British Final 1965 (apropos Charlie Monk)

[BOBBATH 467]

Anybody out there remember this meeting-it was at West Ham,was delayed a week by rain and then the riders refused to ride unless they got more money. Six riders were going thru to the World Final and at that point Charlie Monk had not been defeated in any race in the World Championship rounds that season. I figure he was a cert to be one of the six.In his second ride he was defeated by Peter Vandenberg and a buddy pointed out that was the first point he had dropped in the World Champs so far. He had 5 pts. from two rides(Vandenberg didn't score another point all night). Heat 20 comes round Charlie has 8 pts.-on his way to another 2 at least-he gets excluded-Jimmy Gooch wins ,goes thru to his only World Final on 10,ditto Reg Luckhurst on 10, ditto the late Brian Brett on 10.

No problem we all thought-he'll back and make many World Finals-he's only 24.Yet Charlie never came that close again.I recall talking later in the West Ham bar to Ivan Mauger who scored 5 pts., which was a real achievement as he had his leg strapped and shouldn't have ridden at all and Ivan had a similar view and respect for Charlie. Funny game speedway

[norbold 7,116]

Yes, I was there. I've just looked at my programme. As BOBBATH says the start was delayed because of a dispute over pay. Here are a few comments I wrote on my programme:

"Good Heavens! They've actually started at 8.35. Rain started 8.36." (However the first race saw a new track record of 72.4 seconds set by Nigel Boocock.)

Heat 3 "Run in pouring rain"

Heat 5: "Charlie [Monk] from 4th to 2nd last lap" (overtaking Ronnie Genz and Bill Andrew)

Heat 9: "Took 15 minutes to run." There were two exclusions. But then, "Best race so far"

"No interval because of weather"

Heat 14: The race was stopped. Ronnie Genz and Jimmy Gooch were both excluded then Gooch was unexcluded. My comments, "Boocock was beating Briggs by miles in the first race, also in the second race but Briggs took him from the back and went miles in front."

The trophy was presented by olympic gold medallist, Mary Rand and Editor of the Sunday Mirror, Michael Christiansen.

[BOBBATH 467]

Thanx Norbold great that you still have the program, I'd forgotten that Monk had come from 4th to 2nd in the race which Vandenberg won-a real spoiler that evening was Gordon Guasco who almost made it thru as reserve to World Final-losing a runoff to Mike Broadbank.I had been at Poole for the semi-final where Gordon beat Briggo fair and square-an unpredictable rider was Gordon.

[norbold 7,116]

Yes, Gordon Guasco was cetainly a surprise package that night. Another comment I wrote on my programme after Heat 16 in which Gordon beat Hammers' captain, Ken McKinlay was simply, "Eh?"

[DW 11]

The big controversy in this match was Charlie being excluded for knocking off Ken McKinlay.After a protest, a few weeks later, the decision was over turned but there was allegedly no time to re-run the race as was suggested.So Charlie lost his best chance of qualifying for a world final

[norbold 7,116]

Oh yes, now you mention it...

 

As it happens I made no comment at all about this race in my programme, so I must have thought it was the right decision at the time. But then Ken was our skipper!

[Custom House Kid 45]

Oh yes, now you mention it...

 

As it happens I made no comment at all about this race in my programme, so I must have thought it was the right decision at the time. But then Ken was our skipper!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Decision never in doubt!

Edited March 1, 2007 by Custom House Kid

[BOBBATH 467]

I understand your viewpoint Customhousekid but Ken made so many World Finals and it would have been great for Charlie to have made just one-also I'm not so sure it was that open and shut-because a rerun was considered following a tribunal review-anyway they all tried their best!!