how about all riders? Is Lennie the oldest still going?

[BOBBATH 466]

Think it will be tough to beat Len's record. Got a photo recently from Reg Fearman of him with Split Waterman , looking hail and hearty, living in Spain and in his mid nineties. Norbold refers to list of oldest World Finalists-anybody got an updated list they can post here-with Cyril Roger gone I reckon Split must be top of that list although good old Dick Bradley (one of my favourites and well recall the accident with Clive Featherby which ended his career in 1964) must be pretty close to the top , ditto Olle Nygren.

[norbold 7,109]

I had a chat to Olle too at the dinner. He was complaining about the standard of modern speedway and the fact that the bikes are too fast and that most riders can't handle them properly, just going flat out instead of using their head. Also met my old mate Ove, who was there, as well (a bit of name dropping never hurt anyone!)

Edited October 31, 2017 by norbold

[Guest compost]

Is Jack Bibby (the aussie who rode for Sheffield in the late 40's not the Crayford rider) and/or Gil Blake still with us ? Both would be older if the are.

[tigerowl 630]

Jack Bibby died in 1993 and Gil Blake in 2010.

[norbold 7,109]

I should add that one remarkable fact about Lennie is that he spent four years in a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp.

[BOBBATH 466]

Howdy Byford was another Japanese POW-still miss "The Champ"!!!