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1983 British League season

British speedway season

British speedway season

FieldValue
competitionBritish League
domesticcup1Champions
domesticcup1 winnersCradley Heathens
domesticcup2Knockout Cup
domesticcup2 winnersCradley Heathens
domesticcup3League Cup
domesticcup3 winnersBelle Vue Aces
domesticcup4Individual
domesticcup4 winnersErik Gundersen
domesticcup5Midland Cup
domesticcup5 winnersCradley Heathens
domesticcup6London Cup
domesticcup6 winnersWimbledon Dons
highest averageHans Nielsen
leagues below1983 National League
prevseason1982
nextseason1984

The 1983 British League season was the 49th season of the top tier of motorcycle speedway in the United Kingdom and the 19th known as the British League.

Summary

Cradley Heathens won the league and cup double. Despite losing their double world champion Bruce Penhall to retirement the Cradley side performed just as well. Erik Gundersen, Simon Wigg and Lance King were now some of the world's leading riders and backed up by Phil Collins, Alan Grahame and Peter Ravn they were a formidable team. Even Penhall's replacement, a new signing from Denmark Jan O. Pedersen was already showing signs of a bright future.

This would also be the final season of speedway for three-time world champion Ole Olsen, who announced his retirement.

Final table

PosTeamPLWDLPts
1Cradley Heath Heathens28260252
2Ipswich Witches28221545
3Coventry Bees28190938
4Reading Racers281701134
5Belle Vue Aces281531033
6Wimbledon Dons281511231
7Hackney Hawks281401428
8King's Lynn Stars281211525
9Birmingham Brummies281201624
10Sheffield Tigers281021622
11Halifax Dukes281011721
12Leicester Lions28921720
13Poole Pirates28901918
14Eastbourne Eagles28712015
15Swindon Robins28702114

Fixtures and results

Top ten riders (league averages)

RiderNatTeamC.M.A.
1Dennis SigalosUSAIpswich
2Hans NielsenDENBirmingham
3Erik GundersenDENCradley
4Mitch ShirraNZLReading
5Michael LeeENGPoole
6Kenny CarterENGHalifax
7Billy SandersAUSIpswich
8Chris MortonENGBelle Vue
9Phil CrumpAUSSwindon
10Jan AnderssonSWEReading

British League Knockout Cup

The 1983 Speedway Star British League Knockout Cup was the 45th edition of the Knockout Cup for tier one teams. Cradley Heath Heathens were the winners.

First round

DateTeam oneScoreTeam two
09/07Belle Vue56-22Halifax
30/06Wimbledon46-32Swindon
25/06Halifax41-37Belle Vue
25/06Swindon34-44Wimbledon
19/06Eastbourne34-43Kings Lynn
11/06Coventry45-33Sheffield
11/06Cradley Heath46-32Hackney
11/06Kings Lynn47-31Eastbourne
09/06Sheffield37-41Coventry
30/05Birmingham43-35Reading
30/05Reading44-34Birmingham
27/05Hackney35-43Cradley Heath
24/05Leicester40-38Ipswich
19/05Ipswich43-34Leicester

Quarter-finals

DateTeam oneScoreTeam two
21/08Kings Lynn45-33Belle Vue
20/08Belle Vue58-20Kings Lynn
23/07Coventry44-34Wimbledon
21/07Wimbledon38-40Coventry
18/07Reading40-38Ipswich
13/07Poole35-43Cradley Heath
09/07Cradley Heath53-25Poole
07/07Ipswich39-39Reading

Semi-finals

DateTeam oneScoreTeam two
09/10Belle Vue38-40Coventry
08/10Coventry44-34Belle Vue
24/09Cradley Heath47-31Reading
19/09Reading32-46Cradley Heath

Final

First leg= Ole Olsen 10 Gary Guglielmi 8 Sam Nikolajsen 7 Steve Bastable 5 Rick Miller4 Finn Thomsen (guest) 3 Kevin Hawkins 2 Erik Gundersen 13 Simon Wigg 11 Phil Collins 8 Alan Grahame 3 Peter Ravn 2 Jan O. Pedersen 2 Lance King R/R

Second leg Erik Gundersen 13 Alan Grahame 9 Peter Ravn 7 Simon Wigg 7 Phil Collins 6 Jan O. Pedersen 5 Lance King R/R Ole Olsen 10 Gary Guglielmi 10 Bo Petersen (guest) 7 Steve Bastable 2 Rick Miller 1 Kevin Hawkins 1 Sam Nikolajsen 0

Cradley Heath were declared Knockout Cup Champions, winning on aggregate 86-70.

League Cup

The League Cup was split into North and South sections. The two-legged final was won by Belle Vue Aces beating Coventry Bees in the final 86–70 on aggregate.

North Group

PosTeamPLWDLPts
1Coventry Bees1291219
2Belle Vue Aces1280416
3Cradley Heathens1271415
4Halifax Dukes1250710
5Leicester Lions124088
6Sheffield Tigers124088
7Birmingham Brummies124088

South Group

PosTeamPLWDLPts
1Wimbledon Dons14110322
2Ipswich Witches1490518
3Reading Racers1480616
4Poole Pirates1480616
5Hackney Hawks1480616
6King's Lynn Stars1361613
7Eastbourne Eagles1421115
8Swindon Robins1320114

North Group

South Group

Final

DateTeam oneScoreTeam two
22/10Coventry39–39Belle Vue
23/10Belle Vue47–31Coventry

Leading final averages

RiderTeamAverage
DEN Hans NielsenBirmingham10.82
USA Dennis SigalosIpswich10.75
ENG Chris MortonBelle Vue10.30
ENG Kenny CarterHalifax10.28
DEN Erik GundersenCradley Heath10.23
ENG Michael LeePoole10.16
AUS Phil CrumpSwindon10.03
NZL Mitch ShirraReading10.02
DEN Tommy KnudsenCoventry9.87
AUS Billy SandersIpswich9.70
DEN Ole OlsenCoventry9.56

Riders' Championship

Erik Gundersen won the British League Riders' Championship, held at Hyde Road on 15 October.

Pos.width=200pxRiderwidth=70pxHeat Scoreswidth=50pxTotal
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
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  • ef=engine failure, f=fell, x=excluded r-retired

Midland Cup

Cradley Heath won the Midland Cup. The competition consisted of five teams.

First round

Team oneTeam twoScore
LeicesterSwindon38–40, 32–46

Semi final round

Team oneTeam twoScore
CoventryBirmingham48–30, 38–40
CradleySwindon60–18, 40–38

Final

First leg Seve Bastable 11 Rick Miller 7 Kevin Hawkins 6 Sam Nikolajsen 5 Gary Guglielmi 4 John Davis (guest) 4 Keith White 1 Erik Gundersen 11 Simon Wigg 6 Alan Grahame 6 Phil Collins 6 Peter Ravn 5 Jan O Pedersen 3 Simon Cross 3

Second leg Lance King 11 Erik Gundersen 10 Alan Grahame 9 Phil Collins 9 Peter Ravn 7 Simon Wigg 6 Jan O Pedersen 4 Jan Andersson (guest) 12 Rick Miller 4 Gary Guglielmi 3 Seve Bastable 1 Kevin Hawkins 1 Sam Nikolajsen 1 Keith White 0

Cradley won on aggregate 96–60

London Cup

Wimbledon won the London Cup but the competition consisted of just Wimbledon and Hackney.

Results

TeamScoreTeam
Wimbledon50–28Hackney
Hackney43–35Wimbledon

Riders & final averages

Belle Vue

  • 10.30
  • 9.13
  • 7.37
  • 5.62
  • 5.38
  • 4.95
  • 4.48
  • 4.30
  • 1.09

Birmingham

  • 10.82
  • 8.29
  • 6.88
  • 5.71
  • 5.63
  • 5.36
  • 5.01
  • 4.85
  • 3.13
  • 2.07

Coventry

  • 9.87
  • 9.56
  • 8.07
  • 6.79
  • 5.44
  • 5.23
  • 4.87

Cradley Heath

  • 10.23
  • 8.86
  • 8.74
  • 8.69
  • 7.98
  • 7.97
  • 6.78
  • 6.00
  • 2.54
  • 2.33

Eastbourne

  • 8.73
  • 6.53
  • 4.18
  • 3.87
  • 3.79
  • 3.79
  • 3.75
  • 3.65
  • 3.56
  • 2.55
  • 1.93
  • 0.27

Hackney

  • 8.47
  • 7.94
  • 6.74
  • 6.30
  • 6.25
  • 4.83
  • 4.39
  • 4.30

Halifax

  • 10.28
  • 6.60
  • 6.17
  • 5.77
  • 5.59
  • 5.41
  • 3.52
  • 2.40

Ipswich

  • 10.75
  • 9.70
  • 6.79
  • 6.72
  • 4.82
  • 4.51
  • 4.08
  • 4.06
  • 0.35

King's Lynn

  • 8.45
  • 8.39
  • 7.02
  • 6.29
  • 6.21
  • 5.95
  • 5.25

Leicester

  • 8.66
  • 8.24
  • 7.17
  • 5.95
  • 5.11
  • 5.10
  • 4.98
  • 4.76
  • 3.85
  • 3.81

Poole

  • 10.16
  • 7.72
  • 6.95
  • 6.06
  • 5.38
  • 4.74
  • 4.41
  • 4.25 (4 matches only)
  • 4.23
  • 3.56
  • 2.96

Reading

  • 10.02
  • 9.47
  • 9.02
  • 7.28
  • 4.31
  • 3.85
  • 3.24
  • 2.74

Sheffield

  • 9.43
  • 7.03
  • 6.26
  • 5.84
  • 5.09
  • 3.97
  • 3.26
  • 2.13

Swindon

  • 10.03
  • 7.01
  • 5.65
  • 5.23
  • 5.14
  • 4.99
  • 4.31
  • 3.57
  • 2.88
  • 1.93

Wimbledon

  • 9.25
  • 7.86
  • 7.67
  • 6.55
  • 6.19
  • 5.95
  • 5.18

References

References

  1. "Historic league tables". Speedway Archive.
  2. "1983 league tables". Speedway GB.
  3. "1983".
  4. (21 February 1983). "SportsSnaps".
  5. "1983 fixtures & results". Speedway Researcher.
  6. "1983 British League Knockout Cup". Speedway archive.
  7. "Coventry Bees 1983 season".
  8. "1983 fixtures & results". Speedway Researcher.
  9. "1983 fixtures & results". Speedway Researcher.
  10. (16 October 1983). "Dane wins". Sunday Mirror.
  11. (25 October 1983). "Cradley's treble glory!". Birmingham Mail.
  12. "1983 fixtures and results".
Info: Wikipedia Source

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