Brilliant riding by Ivan Mauger

Press, 2 March 1981, Page 30

Brilliant riding by Ivan Mauger

. s’- / ' NZPA Sydney [ The New. Zealand rider, ’ Ivan Mauger, '■ of. ' Christ- • church, a> 40-year-old grand- • father .. .and- winner of six : world ’.titlps, ■ dominated the ’ Australasian . final; of the • 1981 world speedrtvay. series ■ at Liverpool; Raceway, Syd- ’ ney .on Saturday evening. , Mauger blitzed; a . strong . field'to scorea-maximum 15 ■ points and was always a clear favourite ' after equalling Billy ; Sanders’s 'track

record of 58.4 s in his opening ride. The four riders to qualify for the first quarter-final of the world championship to be. held at Belle Vue, England, in July I are Mauger Danny Kennedy (Vic.), Larry Ross (N.Z.), and Phil Herne (N.S.W.), cf. .; Shock non-qualifiers were the world No. 3 rider, Billy Sanders, of N.S;W., and the twice- Australian '■ champion, Phil Crump.

Sanders ruined his chances in his fourth outing by overstaying the two-min-ute time limit allowed for riders to be ready for a start. ; Lining up for a re-start after clipping the. bike of the fallen New Zealand rider, Mitch, Shirra, Sanders attempted to ..change bikes and was excluded by the meeting referee, Mr Sam Bass, of / -■ ./■■ \ .Crump, inspite of an im-

qxpected loss to fellow Victorian, Danny Kennedy, needed only a third placing from his last heat and was second on points at that stage behind .'Mauger. However/ Crump was involved in a heavy'fall with the New Zealand rider,; Tony Briggs, and was < disqualified for causing a race stoppage. Third place was gained by Ross, also at Christchurch.