The Internationale 1969
By Tracy Holmes

1969 and 'If you believe they put a man on the moon', then Wills had the smoke for you. Still proud to announce they were "the best in smoking."

In the programme at number 1 was Ove Fundin and at number 4, Ronnie Moore! Yes, making a comeback to professional Speedway after 6 years away, with Wimbledon ofcourse, Mirac was determined to make up for lost time. Sadly, Fundin was unable to make the date so Reg Luckhurst stepped up from reserve.

As the programme had stated, no Wimbledon rider had yet won the meeting. Well, on May 26, Trevor Hedge put his home fans into orbit by taking home the brand new JAP.

After 4 rounds, Hedge had only dropped one point to Eric Boocock. Barry Briggs also had 11 points thanks to Ray Wilson. The World Champion Ivan Mauger was also in the mix with 10. Gating last in round one, Ivan had got by Bernt Persson but Eric Boocock and Olle Nygren were gone.

Hedge, Briggs and Mauger squared off in heat 20. Four laps later, Mauger and Hedge had 13 points each leaving Briggs to wonder yet again, how he could get so close. The first place run-off was a classic. Hedge made the gate but Mauger caught him after a lap and a half and with that, it should have been all over. But Hedge had other ideas, on lap 3, throwing himself inside Mauger on the pits turn with Ivan flying into the fence.

Here is how Mauger saw it,

"As I was on the outside and the track extremely slick, there simply wasn't enough shale to hold me up going into the corner at such pace and I fell. The referee, acting quite correctly according to the rule book, allowed the race to go on."

Ivan was quick to protest but,

"It was not that I honestly thought that Hedge had treated me unfairly but because I thought that in view of the closeness of the racing, the ref may have ordered a re-run."

Which was never going to happen and Trevor Hedge had the Wimbledon fans in rapture! Oh yes, this Eagle really had landed!!!

Heat 1. MOORE, Wilson, Luckhurst, Trigg. Airey ex/tapes.
Heat 2. Hedge, Betts, N Boocock, Nordin.
Heat 3. BRIGGS, Ashby, Olsen, Hunter.
Heat 4. E Boocock, Nygren, MAUGER, Persson.
Heat 5. Hedge, Nygren, Luckhurst. Olsen fall.
Heat 6. MAUGER, Nordin, Hunter, Airey.
Heat 7. Wilson, BRIGGS, N Boocock, E Boocock.
Heat 8. Betts, Persson, Ashby, MOORE.
Heat 9. BRIGGS, Luckhurst, Nordin, Persson.
Heat 10. E Boocock, Hedge, Airey, Ashby.
Heat 11. MAUGER, Wilson, Olsen, Betts.
Heat 12. N Boocock, MOORE, Hunter, Nygren.
Heat 13. MAUGER, N Boocock, Luckhurst, Ashby.
Heat 14. BRIGGS, Airey, Betts, Nygren.
Heat 15. Hedge, Wilson, Persson, Hunter.
Heat 16. E Boocock, MOORE, Nordin, Olsen.
Heat 17. Luckhurst, Hunter, Betts, E Boocock.
Heat 18. Persson, Olsen, N Boocock, Airey.
Heat 19. Nordin, Ashby, Wilson, Nygren.
Heat 20. MAUGER, Hedge, BRIGGS, MOORE.
1st place run-off. Hedge, MAUGER fall.

Trevor Hedge 13. IVAN MAUGER 13. BARRY BRIGGS 12. Ray Wilson 10. Eric Boocock 9. Nigel Boocock 8. Res Reg Luckhurst 8. Terry Betts 7. RONNIE MOORE 7. Gote Nordin 7. Bernt Persson 6. Martin Ashby 5. Olle Nygren 4. Ole Olsen 4. Norman Hunter 4. Jim Airey 3. Res Roy Trigg 0. Ove Fundin ns.

This article was first published on 1st March 2020