Mauger retains world title

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32967, 13 July 1972, Page 24

Mauger retains world title

Although handicapped by an injured right hand, the brilliant Christchurch speedway rider, I. Mauger, has retained his world 1000 metres long track championship.

Mauger, who won the title last year for the first time, went through the heats and the final, held in West Ger-

many on Sunday, without being beaten. Runner-up for the second time was the West German and former European champion, M. Poschenrieder. Mauger has now won nine gold medals in world motorcycle competition—a total which equals the record held by the Swedish rider, O. Fundin. The New Zealander has won three world speedway solo titles and two world 1000 metres long track titles. He also has won two gold medals in the world best pairs speedway championship and two more as a member of the winning World Cup team. However, Mauger’s activities are to be temporarily curtailed. He telephoned Christchurch yesterday from England and told his mother, Mrs R. Mauger, that his right hand had been put in plaster and that he had been ordered to rest from racing for two weeks. Mauger injured the hand in

a fall during the recent world best pairs championship in Sweden and has been having pain-killing injections. This has not affected his form. Last week, before the long track championship, he won the Scottish speedway championship from the England test riders, C. Pusey and R. Wilson, and a few days later added the West of England title to his collection.

This time he finished level on points with the English rider, R. Kilby, and the reigning world champion, O. Olsen (Denmark), but won the runoff.

Then, last Saturday, the day before the long track championship, he visited Czechoslovakia for an international speedway meeting, won all his races and broke the track record as well.

Mauger is now concentrating on winning the British speedway championship at Coventry on August 2 and regaining the world title at Wembley in September.