I. MAUGER REGAINS EUROPEAN TITLE

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32354, 21 July 1970, Page 17

I. MAUGER REGAINS EUROPEAN TITLE

(N Z Press Association—Copyright) LENINGRAD. The brilliant Christchurch speedway rider, 1. Mauger, comfortably won the European championship—the last qualifying round for die world final—in Leningrad, Russia, on Sunday.

He is now regarded as a firm favourite to win the world championship, to be held in Poland in September, and become the first rider to score three successive victories in that event. Mauger, who has already won the British championship this season, scored 14 points to finish three points clear of his nearest challenger, V Gordeyev, of Russia. It was his second victory in the European championships, be won the title last in 1966. Another New Zealander, B. Briggs, who has won the world title four times, also

qualified for the world final by finishing in the first 10. Moore Injured However, the third New Zealander in the event, R. L. Moore, of Christchurch, who was expected to be leading contender for the world championship, suffered a disastrous spill early in the meeting. He broke an arm and suffered slight concussion. A world champion on two previous occasions, Moore has been plagued with injury since he returned to world competition last season after an absence of six years. He broke his right foot while riding for New Zealand in a test match against England last year and this spoiled his chan-

ces of doing well In the world final at Wembley. It was a serious crash which forced him into premature retirement in 1962. Test Blow His accident in Russia is a grave blow to New Zealand’s hopes of beating England in the test series, starting on July 30. If he is unable to ride, New Zealand will have little chance of victory, although Mauger and Briggs

should be more than a match for the best of the Englishmen.

Moore and Mauger won the world best pairs championship in Sweden earlier this season.

Although Mauger won the European title in such commanding fashion, the battle for the minor placings was exceptionally close. Four riders, Gordeyev, G. Kurilenko (Siberia), S. Sjosten (Sweden) and O. Olsen (Denmark), finished second equal with 11 points and a run-off was held to separate them. This was won by Gordeyev with Kurilenko second and Sjosten third. Final placings were: Mauger 1, Gordeyev 2, Kurilenko 3, Sjosten 4, Olsen 5. The other five to qualify for the world final in Wroclaw on September 6 were: A. Michanek (Sweden), V. Klimentyev (Russia), T. Hedge (Britain), V Dubnin (Russia), Briggs (New Zealand). Hedge who failed to qualify for the European championship, came into the contest as a reserve.