chunky

Nah, I just didn't want to include too many Poole riders! Steve

The format was just a standard best pairs featuring some pairings from BL teams. The pairs were : Kelvin Tatum/Tommy Knudsen, Jan Andersson/Mitch Shirra, Jeremy Doncaster/John Cook, Hans Nielsen/Marvyn Cox, Kenny Carter/Larry Ross, Jan O. Pedersen/Alan Grahame, and Neil Collins/Shawn Moran. Doncaster and Cook won, and there is some footage of the meeting on YouTube. Steve

You got me beat there, but I went to the World Finals in 69, 78, and 81, the 66 European Final, and the WTC Final in 70. The old Wembley really had such a magical feel to it... Steve

I even thought of making the non-world finalist world final a little more specific, and narrow it down to riders of a specific year. Good to see some names already mentioned, but leaving out the 70's and 80's, let's look at riders who were active in1969 who never made a World Final (reserve spot included). 1 - Tommy Roper 2 - Dave Younghusband 3 - Garry Middleton 4 - Sandor Levai 5 -George Hunter 6 - Bob Kilby 7 - Odd Fossengen 8 - Roy Trigg 9 - Geoff Mudge 10 - Chris Pusey 11 - Charlie Monk 12 - Jan Holub 13 - Tony Clarke 14 - Norman Hunter 15 - Bruce Cribb 16 - Oyvind S. Berg I would pay to watch that line-up today... Steve

Quite honestly, most of the riders in the 60's and 70's were friendly and approachable! First name that springs to mind for me is Jim Tebby. Steve

You were correct in your initial post, Bob. I don't believe anyone has any definitive answers why, if it was indeed intentional. I saw Les at the British GP at Brandon not too long before then, and quite honestly, he didn't look good at all. The sad thing for me is that whenever I think of him, I will always remember how he looked that last time. Steve

Only seven? You were lucky!

I think this thread should just be retitled "Whoosh"... Amazing how so many have such short memories! Sorry, but that is directed at you. OveFundinFan... Steve

EVERY rider in the GP is riding under the same rules and conditions, so in that respect, it is no easier and no more difficult. It is the same for everyone. It was a lot easier to become World Champion on the old days, and was actually easier for some than for others. Back in the day, depending on what nationality you were, you could become World Champion from just three or four meetings. As I mentioned a while back, how many meetings did Muller ride in 83? Or Szczakiel ten years earlier? Olsen was actually in a similar situation at least once, and in only two of those meetings (I-C Final and World Final) was he facing any real competition. Today, each rider has to face the majority of the world's best riders EVERY TIME! One good/lucky meeting just ain't gonna cut it... So, looking at it like that, it is a lot tougher to become World Champion today... Steve

Really? I read on here that he wouldn't have been good enough to even get in the 1972 Belle Vue team... Steve

Iit's obviously the only way I will get to see it, because I'm not allowed to watch him on the live stream specifically provided for people like me by the organisers... Is it still illegal and immoral if I just have it on in the background??? Steve

Oh, that's right! You needed an 11-point average to even think about being good enough to qualify for a British Final...

He needs to win at least 10 more World Championships to break into the top 50. Still, it is so easy to win the GP series - but only for Woffinden, and not everybody else...

Not according to some of the experts on the BSF, apparently... And we haven't even included the 50's and 60's yet!!!

And at least another 30 from the 1970's... Steve

Whoooooooosh..........

I have said it before, but there really is something unique and incredible about Tai's style. It seems like he is riding on rails, even when switching lines. He may not have a style like Collins, Craven, or Moran, but I have never understood those who label him "boring"... Steve

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

You did... Actually, iris123 mentioned him in the very first reply on thread. Funny, you can't really say somebody is forgotten when they have such a funky name! Steve

Have to agree there. This thread really concentrated on those who are easily forgotten, either because their British careers were almost over before they started (one or two matches), or they just weren't any good! No, their British careers weren't that long, but Wasserman and Hack were both very accomplished riders, and like Glucklich, both had decent international careers, include World Final qualification. Angermuller maybe wasn't quite as impressive in the UK, but again he had a fair reputation in mainland Europe. Steve

Even at the time of the 1949 final, several of the finalists on show were in their late 30's, and both Parkers, Lamoreaux, and Kitchen were in their 40's. Steve

You never disappoint! Just surprised it took you that long to comment... Seriously though, as was already mentioned, with the World Final only a year away, only a fool (of course, we have a few on here) would ever think that Tom wouldn't have been a multi-world finalist. Of course, it's hard to say if he would have still been around post-war, but I think he was young enough to have had a long and successful career. Steve

We have actually covered this subject on the BSF before, and for me, Schwartz is the one who stands out. Steve

Of course, with subjects like this, people tend to go for the most recent eras, particularly when they saw never some of the contenders. However, I do feel that Vic Duggan is usually - and very unfairly - overlooked when it comes to the true greats of the sport. He certainly had a spell where he was clearly a class above everybody else. Steve