Miloslav Špinka Explained

Miloslav Špinka
Nationality:Czech
Birth Date: 3 December 1919
Birth Place:Czechoslovakia
Career1:Czechoslovakia
Career2:Pardubice
Years2:1958, 1960–1962
Career3:Ústí nad Labem
Years3:1959
Career4:Rudá Hvězda Praha
Years4:1970
Indivhonour1:Czechoslovak championship silver
Indivyear1:1950, 1956
Indivhonour2:Golden Helmet of Pardubice bronze
Indivyear2:1947

Miloslav Špinka (3 December 1919 – 26 April 2009) was a Czech motorcycle speedway rider. He earned international caps for the Czechoslovakia national speedway team.[1]

Biography

Špinka came to prominence after winning the bronze medal at the Golden Helmet of Pardubice. He also took part in ice races and won the first post-war competition in Czechoslovakia, held in 1947 on Kamencové jezero in Chomutov.[2]

In 1950 and 1956, he was runner-up in the Czech Republic Individual Speedway Championship[3] and in 1956, was called up to the Czechoslovak speedway national team, where he remained a member until 1961.

On 31 May 1959, he was the first Czechoslovak rider to win the qualifying round of the individual world championships, winning the quarter final during the 1959 Individual Speedway World Championship, held at Stražišče Sports Park in Kranj.[4] [5]

In 1959 and 1961 he advanced to the semi-finals of the individual European Long Track Championships. He was a pioneer of this discipline in the country, winning all competitions in this type of sport until 1956.[6]

In the late 1950s he promoted ice speedways in the Soviet Union and last appeared in a speedway competition at the age of 51, on the track in Marianske Lazne.

After he retired he remained involved in speedway as a member of the Pardubice Automotoklub Zlatá přilba.[2]

Family

His son Milan Špinka was also an international speedway rider.[7]

Notes and References

  1. News: Busy malcolm makes up for injury break . Derby Daily Telegraph . 8 August 1970 . 19 January 2024 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription.
  2. Web site: Flat track legend Miloslav Špinka has died . Sport.cz . 27 April 2009 . 19 January 2024.
  3. Web site: Individual Czechoslovakian Championship. Historia Sportu Zuzlowego. 19 January 2024.
  4. Web site: 1959 World Championship . Metal Speedway . 19 January 2024.
  5. Web site: 1959 World Championship . Speedway.org . 19 January 2024.
  6. Web site: Miloslav Spinka . GrasstrackGB . 19 January 2024.
  7. Web site: Milan Spinka is 70: An expert on sand and ice . Speedweek . 19 January 2024.