1968 Individual Speedway World Championship Explained

The 1968 Individual Speedway World Championship was the 23rd edition of the official World Championship to determine the world champion rider.[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

Ivan Mauger won his first World title. Fellow countryman Barry Briggs finished second and Pole Edward Jancarz took the bronze medal.[7] [8]

Format changes

The format of the Championship changed again for the 1968 event. It reverted back to the 1966 system whereby six riders from the Swedish section would qualify for the World Final direct to be held in Sweden. All other nations had to go through various events to establish the other ten riders to qualify for the final.

First round

Qualification results.[9] [10]

British/Commonwealth qualifying

width=100Datewidth=280Venuewidth=180Winnerwidth=1802ndwidth=1803rd
25 MayRay Wilson
25 MayGreg Kentwell
25 MayDave Hemus
25 MayHyde Road, Manchester Charlie Monk
27 MayBert Harkins
27 MayEric Boocock
28 MayWest Ham Stadium, London Ivan Mauger
28 MayJohn Boulger
29 MayGeoff Mudge
30 MayRonnie Genz
30 MayWimbledon Stadium, London Trevor Hedge
30 MayJohn Dews
31 MayPeter Vandenberg
31 MayHackney Wick Stadium, London Les McGillivray
31 MayEric Boothroyd
31 MayJim McMillan
1 JuneReg Luckhurst
1 JuneMike Broadbanks
1 JuneColin Pratt

Continental qualifying

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4 May Antoni Woryna
5 May Yuri Chekranov
5 May Viktor Trofimov
5 May Luboš Tomíček Sr.

Second round

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Norwegian qualifying (top 8)

width=25pxPos. width=200pxRider width=40pxtime/note
1 1.21.1
2 Oyvind S. Berg1.22.6
3 Odd Fossengen1.24.0
4 Sverre Harrfeldt1.24.0
5 Einar Egedius sf 1.24.5
6 Sven Svensrudsf 1.28.2
7 sf fell
8 Thorbjorn Nygaard sf fell
width=50% valign=top

Finnish qualifying (top 8)

width=25pxPos. width=200pxRider width=60pxPoints width=40pxTotal
1 Matti Olin 6+814+3
2 Kalevi Lahtinen 8+614+2
3 Veikko Metsahuone 4+37
4 Jouko Naskali 0+44
5 Reijo Tolviander 3+14
6 Reima Lohkovouri 0+22
7 Olavi Turunen 2+02
8 Timo Sinkkonen 1+01

British/Commonwealth semi-finals

width=50% valign=top
width=25pxPos. width=200pxRider width=40pxPoints
1 14
2 13
3 13
4 Nigel Boocock11
5 Mike Broadbank10
6 Peter Vandenberg10
7 Dave Younghusband9
8 Jim McMillan
9 Jim Airey7
10 Colin Pratt6
11 Bob Andrews6
12 Tommy Roper5
13 Arnie Haley3
14 Chris Julian3
15 Jimmy Squibb2
16 Bert Harkins1
width=50% valign=top
width=25pxPos. width=200pxRider width=40pxPoints
1 Ivan Mauger14
2 Martin Ashby14
3 Terry Betts12
4 Charlie Monk10
5 Ray Wilson10
6 Eric Boocock9
7 Trevor Hedge9
8 Geoff Mudge9
9 Reg Luckhurst8
10 James Bond7
11 Colin Gooddy7
12 John Boulger3
13 Wayne Briggs3
14 Greg Kentwell3
15 Eric Boothroyd1
16 Bob Kilby1

Third round

British/Commonwealth Final

Nordic Final

Continental semi-finals

width=50% valign=top
width=25pxPos. width=200pxRider width=40pxPoints
1 15
2 12
3 11
4 11
5 11
6 10
7 10
89
9 7
10 6
11 5
12 5
13 2
14 2
15 Hans Jürgen Fritz (res)2
16 1
17 Jaroslav Volf (res)1
18 0
width=50% valign=top
width=25pxPos. width=200pxRider width=40pxPoints
1 13
2 13
3 12
4 10
5 10
6 9
7 8
88
9 8
10 6
11 5
12 5
13 4
14 4
15 3
16 1

Fourth round

Swedish Qualifying

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  • 28 April, Gamla Motorstadion, Målilla
  • Top 8 to Swedish final
width=25pxPos. width=200pxRider width=40pxPoints
1 14
2 13
3 11
4 11
5 10
6 9
7 9
8 Bengt Svensson 9
9 8
10 6
11 Sven-Inge Svensson 6
12 Sören Enander 6
13 Allan Dahlöf 4
14 Runo Wedin 3
15 Jan Holmqvist 3
16 Bo Magnusson 0
width=50% valign=top
    • 1 May, Gamla Speedway Track, Visby Top 8 to Swedish final
width=25pxPos. width=200pxRider width=40pxPoints
1 14
2 14
3 12
4 12
5 10
6 9
7 9
8 Therje Henriksson 9
9 6
10 Sven Sigurd4
11 Jan Svensson 4
12 Lars Jansson 4
13 Karl-Erik Andersson 3
14 3
15 3
16 Sixten Karlberg 2
17 Jan Stridh 2

British/Commonwealth/Nordic Final

Continental Final

Fifth round

Swedish Final

width=100Datewidth=250Venuewidth=180Winnerwidth=1802ndwidth=1803rd
27 May Gunnar Malmqvist Anders Michanek Hasse Holmqvist
28 May Bernt Persson Gunnar Malmqvist Torbjörn Harrysson
30 May Ove Fundin Bengt Jansson Gunnar Malmqvist
width=50% valign=top
width=25pxPos. width=200pxRider width=40pxPoints
1 Gunnar Malmqvist38
2 Ove Fundin35
3 Torbjörn Harrysson31
4 Bernt Persson30
5 29
6 Hasse Holmqvist28
7 Bengt Jansson27
8 Bengt Larsson25
9 Sören Sjösten23
width=50% valign=top
width=25pxPos. width=200pxRider width=40pxPoints
10 Therje Henriksson22
11 Bo Josefsson15
12 15
13 Christer Löfqvist14
14 Olle Nygren10
15 Tommy Johansson9
16 Per Olof Söderman8
17 Conny Samuelsson2
18 Runo Wedin1

European Final

World Final

Notes and References

  1. Book: Oakes, Peter. 1981 Speedway Yearbook. 1981. 20–21. Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd. 0-86215-017-5.
  2. Web site: World Championship 1936-1994. Edinburgh Speedway. 9 July 2021.
  3. Web site: WORLD FINALS 1936-1994. Speedway Researcher. 9 July 2021.
  4. Web site: HISTORY SPEEDWAY and LONGTRACK. Speedway.org. 9 July 2021.
  5. Web site: Speedway riders, history and results. wwosbackup. 9 July 2021.
  6. Web site: WORLD INDIVIDUAL FINAL - RIDER INDEX. British Speedway. 9 July 2021.
  7. News: Sports in Brief. The Times. 7 September 1968. Gale Primary Sources. 9 July 2021.
  8. News: Boocock last in Sweden . Coventry Evening Telegraph . 7 September 1968 . 9 July 2021 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription .
  9. Web site: 1968 World Championship . Metal Speedway . 20 January 2024.
  10. Web site: 1968 World Championship . Speedway.org . 20 January 2024.
  11. Bamford, R. & Shailes, G. (2002). A History of the World Speedway Championship. Stroud: Tempus Publishing.

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