Ivan Mauger

Ivan Mauger

Ivan Mauger on the speedway slope

Ivan Mauger OBE (born October 4, 1939 in Christchurch , New Zealand , † April 16, 2018 ) was a New Zealand track athlete . He concentrated particularly on the long track and the speedway sport . He is considered one of the most successful track athletes ever. Besides Tony Rickardsson, he is the only one who could win six titles in the Speedway Individual World Championship . He was also three times long track world champion .

Mauger contested his first professional speedway race in the late 1950s when he went to England during the speedway boom in New Zealand, which was sparked by the successes of Ronnie Moore and Barry Briggs . There he was signed by the Wimbledon Dons , a first division speedway club, but was initially unsuccessful. First he went back to New Zealand. His breakthrough came when he was signed by the Newcastle Diamonds in 1963 and in 1966 reached the finals of the individual World Cup for the first time and finished fourth. He won his first title in 1968.

In 1984 he ended his career. Then he was active as a promoter for races.

For his sporting successes, Mauger was awarded an MBE in 1979 and an Order of the British Empire in 1989 . He was voted Speedway Driver of the Century by the readers of two major specialist magazines. He was also named Sportsman of the Year in New Zealand in 1977 and 1979 and was allowed to participate in the torch relay for the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney .

successes

singles

• Speedway world champions: 1968,1969,1970,1972,1977, 1979
• Long course world champion: 1971,1972,1976
• European Speedway Champion: 1966, 1970, 1971, 1975
• New Zealand Speedway Champion: 1974, 1981
• British Speedway Champion: 1968,1970,1971,1972

team

• Speedway team world champions: 1968,1971,1972,1979
• Speedway pair world champion: 1969,1970

Web links

• official page

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Mat Kermeen: New Zealand speedway ace Ivan Mauger this. In: stuff.co.nz. April 16, 2018, accessed April 16, 2018 .