Erik Gundersen

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Erik Gundersen Country  Denmark Date of Birth October 8, 1959 Place of Birth Esbjerg, Denmark World Champion 3 (1984, 1985, 1988) Former Teams Cradley Heath Heathens

Erik Gundersen (born 8 October 1959 in Esbjerg, Denmark) was a Speedway rider in the late 1970s and 1980s.

Rode for Cradley Heath Heathens from 1979 to 1989 when he almost lost his life in the accident below. He was a loyal and outstanding servant to the Black Country club where he started out in the shadow of Bruce Penhall but after Penhall's premature retirement became the club's number one rider, a position he still held at the time of his terrible crash.

Gundersen won the Speedway World Championship three times in 1984, 1985 and 1988. His career was ended when he was involved in a serious accident whilst riding for Denmark at Odsal Stadium on the 17 September 1989 in the World Team Cup Final. After the accident was not expected to live and was in a coma for a period of time and later had to learn to walk again raising a large amount of money for the hospital which saved his life in the process.

Forced to retire, Gundersen enjoyed an emotional farewell at Cradley riding one final lap of honour accompanied by his team-mates.

Gundersen later went on to manage the Danish national Speedway Team.