Ivan Mauger

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Ivan Mauger Country  New Zealand Date of Birth October 4, 1939 Place of Birth Christchurch, New Zealand World Champion 6 (1968, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1977, 1979) Former Teams Wimbledon Dons (1957) Newcastle Diamonds (1966-1968) Belle Vue Aces (1969-1972) Exeter Falcons (1973-1977) Hull Vikings (1978-1981, 1984)

Ivan Mauger, OBE, MBE, (born October 4, 1939 in Christchurch, New Zealand) is a Motorcycle speedway rider. He won a record six World Championships. He rode for several British teams - Newcastle Diamonds, Belle Vue Aces, Exeter Falcons, and the Hull Vikings.

[edit] Early Life

At an early age he excelled at most sports, and represented his country in rugby and hockey at schoolboy level.

For Ivan, speedway became an obsession, his main ambition wanting to be a speedway rider; his mother purchased his first bike at the age of fourteen, and Ivan practised for hours at the Aranui racetrack. It was to be the first stage of a riding career that lasted over 30 years and spread over four decades, which continues to this day as Ivan remains deeply involved and dedicated to the sport in the capacity of speedway promoter and statesman, from his base on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia.

[edit] Career

[edit] Wimbledon

Not all went as to expectation in the early parts of his career, initial success with the Wimbledon Dons did not come. Ivan returned to his homeland in 1958, and following extreme hardship and dedication he began to receive the due recognition of his abilities as a rider competing in his home country and Australia.

Mauger first arrived in England as a fresh-faced 17-year old aboard the SS Rangitoto, which docked at Tilbury in 1957, with his teenage bride Raye, renting a one-bedroom flat in Wimbledon around the corner from Plough Lane where Moore and Briggs reigned as the twin 'kings of the cinders'.

"Without Ronnie, there would have been no Briggo and no Ivan Mauger; whenever he came home to New Zealand it was like the arrival of Elvis. He was our Pele, if you like."

Inspired by the deeds of Moore, from the age of 12, Mauger dedicated himself to becoming speedway's champion of the world, working as a delivery boy for a local chemist in Christchurch after school and in the holidays to save money for his first racing machine.

"Everyone thought I had wealthy parents because I could afford to buy a bike before I was 16 but for three years I never bought an ice-cream, a Coca-Cola or anything like that. After I left school I had two jobs - as did Raye - and that's how we saved enough money to come to England when we were little more than children."

Mauger's great adventure began at Plough Lane where he rode in the second-half 'faces of the future' races and assisted Mac the groundsman.

"I never, ever felt I was going to work for the simple reason that I just loved the atmosphere of being in Wimbledon Stadium. I cleaned the dressing rooms, the toilets, the pits and the workshop. I helped Mac work on the track, I weeded the tulip beds and on Monday afternoons I had to cut the grass out in the centre before the speedway meeting. And not just any old cut would do for Ronnie. It had to be mowed in one direction then the other, just like Wembley.

[edit] Newcastle

A major breakthrough in his career occurred in 1963 when he returned to England with Raye and his young family to join Mike Parker's Newcastle Diamonds. In 1966 he qualified for his first World Final where he finished fourth, and won the first of his six record breaking World Championships in 1968.

[edit] Belle Vue

Ivan joined the Belle Vue Aces in 1969, where he enjoyed he greatest league team achievements. As a Belle Vue Ace he won the title again in 1969 and 1970, thereby becoming the first and only rider to complete the 'Triple Crown'.

[edit] Exeter

Ivan joined the Exeter Falcons in 1973. In 1977 wearing the Exeter colours he equalled Ove Fundin's then-record of five World Championship wins.

[edit] Hull

In 1978 he joined the Hull Vikings, winning his last and record sixth world title in 1979. He left Hull in 1981, but returned in 1984 at the age of 44 for Exeter where he competed in home meetings.

[edit] After Retirement

[edit] Awards

Ivan Mauger was awarded the MBE in 1976, the OBE in 1989, and was voted the prestigious Millennium Man of Speedway by the readers of Speedway Star and Vintage Speedway Magazine in December 1999. To complete these illustrious awards, Ivan Mauger was selected by the Olympic Committee to carry the Olympic Torch at the Sydney Games, a honour which he performed on June 12th 2000.

[edit] Gold Plated Speedway Bike

In 1970, two men in the USA named George Wenn and Ray Bokelman said that if Ivan Mauger won three world finals in a row at Wroclaw (Poland), they would have the winning bike gold plated. Ivan duely won the World Final that year, and true to their promise, the bike was taken to America and Gold plated, and so was born the "Triple Crown Special." The machine currently resides at Ivan's home in Queensland, Australia.