Sverre Harrfeldt

[KevH 257]

I'd be interested to hear anyone's stories about Sverre.

 

I'd also like his date, and place of birth if anyone knows please.

 

It's always good to read about the old times and I'm sure many people have good memories of watching Sverre race.

[Ian 24]

I was lucky enough to see him most weeks when he rode his final season with Wembley - I think it was 1971.

 

Sverre, although a shadow of his former self by all accounts, was still a very good rider. Some riders always look faster than others, which I have always imagined to be a combination of riding posture, stature and track positioning; Sverre looked very fast indeed. Considering he was still recovering from massive injuries that says an awful lot about the man. He got better and better as the season went on, and I think eventually scored the elusive maximum.

 

Kev, you asked for stories, and here's one which I bet not too many will remember. On his retirement, his Wembley teammates gave him a memento - it may have been a plate, or something like that. The inscription read:

 

"The record shows

He took the blows

And did it his way".

 

Funny the things you remember, isn't it? Like some of the other all-time greats, I consider myself fortunate to have been entertained by the superb Sverre Harrfelt. Do you have any knowledge of what he's up to these days?

[iris123 21,029]

I don't have any stories or stats on Sverre.I do have a photo though,to put a face to the name

S.Harrfeldt

[norbold 7,135]

I was lucky enough to see him most weeks when he rode his final season with Wembley - I think it was 1971.

I was even luckier, seeing Sverre ride at West Ham every week from 1965 - 1968. He was electrifying. His dashes round the fence never failed to bring the crowd to their feet. He didn't always seem to get the best of starts and the spectacle of Sverre in full pursuit of the riders in front of him brought the crowds back week after week to see our hero, Hearththrob Harrfeldt.

 

He was almost unbeatable round Custom House and his averages for the four years he was there were 11.08, 9.89, 10.25 and 9.79. And, of course, he was runner-up in the World Championship in 1966.

 

After his horrific crash at the end of 1968 he was never quite the same again, but he did return to West Ham as team manager.

 

I finally caught up with West Ham's hero in 2007 at the WSRA Dinner: See here

Edited November 12, 2007 by norbold

[andout 661]

I was even luckier, seeing Sverre ride at West Ham every week from 1965 - 1968. He was electrifying. His dashes round the fence never failed to bring the crowd to their feet. He didn't always seem to get the best of starts and the spectacle of Sverre in full pursuit of the riders in front of him brought the crowds back week after week to see our hero, Hearththrob Harrfeldt.

 

He was almost unbeatable round Custom House and his averages for the three years he was there were 11.08, 9.89 and 10.25. And, of course, he was runner-up in the World Championship in 1966.

 

After his horrific crash at the end of 1968 he was never quite the same again, but he did return to West Ham as team manager.

 

I finally caught up with West Ham's hero in 2007 at the WSRA Dinner: See here

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ahhhh yes, I too remember him in those years norbold....absolutely fantastic to watch around Custom House. I was also lucky enough to see the 66 World final....oooo so close...all over in ONE race if memory serves me right...Briggs, Harrfeldt, Woryna all met in the one race and they all were not beaten by anyone else! Not forgetting the un-mistakable riding STYLE he had.

[Custom House Kid 45]

I'd be interested to hear anyone's stories about Sverre.

 

I'd also like his date, and place of birth if anyone knows please.

 

It's always good to read about the old times and I'm sure many people have good memories of watching Sverre race.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Hi Kevin

 

You should try Steve Rusbrook on the Arena Forum website he may have a story to tell.

 

any information you get I will be happy to receive!

 

I have nearly completed 1948 by the way!

Edited November 12, 2007 by Custom House Kid

[speedyguy 20]

Hi Kevin

 

You should try Steve Rusbrook on the Arena Forum website he may have a story to tell.

 

any information you get I will be happy to receive!

 

I have nearly completed 1948 by the way!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

 

Besides the great Sverre Harfeldt, I also saw West Ham's other great Norweigan rider Basse Hveem during his all-too brief 1953 spell at Custom House.

 

 

http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/oldtimespeedway

[Brian Hamilton 1]

I don't have any stories or stats on Sverre.I do have a photo though,to put a face to the name

S.Harrfeldt

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Looks like former Wimbledon rider Gerry Jackson in the background. Sorry to digress.

 

Regards

Brian

[norbold 7,135]

Definitely Gerry Jackson in the background.

[iris123 21,029]

Thanks for the info.

A snippit from the Peter Morrish book on the Speedway leagues 46-64 one Sverre's debut season with the Dons

"...Sverre Harrfeldt,the Norwegian champion,revived the flagging spirits and at the same time upset some opponents with his forceful efforts"

Edited November 12, 2007 by iris123

[Ron Butler 0]

I don't have any stories or stats on Sverre.I do have a photo though,to put a face to the name

S.Harrfeldt

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

A face full of character - a face befitting the man that was Sverre!

[KevH 257]

I have nearly completed 1948 by the way!

Done and returned mate.

 

It could be worth asking for info on the missing Belle Vue meeting in a thread in this section.

 

Thanks for everyone's input so far......... keep 'em coming........ and if anyone does have Sverre's date and place of birth, I'd be most grateful.

[Dons67 0]

The abiding memory I have of Sverre is in 1967 @ Plough Lane.

Heat 7 of league match, he fenced Olle Nygren at finish line (to be accurate

he booted him into the fence). Seem to recall he was excluded & West Ham

went on strike

[norbold 7,135]

The following week, the West Ham programme referred obliquely to this incident just saying, "Thanks for all the letters we've received during the week regarding the Wimbledon match. Wonderful to know so many people are behind us."

 

Of course, Olle Nygren was the big hate figure at Custom House at this time...and then, two years later, he was transferred to us, following Harrfeldt's retirement. It took a long time to get used to him!!! But we did.