The Internationale 1975
By Tracy Holmes

Bomb threats, Bay City Rollers, Evel Knievel at Wembley. Madness son, madness!

Still sponsored by Wills, Wimbledon now staged the 'Embassy Internationale'.

Sadly, Wimbledon skipper Barry Briggs was injured and unable to ride. Not likely to win but as ever, would have given his all.

That left one Kiwi rep and again, Ivan Mauger was not up for the task as the scorechart reflected. On the Spring Bank holiday Monday morning, at Exeter, he beat Scott Autrey in a run-off to win the Express & Echo Classic. Brilliant but again, Mauger was stuffed for this 'Major'!

Ole Olsen it was who stepped up to the plate and despite one point lost to Ray Wilson, he was never in any danger of taking home another brand new Jawa. Home favourite Tommy Jansson had hoped to push Ole to a run-off when they met in Round 4 but he fell and that was that!

Of course, no-one could have imagined this, but it was to be Tommy's last Internationale.

Heat 1. Simmons, Wilson, McMillan. Collins ef
Heat 2. Olsen, Crump, Louis, Betts.
Heat 3. T Jansson, Ashby, MAUGER, Boulger.
Heat 4. Lovaas, Michanek, Pusey, Thomas. S Sjosten ex/2 mins.
Heat 5. Crump, McMillan, Lovaas, Ashby.
Heat 6. T Jansson, Collins, Betts, Humphreys. S Sjosten ex/2 mins
Heat 7. Wilson, Louis, Boulger, Thomas.
Heat 8. Olsen, Simmons, MAUGER, Michanek.
Heat 9. Boulger, Michanek, McMillan, Betts.
Heat 10. Crump, Collins, MAUGER, Thomas.
Heat 11. Wilson, Olsen, Ashby, S Sjosten.
Heat 12. Louis, Simmons, T Jansson, Lovaas.
Heat 13. Louis, MAUGER, Pusey. McMillan fall. S Sjosten ex/2 mins
Heat 14. Olsen, Boulger, Collins, Lovaas.
Heat 15. T Jansson, Crump, Wilson, Michanek.
Heat 16. Simmons, Thomas, Ashby, Betts.
Heat 17. Olsen, Thomas, McMillan. T Jansson fall
Heat 18. Michanek, Collins, Ashby. Louis fall
Heat 19. Wilson, MAUGER, Betts, Lovaas.
Heat 20. Crump, Simmons, Boulger, Humphreys. S Sjosten ns
3rd place run-off. Wilson, Simmons.

Ole Olsen 14. Phil Crump 13. Ray Wilson 12. Malcolm Simmons 12. Tommy Jansson 10. John Louis 9. John Boulger 7. Anders Michanek 7. Peter Collins 7. IVAN MAUGER 7. Jim McMillan 5. Martin Ashby 5. Dag Lovaas 4. Barry Thomas 4. Terry Betts 2. Res Chris Pusey 2. Res Bob Humphreys 0. Soren Sjosten 0. BARRY BRIGGS Q ns. Dave Jessup Q ns.

This article was first published on 26th April 2020