Great Britain national speedway team

The Great Britain national speedway team (also known as Team GB) are one of the major teams in international speedway

Motorcycle speedway

Motorcycle speedway, usually referred to as speedway, is a motorcycle sport involving four and sometimes up to six riders competing over four anti-clockwise laps of an oval circuit. Speedway motorcycles use only one gear and have no brakes and racing takes place on a flat oval track usually...

. The team is managed by Poole Pirates

Poole Pirates

Poole Pirates are a motorcycle speedway team based in Poole, England, competing in the British Elite League...

manager Neil Middleditch and the captain is Chris Harris

Chris Harris (speedway rider)

Christopher Calvin "Chris" Harris in Truro, Cornwall, nicknamed Bomber, is a Great Britain international speedway rider for the Belle Vue Aces in the United Kingdom.- Early career :...

of the Belle Vue Aces

Belle Vue Aces

The Belle Vue Aces are a British speedway team from Manchester in the north west of England.-Brief history:Racing first took place in 1928 at the Belle Vue greyhound stadium in Kirkmanshulme Lane before moving the following year to a specially built stadium nearby on Hyde Road. The club raced there...

Speedway World Cup

The England national speedway team has won the Speedway World Team Cup

Speedway World Team Cup

The Speedway World Team Cup was an annual speedway event held each year in different countries. The competition started in 1960 and was replaced with the Speedway World Cup in 2001.-Format:From 1960 until 1985 each team consisted of four riders and a reserve...

on five occasions with the Great Britain side winning four times. They were a major force in the 1970s, winning five tournaments in a row, three as England and two as Great Britain. Key riding members of the title wins include Peter Collins

Peter Collins (speedway rider)

Peter Spencer Collins MBE is a former Speedway rider who spent his whole career with the Belle Vue Aces, the team he supported as a child...

(five wins), Malcolm Simmons

Malcolm Simmons

Malcolm Simmons is a former speedway rider.-Career:He made his debut at Hackney Hawks in 1963 aged seventeen but was unable to break into the Hackney team regularly so moved to the newly re-opened West Ham Hammers for the 1964 season. In 1965 Simmons won a British League and British League...

(four wins), New Zealand-born Ivan Mauger

Ivan Mauger

Ivan Mauger, OBE, MBE, is a retired motorcycle speedway rider. He won a record six World Championships, a feat only equalled by Tony Rickardsson of Sweden...

, Dave Jessup

Dave Jessup

David John Jessup is a former speedway rider who finished runner-up the Speedway World Championship in 1980 to fellow countryman Michael Lee. The same season he won the World Pairs Championship with Peter Collins and became British Speedway Champion after finishing runner-up in 1978 and third in...

and Ray Wilson

Ray Wilson (speedway rider)

Ray Wilson is a former international speedway rider who was World Pairs Champion in 1972 and British Speedway Champion in 1973, was also England Team Captain for 5years in the early 1970s. He was the first Englishman to record a maximum score in a World Team Cup Final...

(all three wins). The cup has eluded them since 1989, although they came close in 2000, missing out when Mark Loram

Mark Loram

Mark Roysten Gregory Loram is a former British motorcycle speedway rider who started his career with the Hackney Kestrels in 1987. He is a former World Speedway Champion. In March 2007 Loram broke his thigh and dislocated his arm whilst riding in the opening fixture of the British Elite League...

fell in a race-off, and 2004

2004 Speedway World Cup

The 2004 Speedway World Cup was the 4th FIM Speedway World Cup season. The Final took place on August 7, 2004 in Poole, Great Britain. The tournament was won by Sweden and they beat host team Great Britain , Denmark and Poland in the Final.-Qualification:-Venues:Two cities were selected to host...

where a team of Mark Loram

Mark Loram

, Lee Richardson

Lee Richardson (speedway rider)

Lee Stewart Richardson is a British international motorcycle speedway rider. Richardson has represented Great Britain at senior and under-21 level, and has featured in several World Cup tournaments. He was also a fully fledged Grand Prix rider for four seasons from 2003 until 2006...

, Gary Havelock

Gary Havelock

Robert Gary Havelock is a speedway rider who currently captains the Redcar Bears in the British Premier League...

, David Norris

David Norris (speedway rider)

David Michael Norris is a former British international motorcycle speedway rider.he also has a wife Ellie and two sons Ashley and Jack.-Career:...

and Scott Nicholls

Scott Nicholls

Scott Nicholls is a British speedway rider who is participating in the 2009 Speedway Grand Prix competition and is the captain of the Great Britain speedway team.- Career biography :...

missed out by one point. Both narrow defeats were at the hands of Sweden

Sweden national speedway team

Sweden are one of the major teams in international speedway. They have been managed by Mats Olsson, who is currently in his 2nd spell, since 2005 after he quit in 2000...

and both in somewhat controversial fashion.

Wins as Great Britain

Year	Venue	Standings (Pts)	GB Riders and Pts
1968	Wembley	1. GREAT BRITAIN (40) 2. Sweden (30) 3. Poland (19) 4. Czechoslovakia (7)	Ivan Mauger Ivan Mauger Ivan Mauger, OBE, MBE, is a retired motorcycle speedway rider. He won a record six World Championships, a feat only equalled by Tony Rickardsson of Sweden...	12
			Nigel Boocock Nigel Boocock Nigel Boocock is a former speedway rider who appeared in eight Speedway World Championship finals and was a reserve in one other .-Career:...	10
			Martin Ashby Martin Ashby Martin Ashby is a former international speedway rider who reached the final of theSpeedway World Championship in 1968...	8
			Barry Briggs Barry Briggs Barry Briggs MBE from Christchurch, New Zealand is a former Speedway rider.He won the World Individual Championship title four times - in 1957, 1958, 1964 and 1966. He appeared in a record 17 consecutive World Individual finals , and a record 18 in all, during which he scored a record 201 points...	7
			Norman Hunter Norman Hunter (speedway rider) Norman Hunter is a former motorcycle speedway rider who won the London Riders' Championship in 1963 and again in 1966 and the Midland Riders' Championship in 1969...	3
1971	Wroclaw	1. GREAT BRITAIN (37) 2. Soviet Union (22) 3. Poland (19) 4. Sweden (18)	Ray Wilson Ray Wilson (speedway rider) Ray Wilson is a former international speedway rider who was World Pairs Champion in 1972 and British Speedway Champion in 1973, was also England Team Captain for 5years in the early 1970s. He was the first Englishman to record a maximum score in a World Team Cup Final...	12
			Ivan Mauger Ivan Mauger Ivan Mauger, OBE, MBE, is a retired motorcycle speedway rider. He won a record six World Championships, a feat only equalled by Tony Rickardsson of Sweden...	10
			Jim Airey Jim Airey James Sydney "Jim" Airey is a former international motorcycle speedway rider who rode in the 1971 World Final in Göteborg, Sweden and was a member of the Great Britain team that won the 1971 Speedway World Team Cup in Wrocław, Poland.-Australia:Jim Airey started racing Speedway in the early-1960s,...	9
			Barry Briggs Barry Briggs Barry Briggs MBE from Christchurch, New Zealand is a former Speedway rider.He won the World Individual Championship title four times - in 1957, 1958, 1964 and 1966. He appeared in a record 17 consecutive World Individual finals , and a record 18 in all, during which he scored a record 201 points...	6
			Ronnie Moore Ronnie Moore (speedway rider) Ronnie Moore MBE is a former international Speedway rider. His family moved to New Zealand when he was still a child and although Moore was born in Australia, he has always considered himself to be a New Zealander....	-
1972	Olching	1. GREAT BRITAIN (36) 2. Soviet Union (21) 3. Poland (21) 4. Sweden (18)	Ivan Mauger Ivan Mauger Ivan Mauger, OBE, MBE, is a retired motorcycle speedway rider. He won a record six World Championships, a feat only equalled by Tony Rickardsson of Sweden...	11
			John Louis	9
			Terry Betts Terry Betts Terence Arnold Betts is a former international speedway rider who reached the final of theSpeedway World Championship in 1974...	9
			Ray Wilson Ray Wilson (speedway rider) Ray Wilson is a former international speedway rider who was World Pairs Champion in 1972 and British Speedway Champion in 1973, was also England Team Captain for 5years in the early 1970s. He was the first Englishman to record a maximum score in a World Team Cup Final...	8
			Ronnie Moore Ronnie Moore (speedway rider) Ronnie Moore MBE is a former international Speedway rider. His family moved to New Zealand when he was still a child and although Moore was born in Australia, he has always considered himself to be a New Zealander....	-
1973	Wembley	1. GREAT BRITAIN (37) 2. Sweden (31) 3. Soviet Union (20) 4. Poland (8)	Peter Collins Peter Collins (speedway rider) Peter Spencer Collins MBE is a former Speedway rider who spent his whole career with the Belle Vue Aces, the team he supported as a child...	12
			Terry Betts Terry Betts Terence Arnold Betts is a former international speedway rider who reached the final of theSpeedway World Championship in 1974...	9
			Malcolm Simmons Malcolm Simmons Malcolm Simmons is a former speedway rider.-Career:He made his debut at Hackney Hawks in 1963 aged seventeen but was unable to break into the Hackney team regularly so moved to the newly re-opened West Ham Hammers for the 1964 season. In 1965 Simmons won a British League and British League...	8
			Ray Wilson Ray Wilson (speedway rider) Ray Wilson is a former international speedway rider who was World Pairs Champion in 1972 and British Speedway Champion in 1973, was also England Team Captain for 5years in the early 1970s. He was the first Englishman to record a maximum score in a World Team Cup Final...	8
			Dave Jessup Dave Jessup David John Jessup is a former speedway rider who finished runner-up the Speedway World Championship in 1980 to fellow countryman Michael Lee. The same season he won the World Pairs Championship with Peter Collins and became British Speedway Champion after finishing runner-up in 1978 and third in...	-

Wins as England

Year	Venue	Standings (Pts)	Eng Riders and Pts
1974	Chorzow	1. ENGLAND (42) 2. Sweden (31) 3. Poland (13) 4. Soviet Union (10)	Peter Collins Peter Collins (speedway rider) Peter Spencer Collins MBE is a former Speedway rider who spent his whole career with the Belle Vue Aces, the team he supported as a child...	12
			John Louis	11
			Dave Jessup Dave Jessup David John Jessup is a former speedway rider who finished runner-up the Speedway World Championship in 1980 to fellow countryman Michael Lee. The same season he won the World Pairs Championship with Peter Collins and became British Speedway Champion after finishing runner-up in 1978 and third in...	10
			Malcolm Simmons Malcolm Simmons Malcolm Simmons is a former speedway rider.-Career:He made his debut at Hackney Hawks in 1963 aged seventeen but was unable to break into the Hackney team regularly so moved to the newly re-opened West Ham Hammers for the 1964 season. In 1965 Simmons won a British League and British League...	8
			Ray Wilson Ray Wilson (speedway rider) Ray Wilson is a former international speedway rider who was World Pairs Champion in 1972 and British Speedway Champion in 1973, was also England Team Captain for 5years in the early 1970s. He was the first Englishman to record a maximum score in a World Team Cup Final...	-
1975	Norden	1. ENGLAND (41) 2. Soviet Union (29) 3. Sweden (17) 4. Poland (9)	Peter Collins Peter Collins (speedway rider) Peter Spencer Collins MBE is a former Speedway rider who spent his whole career with the Belle Vue Aces, the team he supported as a child...	12
			Malcolm Simmons Malcolm Simmons Malcolm Simmons is a former speedway rider.-Career:He made his debut at Hackney Hawks in 1963 aged seventeen but was unable to break into the Hackney team regularly so moved to the newly re-opened West Ham Hammers for the 1964 season. In 1965 Simmons won a British League and British League...	11
			Martin Ashby Martin Ashby Martin Ashby is a former international speedway rider who reached the final of theSpeedway World Championship in 1968...	10
			John Louis	8
			Dave Jessup Dave Jessup David John Jessup is a former speedway rider who finished runner-up the Speedway World Championship in 1980 to fellow countryman Michael Lee. The same season he won the World Pairs Championship with Peter Collins and became British Speedway Champion after finishing runner-up in 1978 and third in...	-
1977	Wroclaw	1. ENGLAND (37) 2. Poland (25) 3. Czechoslovakia (23) 4. Sweden (11)	Peter Collins Peter Collins (speedway rider) Peter Spencer Collins MBE is a former Speedway rider who spent his whole career with the Belle Vue Aces, the team he supported as a child...	10
			Michael Lee Michael Lee (speedway rider) Michael Andrew Lee is a former international speedway rider who won the Speedway World Championship in 1980...	9
			Dave Jessup Dave Jessup David John Jessup is a former speedway rider who finished runner-up the Speedway World Championship in 1980 to fellow countryman Michael Lee. The same season he won the World Pairs Championship with Peter Collins and became British Speedway Champion after finishing runner-up in 1978 and third in...	9
			John Davis John Davis (speedway rider) John Henry Davis is a former international motorcycle speedway rider who represented England when they won the World Team Cup in 1977.-World Final Appearances:* 1977 - Gothenburg, Ullevi - Reserve - did not ride...	6
			Malcolm Simmons Malcolm Simmons Malcolm Simmons is a former speedway rider.-Career:He made his debut at Hackney Hawks in 1963 aged seventeen but was unable to break into the Hackney team regularly so moved to the newly re-opened West Ham Hammers for the 1964 season. In 1965 Simmons won a British League and British League...	3
1980	Wroclaw	1. ENGLAND (40) 2. USA (29) 3. Poland (15) 4. Czechoslovakia (12)	Michael Lee Michael Lee (speedway rider) Michael Andrew Lee is a former international speedway rider who won the Speedway World Championship in 1980...	11
			Chris Morton Chris Morton Christopher John Morton MBE is a former motorcycle speedway rider. He rode bikes from a young age at the farm of Peter Collins' parents.-Brief career summary:...	11
			Peter Collins Peter Collins (speedway rider) Peter Spencer Collins MBE is a former Speedway rider who spent his whole career with the Belle Vue Aces, the team he supported as a child...	10
			Dave Jessup Dave Jessup David John Jessup is a former speedway rider who finished runner-up the Speedway World Championship in 1980 to fellow countryman Michael Lee. The same season he won the World Pairs Championship with Peter Collins and became British Speedway Champion after finishing runner-up in 1978 and third in...	8
			John Davis John Davis (speedway rider) John Henry Davis is a former international motorcycle speedway rider who represented England when they won the World Team Cup in 1977.-World Final Appearances:* 1977 - Gothenburg, Ullevi - Reserve - did not ride...	-
1989 1989 Speedway World Team Cup -Group D - Venue : Shumen, Bulgaria and Sandes, Holland:Norway to Group C.-Group C - Venue : Lonigo, Italy and Wiener Neustadt, Austria:Italy to Group B.-Group B - Venue : Nyiregyhaza, Hungary and Rzeszów, Poland:Australia to Group A....	Odsal Odsal Stadium Odsal Stadium is a stadium situated in Odsal, Bradford in West Yorkshire, England. The venue is used for rugby league and has been the home ground of Bradford Bulls/Bradford Northern since 1934...	1. ENGLAND (48) 2. Denmark (34) 3. Sweden (30) 4. USA (8)	Jeremy Doncaster Jeremy Doncaster Jeremy Doncaster is a former international motorcycle speedway rider who won the World Team Cup in 1989, top scoring for Great Britain with 13 points. He also finished in third place in the 1989 World Final...	13
			Paul Thorp Paul Thorp Paul Thorp is a motorcycle speedway rider won the World Team Cup with England in 1989.-World final appearances:* 1991 - Göteborg, Ullevi - 6th - 10pts-References:...	12
			Kelvin Tatum Kelvin Tatum Kelvin Martin Tatum MBE is a former British international motorcycle speedway and Grasstrack rider.-Career:...	12
			Simon Wigg Simon Wigg Simon Wigg was a speedway, grasstrack and Longtrack rider who finished runner-up in the Speedway World Championship in 1989....	11
			Simon Cross Simon Cross .Simon James Cross is a former motorcycle speedway rider who spent most of his career with the Cradley Heath Heathens....	0

U-21 Speedway World Cup

Year	Place	Pts.	Riders
2005 2005 Team Speedway Junior World Championship The 2005 Team Speedway Junior World Championship was the 1st FIM Team Speedway Junior World Championship season. The Final took place on October 1st 2005 in Pardubice, Czech Republic. World Championship was won by Poland team.- Calendar :...
3rd place in Qualifying Round 1
2006 2006 Team Speedway Junior World Championship The 2006 Team Speedway Junior World Championship.-Abensberg :-Kulma :-Final:...
3rd place in Qualifying Round 1
2007 2007 Team Speedway Junior World Championship The 2007 Team Speedway Junior World Championship is the 3rd FIM Team Speedway Junior World Championship season. The Final took place on September 23rd 2007 in Abensberg, Germany....	2	36	Edward Kennett Edward Kennett Edward 'Eddie' David Kennett is a motorcycle speedway rider. He was the British Under-21 Champion in 2005 and has appeared in two Speedway Grand Prix as a wild card.... (14), Lewis Bridger Lewis Bridger Lewis Alan Bridger is a speedway rider in the United Kingdom, riding with the Peterborough Panthers in the Elite League. He stepped straight into Elite League racing from the Conference League after one season with the Weymouth Wildcats.On 21 September 2007, Bridger was selected to represent Great... (11), James Wright James Wright (speedway rider) James Wright , is a speedway rider in the United Kingdom, riding with the Belle Vue Aces in the Elite League. James is also a squad member for Unia Tarnow in Liga I in Poland along with his Belle Vue Aces team mates Steve Boxall and Patrick Hougaard.His Grandfather, Jim Yacoby rode for the Belle... (6), Daniel King Daniel King (speedway rider) Daniel Robert King is a speedway rider currently riding for the Ipswich Witches in the British Elite League. His brother Jason is also a speedway rider.... (5), Tai Woffinden Tai Woffinden Tai Woffinden is a speedway rider currently riding for the Wolverhampton Wolves in the British Elite League, and is the son of former speedway rider Rob Woffinden.- Career :...
2008 2008 Team Speedway Junior World Championship The 2008 Team Speedway Junior World Championship was the fourth FIM World Team Junior Championship. The final took place on 21 September 2008, in Holsted, Denmark. The championship was won by the Polish junior team who were the defending champions from 2007...
3rd place in Qualifying Round 1

Titles

Famous British riders

Eric Boocock

Eric Boocock is a former Speedway rider who appeared in three Speedway World Championship finals.-Career:...

Nigel Boocock

Nigel Boocock is a former speedway rider who appeared in eight Speedway World Championship finals and was a reserve in one other .-Career:...

Barry Briggs

Barry Briggs MBE from Christchurch, New Zealand is a former Speedway rider.He won the World Individual Championship title four times - in 1957, 1958, 1964 and 1966. He appeared in a record 17 consecutive World Individual finals , and a record 18 in all, during which he scored a record 201 points...

Les Collins

Leslie 'Les' Collins is a former Speedway rider. He finished runner-up in the 1982 Speedway World Championship as well as winning the Intercontinental Final in 1982, the British Under-21 Championship in 1977 and the British League Riders Championship in 1980.-Crewe, Stoke & Belle Vue:Les started...

Peter Collins

Peter Collins (speedway rider)

Peter Spencer Collins MBE is a former Speedway rider who spent his whole career with the Belle Vue Aces, the team he supported as a child...

Phil Collins

Phil Collins (speedway rider)

Philip David 'Phil' Collins is a former Speedway rider. He once finished runner-up with England in the World Team Cup final in 1984 and third in 1985. He was British Under-21 Champion in 1978...

Peter Craven

Peter Theodore Craven was an English motorcycle racer. He was a finalist in each FIM Speedway World Championship from 1954 to 1963 and he won the title twice . He was British Champion in 1962-63....

Chris Harris

Chris Harris (speedway rider)

Christopher Calvin "Chris" Harris in Truro, Cornwall, nicknamed Bomber, is a Great Britain international speedway rider for the Belle Vue Aces in the United Kingdom.- Early career :...

Gary Havelock

Robert Gary Havelock is a speedway rider who currently captains the Redcar Bears in the British Premier League...

Dave Jessup

Eric Langton

Eric Langton was a motorcycle speedway who won the Star Riders' Championship in 1932, the forerunner to the Speedway World Championship. He also finished runner-up in 1934...

Michael Lee

Michael Lee (speedway rider)

Michael Andrew Lee is a former international speedway rider who won the Speedway World Championship in 1980...

Mark Loram

Chris Louis

Chris Louis (speedway rider)

Christopher "Chris" Louis is an England international Speedway motorcycle rider who rides for the Ipswich Witches. He is the son of former Great Britain International John Louis who is the current promoter at Ipswich.-Career:...

John Louis Ivan Mauger

Ivan Mauger

Ivan Mauger, OBE, MBE, is a retired motorcycle speedway rider. He won a record six World Championships, a feat only equalled by Tony Rickardsson of Sweden...

Ken McKinlay

John Robert Vickers McKinlay was an international speedway rider, captaining Scotland, England, Great Britain and Europe teams. He also finished on the rostrum of the British Speedway Championship finals twice, second in 1964 and third in 1965...

Ronnie Moore

Ronnie Moore (speedway rider)

Ronnie Moore MBE is a former international Speedway rider. His family moved to New Zealand when he was still a child and although Moore was born in Australia, he has always considered himself to be a New Zealander....

Chris Morton

Christopher John Morton MBE is a former motorcycle speedway rider. He rode bikes from a young age at the farm of Peter Collins' parents.-Brief career summary:...

Scott Nicholls

Scott Nicholls is a British speedway rider who is participating in the 2009 Speedway Grand Prix competition and is the captain of the Great Britain speedway team.- Career biography :...

Tommy Price

Thomas Tommy Price was an international Speedway rider. In 1949 he won the first Speedway World Championship to be held after the Second World War.-Career:...

Lee Richardson

Lee Richardson (speedway rider)

Joe Screen

Joseph 'Joe' Screen , is a British international speedway rider who rides for the Glasgow Tigers in the British Premier League. In 2011 While pairing with James Grieves he won the Premier league Pairs For the Tigers...

Malcolm Simmons

Kelvin Tatum

Kelvin Martin Tatum MBE is a former British international motorcycle speedway and Grasstrack rider.-Career:...

Simon Wigg

Simon Wigg was a speedway, grasstrack and Longtrack rider who finished runner-up in the Speedway World Championship in 1989....

Ray Wilson

Ray Wilson (speedway rider)

External links

BSPA Website

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