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Ole Olsen (speedway)
Encyclopedia
Ole Olsen is a former international motorcycle speedway
rider.
Olsen won the Speedway World Championship
three times, in 1971, 1975, and 1978. He also won the World Long track
Championship in 1973. In 1979 Olsen won Speedway World Pairs Championship
with Hans Nielsen
.
Olsen's success greatly helped popularize the sport in Denmark which led to him building and opening a track at Vojens
, the 15,000 capacity Vojens Speedway Center, which has held many Danish Championships
as well as the 1988
and 1994 Speedway World Finals
(1994 being the last under the old single meeting format) while it hosted the Speedway Grand Prix of Denmark
from 1995
until 2002
, after which the Danish GP was moved to the larger capacity Parken Stadium
in Copenhagen
.
in the British League
from 1967 until 1969. He then moved to the Wolverhampton Wolves, where he remained from 1970 until then end of the 1975 season. In 1976 he joined the Coventry Bees
where he enjoyed the most success, winning two British League
titles as well as the 1981 League Cup. Olsen has also won the British League Riders Championship
in 1972, 1976, 1977 and 1978.
Olsen was close to winning two further World Championship
titles. In the 1972 final at Wembley whilst in second place he fell, and despite winning his other four heats, he was beaten by Ivan Mauger
. In 1977, John Boulger
fell on a rain soaked track whilst Olsen was leading. In the re-run of the heat, Olsen was beaten by the eventual winner Mauger again. Olsen had the distinction of winning the last ever speedway race held at the original Wembley Stadium. In a run-off for second place in the 1981 World Final he beat Coventry team mate Tommy Knudsen.
At the height of his success and popularity, Ole was the biggest sports star in Denmark, a country with no Olympic team at that time.
Speedway Grand Prix
race director.
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...
rider.
Olsen won the Speedway World Championship
Speedway World Championship
The World Championship of Speedway is an international competition between the highest ranked motorcycle speedway riders of the world. Today, it is organised as a series of Speedway Grand Prix events, where points are awarded according to performance in the event and tallied up at the end of each...
three times, in 1971, 1975, and 1978. He also won the World Long track
Long track
The Long track is a very similar to speedway but it takes place on 1000 metre tracks and consequently speeds are much higher. There are also subtle differences between the machinery in that a longtrack bike is slightly larger and has a two-speed gearbox...
Championship in 1973. In 1979 Olsen won Speedway World Pairs Championship
Speedway World Pairs Championship
The Speedway World Pairs Championship was an annual speedway event held each year in different countries. The first competition was held in 1968 and the final competition was held in 1993. From 1994 it was merged with the World Team Cup.- Rules :...
with Hans Nielsen
Hans Nielsen (speedway rider)
Hans Hollen Nielsen - a prominent speedway rider active from the 1970s to the late 1990s; a former World Champion....
.
Olsen's success greatly helped popularize the sport in Denmark which led to him building and opening a track at Vojens
Vojens
Vojens Municipality , was a municipality in the former South Jutland County on the Jutland peninsula in south Denmark. The municipality, which existed from 1970 to 2006, covered an area of 298 km², and had a total population of 16,792...
, the 15,000 capacity Vojens Speedway Center, which has held many Danish Championships
Individual Speedway Danish Championship
Individual Speedway Danish Championship is competition for riders holding a Danish passport and a valid DMU licence. Riders must submit their entries at least four weeks before the first meeting of the competition....
as well as the 1988
1988 Individual Speedway World Championship
The 1988 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 3, 1988 Vojens, Vojens Speedway Center...
and 1994 Speedway World Finals
1994 Individual Speedway World Championship
The 1994 Individual Speedway World Championship.-Scandinavian Series:Riders from Scandinavia, i.e. Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland competed. The top 8 in Swedish Semi Finals advanced to the Swedish Final. The top 5 in the Swedish Final advanced to the Scandinavian Final. The Danish Final was...
(1994 being the last under the old single meeting format) while it hosted the Speedway Grand Prix of Denmark
Speedway Grand Prix of Denmark
The Speedway Grand Prix of Denmark is a speedway event that is a part of the Speedway Grand Prix Series.- Winners :- See also :* motorcycle speedway* List of Speedway Grand Prix riders...
from 1995
1995 Speedway Grand Prix
The 1995 Speedway Grand Prix season was the first season in the Speedway Grand Prix era and was used to determine the Speedway World Champion. Grand Prix series was won by Hans Nielsen; it was his fourth World Champion title.- Event format :...
until 2002
2002 Speedway Grand Prix
The 2002 Speedway Grand Prix season is the eighth season in the Speedway Grand Prix era and is used to determine the Speedway World Champion.- Event format :The system first used in 1998 continued to be adopted with 24 riders, divided into two classes...
, after which the Danish GP was moved to the larger capacity Parken Stadium
Parken Stadium
Parken Stadium is a football stadium in the Indre Østerbro district of Copenhagen, Denmark, built from 1990–1992. It currently has a capacity of 38,065 for football games, and is the home ground of F.C. Københaven and the Danish national football team...
in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
.
Career summary
Olsen first rode in the UK for the Newcastle DiamondsNewcastle Diamonds
Newcastle Diamonds are a motorcycle speedway team who compete in the British Premier League. The club has a reputation of importing young foreign talent and have given starts to the British careers of six times World Champion Ivan Mauger, three times World Champion Ole Olsen, 1974 World Champion...
in the British League
Speedway British League
The British League was the top division of Speedway in the United Kingdom from 1965 until 1995 when it became known as the Premier League. Prior to 1965 the division had been known as the National League....
from 1967 until 1969. He then moved to the Wolverhampton Wolves, where he remained from 1970 until then end of the 1975 season. In 1976 he joined the Coventry Bees
Coventry Bees
The Coventry Bees are a motorcycle speedway team based at Brandon near Coventry, England. A Coventry team was first formed in 1928 and competed in the Southern League and then the National League in the pre-war era at Brandon stadium. There were also meetings at a stadium in Lythalls Lane...
where he enjoyed the most success, winning two British League
Speedway British League
The British League was the top division of Speedway in the United Kingdom from 1965 until 1995 when it became known as the Premier League. Prior to 1965 the division had been known as the National League....
titles as well as the 1981 League Cup. Olsen has also won the British League Riders Championship
Speedway Elite League Riders Championship
The Elite League Riders Championship is a contest between the top riders with the highest average points total from each club competing in the Speedway Elite League in the UK. The championship was inaugurated in 1960 when it was known as the Provincial League Riders Championship...
in 1972, 1976, 1977 and 1978.
Olsen was close to winning two further World Championship
Speedway World Championship
The World Championship of Speedway is an international competition between the highest ranked motorcycle speedway riders of the world. Today, it is organised as a series of Speedway Grand Prix events, where points are awarded according to performance in the event and tallied up at the end of each...
titles. In the 1972 final at Wembley whilst in second place he fell, and despite winning his other four heats, he was beaten by 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...
. In 1977, John Boulger
John Boulger
John Boulger is a former international motorcycle speedway rider. After he retired from riding Solo's, Boulger raced in Speedcars from the mid-1980s until the mid-1990s...
fell on a rain soaked track whilst Olsen was leading. In the re-run of the heat, Olsen was beaten by the eventual winner Mauger again. Olsen had the distinction of winning the last ever speedway race held at the original Wembley Stadium. In a run-off for second place in the 1981 World Final he beat Coventry team mate Tommy Knudsen.
At the height of his success and popularity, Ole was the biggest sports star in Denmark, a country with no Olympic team at that time.
World final appearances
- 19701970 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1970 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 6, 1970 Wrocław, Olympic Stadium...
-
Poland WroclawWroclawWrocław , situated on the River Oder , is the main city of southwestern Poland.Wrocław was the historical capital of Silesia and is today the capital of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship. Over the centuries, the city has been part of either Poland, Bohemia, Austria, Prussia, or Germany, but since 1945...
, Olympic StadiumOlympic Stadium (Wroclaw)Olympic Stadium in Wrocław is a multi-purpose stadium in Wrocław, Poland. It is currently used mostly for football matches and speedway racing. It serves as the home stadium of Atlas Wrocław. The stadium has a capacity of 35,000 people and was opened in 1935. The stadium was supposed to be used...
- 10th - 6pts - 19711971 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1971 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 10, 1971 Göteborg, UlleviNote : Vladimir Gordeev was disqualified after illegal additives were found in his fuel.-Heat by Heat Classification:...
-
Sweden Göteborg, UlleviUlleviUllevi is a stadium in Gothenburg, Sweden. The stadium was built for the 1958 FIFA World Cup, but since then Ullevi has also hosted the 1995 World Championships in Athletics and the 2006 European Championships in Athletics, the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup finals in 1983 and 1990, the UEFA Euro 1992...
- Winner - 15pts - 19721972 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1972 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*16 September 1972 London, Wembley Stadium...
-
United Kingdom LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Wembley Stadium - 3rd - 12pts - 19731973 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1973 Individual Speedway World Championship.The 1973 World Final was won by Polish rider Jerzy Szczakiel following a run-off in with defending champion Ivan Mauger after both riders had finished on 13 points. In the run-off Mauger fell in turn 3 after trying a risky passing move leaving...
- Poland ChorzówChorzówChorzów is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. Chorzów is one of the central districts of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - a metropolis with a population of 2 million...
, Silesian Stadium - 4th - 11pts - 19741974 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1974 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 6, 1974 Göteborg, Ullevi...
- Sweden Göteborg, UlleviUlleviUllevi is a stadium in Gothenburg, Sweden. The stadium was built for the 1958 FIFA World Cup, but since then Ullevi has also hosted the 1995 World Championships in Athletics and the 2006 European Championships in Athletics, the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup finals in 1983 and 1990, the UEFA Euro 1992...
- 15th - 2pts - 19751975 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1975 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 6, 1975 London, Wembley Stadium*Referee: Torrie Kittelsen-Classification:...
- United Kingdom LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Wembley Stadium - Winner - 15pts - 19771977 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1977 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 2, 1977 Göteborg, Ullevi*Referee: Torrie Kittelsen-Classification:...
- Sweden Göteborg, UlleviUlleviUllevi is a stadium in Gothenburg, Sweden. The stadium was built for the 1958 FIFA World Cup, but since then Ullevi has also hosted the 1995 World Championships in Athletics and the 2006 European Championships in Athletics, the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup finals in 1983 and 1990, the UEFA Euro 1992...
- 3rd - 12pts + 3pts - 19781978 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1978 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 2, 1978 London, Wembley Stadium...
- United Kingdom LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Wembley Stadium - Winner - 13pts - 19791979 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1979 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 2, 1979 Chorzów, Silesian Stadium-Heat Results:...
- Poland ChorzówChorzówChorzów is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. Chorzów is one of the central districts of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - a metropolis with a population of 2 million...
, Silesian Stadium - 6th - 11pts + 0pts - 19801980 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1980 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 5, 1980 Göteborg, Ullevi...
- Sweden Göteborg, UlleviUlleviUllevi is a stadium in Gothenburg, Sweden. The stadium was built for the 1958 FIFA World Cup, but since then Ullevi has also hosted the 1995 World Championships in Athletics and the 2006 European Championships in Athletics, the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup finals in 1983 and 1990, the UEFA Euro 1992...
- Reserve- Did not Ride - 19811981 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1981 Individual Speedway World Championship.1981 was the last of a record 26 times that London's famous Wembley Stadium hosted the World Final.-World final:*September 5, 1981 London, Wembley Stadium*Referee: Sam Bass-Heat Results:...
- United Kingdom LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Wembley Stadium - 2nd - 12pts + 3pts - 19831983 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1983 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 4, 1983 Norden, Motodrom Halbemond*Referee: Rolf RandborgKarl Maier replaced the injured Petr Ondrašík-Classification:...
-
Germany NordenNorden, Lower SaxonyNorden is a town in the district of Aurich, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the North Sea shore, in East Frisia.-External links:* *...
, Motodrom Halbemond - 6th - 10pts
After retirement
Olsen became the FIMFédération Internationale de Motocyclisme
The Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme is the governing body of motorcycle racing. It represents 103 national motorcycle federations that are divided into six regional continental unions....
Speedway Grand Prix
Speedway Grand Prix
Speedway Grand Prix are a series of stand-alone speedway events over the course of a season used to determine the Speedway World Champion. As of 2008, all of the events take place in Europe.- Event format :...
race director.