Mauger close second

Press, 4 July 1978, Page 6

Mauger close second

Fredericia, Denmark. ■ The reigning world speedway i champion. Ivan Mauger, of New Zealand, was beaten in a raCe-off by the former champion, Ole Olsen, of Denmark, in the intercontinental zone final of the , world speedway championships, i Both riders totalled 13 points , from three wins and two seconds in five heats, but the Dane i ;got the better of Mauger in the ! extra heat. , Olsen, aged 31, and Mauger, ; seven years older, had no difficulty in establishing their superiority in a field of 15 and they are clear favourites for the world championship final at ; Wembley. London, on Septem- 1 ber 2. Before the last round of heats it was clear that Scott Autrey, ;

of the United States, Rkka Ttroma, of Finland and Jan Andersson, of Sweden, who finished third, fourth and fifth, would be among the seven qualifying for the world finals. But the fight for the sixth and seventh places was much closer and the tension mounted after Sweden’s Anders Mlchanek obtained a firm grasp on the No. 6 position. The Australian, John Titman, aged 27, finally overcame another Swede, Bernt Persson, a former world championship bronze medallist, who had stayed level with him over four heats. Another New Zealander, Mike Shirra, aged 20, was taken from the track unconscious after crashing earlier in the day. He recovered but could not take any further part in the event.