The British League Pairs Championship was a motorcycle speedway contest between the top two riders from each club competing in the British League in the United Kingdom, or the top division thereof when it had multiple divisions.
| Sport | motorcycle speedway |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1976 |
| Ceased | 1987 |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Notes | |
| replaced by the Elite League Pairs Championship | |
History edit
The meetings comprised a competition between teams of two riders, in some years with qualification for the final via two semi-finals.[1] The competition was first staged in 1976, when Ipswich Witches won, but was dropped from the speedway calendar after the 1978 final.[1] The competition was revived in 1984 and continued until 1988.[2][3]
Winners edit
| Year | Winners | 2nd place | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1976[4] | Ipswich Witches (John Louis & Billy Sanders) |
Coventry Bees (Ole Olsen & Mitch Shirra) Belle Vue Aces (Peter Collins & Chris Morton) Cradley United (John Boulger & Bruce Cribb) |
Ipswich |
| 1977[5] | Ipswich Witches (John Louis & Billy Sanders) |
King's Lynn Stars (Michael Lee & David Gagen) |
Ipswich |
| 1978[6] | Cradley Heath Heathens (Steve Bastable & Bruce Penhall) Coventry Bees (Ole Olsen & Mitch Shirra) |
none (shared winners)* | Ipswich |
| 1979 to 1983 competition not held | |||
| 1984[7] | Belle Vue Aces (Peter Collins & Chris Morton) |
Reading Racers (Mitch Shirra & Tim Hunt) |
Wolverhampton |
| 1985[8] | Oxford Cheetahs (Hans Nielsen & Simon Wigg) |
Reading Racers (Mitch Shirra & John Davis) |
Wolverhampton |
| 1986[9] | Oxford Cheetahs (Hans Nielsen & Simon Wigg) |
Coventry Bees (Kelvin Tatum & John Jørgensen) |
Sheffield |
| 1987[10] | Oxford Cheetahs (Hans Nielsen & Andy Grahame) |
Swindon Robins (Mitch Shirra & Jimmy Nilsen) |
Reading |
- Meeting abandoned after 14 heats due to fog, result stands
See also edit
References edit
- ^ a b Oakes, Peter (1991) The Complete History of the British League, Front Page Books, ISBN 0948882077, p. 9 (Championship Events section)
- ^ "British Speedway Archive". Speedway GB. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
- ^ "Year by Year". Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
- ^ "Speedway". Daily Mirror. 20 October 1976. Retrieved 16 May 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Sport in Brief". Birmingham Daily Post. 30 September 1977. Retrieved 17 May 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "1978 Complete season records" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
- ^ "Morton Collins, perfect partners". Birmingham Mail. 12 September 1984. Retrieved 18 May 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Racers are edged out by Oxford pair". Reading Evening Post. 1 July 1985. Retrieved 17 May 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Chris's final warning". Manchester Evening News. 26 August 1986. Retrieved 18 May 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Oxford Wins Hans Down". Reading Evening Post. 13 July 1987. Retrieved 18 May 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.