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BOBBATH

Riders who should have made the World Final but never did!

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25 minutes ago, E I Addio said:

Martin Piddock and Peter Bradshaw . Two massive talents taken from us in the Lokkoren disaster.

How Bob Kilby never made a World Final I shall never know.

Not sure if John Boulger made one but he should have done.

Ivor Brown was a hard man who was possibly on the cusp of big things before he was seriously injured. 

By and large though, I think under the old style single WF most who should have made it got there at least once as opposed the the GP system where for some it depends on whether your face fits.

Pretty sure John Boulger made a Gotenburg final. 

Edited by Grachan

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4 minutes ago, Grachan said:

Pretty sure John Boulger made a Gotenburg final. 

Just checked. He did actually make two WF’s in 73 and 77. He also did a number of World Pairs and Team cups. 

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Did Alan Grahame ever qualify for a final? Seem to recall him being reserve in 1984 and scoring a few points.

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7 hours ago, prodons said:

Did Alan Grahame ever qualify for a final? Seem to recall him being reserve in 1984 and scoring a few points.

I seem to remember that he scored five points...I was there for that final.

Edited by steve roberts

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10 hours ago, Grachan said:

Pretty sure John Boulger made a Gotenburg final. 

Yes during the 1977 World Final he was a leading a vital race but 'aquaplaned' and the following Ole Olsen did the same. Ivan Mauger was trailing but in the delayed re-reun (Boulger was excluded) he won thereby picking up his fifth title.

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On 4/6/2019 at 6:26 AM, steve roberts said:

I seem to remember that he scored five points...I was there for that final.

From only 2 rides I believe 

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What was the closest Bob Kilby ever got to a World Final-anyone know?

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18 minutes ago, BOBBATH said:

What was the closest Bob Kilby ever got to a World Final-anyone know?

Probably 1975, Bob - the top four from the British Final qualified for Wembley. Bob started out with two second places, but only finished with five.

 

Steve

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21 minutes ago, BOBBATH said:

What was the closest Bob Kilby ever got to a World Final-anyone know?

Only made 4 British finals,one of which he qualified through to the next round.The Nordic-British at Glasgow in 1971,where he finished 15th.That was it 

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38 minutes ago, iris123 said:

Only made 4 British finals,one of which he qualified through to the next round.The Nordic-British at Glasgow in 1971,where he finished 15th.That was it 

Having read Lee Kilby's superb book on father Bob it became apparent that Bob was more of a team player (like many others during that and subsequent periods) and found it difficult to motivate himself on the World stage.

Edited by steve roberts

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52 minutes ago, steve roberts said:

Having read Lee Kilby's superb book on father Bob it became apparent that Bob was more of a team player (like many others during that and subsequent periods) and found it difficult to motivate himself on the World stage.

Sounds about right. He won a few quali rounds. A couple at Oxford, but guess the semi finals were a big hurdle he seemed to have trouble with. But we shouldn’t forget there were some great riders at the time and the Aussies and New Zealanders were also in the mix 

I’d put him in the ‘could have’ rather than should have made a world final. He had the ability equal to a lot who did make it

Edited by iris123
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On 4/5/2019 at 10:32 PM, prodons said:

Did Alan Grahame ever qualify for a final? Seem to recall him being reserve in 1984 and scoring a few points.

Both Grahame brothers came to my mind too. Andy was also reserve in 1982. Never global superstars, but certainly very competitive at international level for a few years at least.  Shame neither bagged an outright final appearance as they were both up and around the same level as the likes of Phil Collins, Les Collins, Neil Evitts, Richard Knight who can all claim to have been finalists.

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Interesting comments which I have greatly enjoyed reading. For the real old timers (like me and Norbold-he's actually younger than me) does anybody know the closest Tommy Miller came to reaching the WF-he was like a meteor but I think after the merging of NL2 and NL1 he seemed to fade-I think he rode for Coventry last off).

 Also one poster mentioned Ivor Brown -although one of my heroes-king of the Prov. league -I reckon he had reached his peak before 1965 and if not injured would have anyway had trouble maintaining his average in the  first year BL-top man though and the scourge of Ivan Mauger!!!

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On 4/10/2019 at 6:33 PM, BOBBATH said:

 

 Also one poster mentioned Ivor Brown -although one of my heroes-king of the Prov. league -I reckon he had reached his peak before 1965 and if not injured would have anyway had trouble maintaining his average in the  first year BL-top man though and the scourge of Ivan Mauger!!!

Ivor Brown averaged 10.00 in 1965; 7.9 in 1966 and 7.5 in 1967.

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Ron Preston..

 

1979..Poole..32..139..277..21..8.58..4F..2P
1980..Poole..23..101..214..16..9.11..1F..1P
1981..Poole..12..62..110..9..7.68..1F
1982..Eastbourne..38..162..354..18..9.18..5F..3P

 

World U21 champion in 1979, quit the sport half injured aged about 24

Edited by M.D
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