Commonwealth final

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The Commonwealth final was a Motorcycle speedway final sanctioned by the FIM as a qualifying round for the Speedway World Championship between 1979 and 1994.[1]

Introduced to the World Championship in 1979, it served as a qualifying round for Commonwealth riders, primarily those from Australia, England and New Zealand.[2]

The Commonwealth final was not run from 1981 to 1985, during which time riders who qualified through their national championship were through to the Overseas Final. It returned to the World Championship calendar in 1986 and lasted until 1994, the last year of the traditional single meeting World Championship final before the advent of the Speedway Grand Prix World championship series in 1995.[3]

Editions

[edit]

All 11 Commonwealth finals were held in England. Kelvin Tatum was the most successful Commonwealth finalist, winning four finals (1987, 1988, 1990 and 1992). Reigning Australian Champion Leigh Adams was the only non-English winner when he took out the 1993 Final.[4]

YearVenueWinnersRunner-up3rd place
1979England London
White City Stadium
England Michael LeeAustralia Billy SandersEngland Dave Jessup
1980England London
Wimbledon Stadium
England Dave JessupEngland John LouisNew Zealand Ivan Mauger
1981-1985 - not held
1986England Manchester
Belle Vue Stadium
England Jeremy DoncasterEngland Kelvin TatumEngland Chris Morton
1987England Manchester
Belle Vue Stadium
England Kelvin TatumEngland Simon CrossEngland Marvyn Cox
1988England King's Lynn
Norfolk Arena
England Kelvin TatumNew Zealand Mitch ShirraEngland Simon Wigg
1989England Manchester
Belle Vue Stadium
England Simon Wigg[5]New Zealand Mitch ShirraEngland Neil Collins
1990England Manchester
Belle Vue Stadium
England Kelvin TatumEngland Martin DugardEngland Simon Cross
1991England King's Lynn
Norfolk Arena
England Jeremy DoncasterAustralia Leigh AdamsEngland Joe Screen
1992England King's Lynn
Norfolk Arena
England Kelvin TatumNew Zealand Mark ThorpeEngland Gary Havelock
1993England King's Lynn
Norfolk Arena
Australia Leigh AdamsEngland Andy SmithEngland Martin Dugard
1994England King's Lynn
Norfolk Arena
England Mark LoramEngland Martin DugardEngland Joe Screen

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Speedway History
  2. ^ Oakes, Peter (1981). 1981 Speedway Yearbook. Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd. p. 22. ISBN 0-86215-017-5.
  3. ^ "HISTORY SPEEDWAY and LONGTRACK". Speedway.org. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  4. ^ "Commonwealth Fianal". Edinburgh Speedway. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  5. ^ Oakes, Peter (1990). Speedway Yearbook 1990. Front Page Books. pp. 10–9. ISBN 0-948882-15-8.

    The Commonwealth final was a Motorcycle speedway final sanctioned by the FIM as a qualifying round for the Speedway World Championship between 1979 and 1994.[1]

    Introduced to the World Championship in 1979, it served as a qualifying round for Commonwealth riders, primarily those from Australia, England and New Zealand.[2]

    The Commonwealth final was not run from 1981 to 1985, during which time riders who qualified through their national championship were through to the Overseas Final. It returned to the World Championship calendar in 1986 and lasted until 1994, the last year of the traditional single meeting World Championship final before the advent of the Speedway Grand Prix World championship series in 1995.[3]

    Editions

    All 11 Commonwealth finals were held in England. Kelvin Tatum was the most successful Commonwealth finalist, winning four finals (1987, 1988, 1990 and 1992). Reigning Australian Champion Leigh Adams was the only non-English winner when he took out the 1993 Final.[4]

    YearVenueWinnersRunner-up3rd place
    1979England London
    White City Stadium
    England Michael LeeAustralia Billy SandersEngland Dave Jessup
    1980England London
    Wimbledon Stadium
    England Dave JessupEngland John LouisNew Zealand Ivan Mauger
    1981-1985 - not held
    1986England Manchester
    Belle Vue Stadium
    England Jeremy DoncasterEngland Kelvin TatumEngland Chris Morton
    1987England Manchester
    Belle Vue Stadium
    England Kelvin TatumEngland Simon CrossEngland Marvyn Cox
    1988England King's Lynn
    Norfolk Arena
    England Kelvin TatumNew Zealand Mitch ShirraEngland Simon Wigg
    1989England Manchester
    Belle Vue Stadium
    England Simon Wigg[5]New Zealand Mitch ShirraEngland Neil Collins
    1990England Manchester
    Belle Vue Stadium
    England Kelvin TatumEngland Martin DugardEngland Simon Cross
    1991England King's Lynn
    Norfolk Arena
    England Jeremy DoncasterAustralia Leigh AdamsEngland Joe Screen
    1992England King's Lynn
    Norfolk Arena
    England Kelvin TatumNew Zealand Mark ThorpeEngland Gary Havelock
    1993England King's Lynn
    Norfolk Arena
    Australia Leigh AdamsEngland Andy SmithEngland Martin Dugard
    1994England King's Lynn
    Norfolk Arena
    England Mark LoramEngland Martin DugardEngland Joe Screen

    See also

    References

    1. ^ Speedway History
    2. ^ Oakes, Peter (1981). 1981 Speedway Yearbook. Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd. p. 22. ISBN 0-86215-017-5.
    3. ^ "HISTORY SPEEDWAY and LONGTRACK". Speedway.org. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
    4. ^ "Commonwealth Fianal". Edinburgh Speedway. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
    5. ^ Oakes, Peter (1990). Speedway Yearbook 1990. Front Page Books. pp. 10–9. ISBN 0-948882-15-8.
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