Ivan Mauger facts for kids
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| Born | 4 October 1939 Christchurch, New Zealand |
|---|---|
| Died | 16 April 2018 (aged 78) Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia |
| Nickname | Sprouts, Galloping Mauger |
| Nationality |  New Zealand |
| Current club information | |
| Career status | Retired (1985) |
| Career history | |
| 1957–1958, 1963 | Wimbledon Dons |
| 1957 | Rye House Roosters |
| 1958 | Eastbourne Eagles |
| 1963–1968 | Newcastle Diamonds |
| 1969–1972 | Belle Vue Aces |
| 1973–1977, 1984 | Exeter Falcons |
| 1978–1981 | Hull Vikings |
| Individual honours | |
| 1968, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1977, 1979 | World Champion |
| 1971, 1972, 1976 | Long Track World Champion |
| 1968, 1970, 1971, 1972 | British Champion |
| 1971, 1973 | British League Riders Champion |
| 1963, 1964 | Provincial League Riders' Champion |
| 1964, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1972, 1980 | Northern Riders' Champion |
| 1974, 1981 | New Zealand Champion |
| 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986 | New Zealand Long track Champion |
| 1970, 1971, 1972 | Australasian Grand Prix winner |
| 1977, 1981 | Australasian Champion |
| 1962, 1963 | Victorian State Champion (Aust) |
| 1962 | Qld State Champion (Aust) |
| 1973 | WA State Champion (Aust) |
| 1966, 1970, 1971, 1975 | European Final winner |
| 1975 | Intercontinental Final winner |
| 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973 | Scottish Open Champion |
| 1962 | Australian Long Track Champion |
| 1975, 1979, 1980 | Yorkshire TV Trophy |
| 1970, 1971, 1972 | Internationale |
| 1972 | Manpower Trophy |
| 1972 | Superama |
| 1973 | Littlechild |
| 1974 | Pride of the East |
| 1974 | Brandonapolis |
| Team honours | |
| 1969, 1970 | World Pairs Champion |
| 1968, 1971, 1972, 1979 | World Team Cup winner |
| 1970, 1971, 1972, 1974 | British League Champion |
| 1972 | British League KO Cup Winner |
| 1964 | Provincial League Champion |
Ivan Gerald Mauger (born 4 October 1939 – died 16 April 2018) was a famous New Zealand motorcycle speedway rider. He won a record six World Championships. This amazing achievement has only been matched by Tony Rickardsson from Sweden.
Mauger rode for several British teams during his career. These included the Wimbledon Dons, Newcastle Diamonds, Belle Vue Aces, Exeter Falcons, and the Hull Vikings. In 2010, he was named an FIM Legend for his incredible achievements in motorcycling.
Ivan and his wife, Raye, lived on Australia's Gold Coast for over 60 years. He was a big supporter of speedway, often attending races in Australia. He also went to the Speedway Grand Prix of New Zealand in Auckland.
Contents
Ivan Mauger's Speedway Journey
Starting Out in the UK
Ivan Mauger first came to the United Kingdom when he was 17 years old. He arrived in 1957 with his wife, Raye. They rented a small flat in Wimbledon. This was close to Plough Lane, a famous speedway track.
Ivan was inspired by other great riders like Ronnie Moore. From the age of 12, Ivan dreamed of becoming a world champion. He worked hard as a delivery boy in Christchurch to save money for his first racing bike.
He said he never bought treats like ice cream or Coca-Cola for three years. After school, he had two jobs, and Raye also worked. This helped them save enough money to move to England.
Ivan's big adventure began at Plough Lane. He rode in special races for new riders. He also helped the groundsman, Mac, with track work. He loved being at the stadium and helping out.
Joining Newcastle Diamonds
A big moment in Ivan's career happened in 1963. He returned to England with his family. He joined the Newcastle Diamonds team in the Provincial League. He also rode a few times for the Wimbledon Dons.
In 1966, he reached his first World Final. He finished fourth in this important race. Two years later, in 1968, he won his first of six World Championships. This was a new record at the time.
Success with Belle Vue Aces
Ivan joined the Belle Vue Aces team in 1969. Here, he had some of his greatest team successes. He helped the Belle Vue Aces win the league title three years in a row: 1970, 1971, and 1972.
This made him the only rider to achieve the 'Triple Crown' with his team. In 1969, Ivan had an amazing average score of 11.67 points. He lost very few points in his matches.
Riding for Exeter and Hull
In 1973, Ivan moved to the Exeter Falcons team. While riding for Exeter in 1977, he won his fifth World Championship. This matched the record held by Ove Fundin.
He then joined the Hull Vikings in 1978. In 1979, he won his sixth and final World Championship. This set a new record for the most world titles. He left Hull in 1981 but returned to Exeter in 1984. He was 44 years old then and only rode in home meetings.
Racing in Australasia
In his home country of New Zealand, Ivan Mauger is seen as a national sports hero. He won the New Zealand Championship twice, in 1974 and 1981. He also finished second in 1959.
Ivan had a lot of success racing in Australia too. In 1962, he won the Australian Long Track Championship. He also became the Victorian and Queensland State Champion.
He finished second in the 1962 Australian Solo Championship. He won the Victorian Championship again in 1963. In 1973, he won the Western Australian State Championship.
Ivan Mauger won the Australasian Grand Prix in 1971, 1972, and 1973. He later won the Australasian Championship in 1977 and 1981. His last race in Australia was in 1986. He rode at the Wayville Showground and was given the winner's trophy by his idol, Jack Young.
Ivan Mauger's International Achievements
Ivan Mauger is often called the best speedway rider ever. He was even voted the "Greatest Rider of the 20th Century." He shares the record for most Speedway World Championship wins with Tony Rickardsson. They both have six titles.
Ivan won the Individual Speedway World Championship in 1968, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1977, and 1979. He also finished second three times and third once. In 1971, he came second to Ole Olsen, a rider he had taught.
Representing New Zealand, Ivan was the Speedway World Pairs Champion in 1969 and 1970. He also finished second in this championship four times and third once.
Mauger was also a Speedway World Team Cup Champion. He won in 1968, 1969, 1971, and 1972 while riding for Great Britain. He won the title again in 1979 as captain of the New Zealand team.
Ivan also raced in the World Long Track Championship. He won this title in 1971, 1972, and 1976. This brought his total number of speedway world championships to 15! He also finished second in the Long Track Championship twice.
His 15 world titles place him third overall. Only Erik Gundersen (17 titles) and Hans Nielsen (22 titles) have won more.
Awards and Special Honours
Ivan Mauger received many awards for his services to speedway riding. He was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 1976. In 1989, he was promoted to Officer of the Order of the British Empire.
In 1990, Ivan was one of the first people to be added to the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame. He was also voted the "Millennium Man of Speedway" in 1999. The International Olympic Committee chose him to carry the Olympic Torch for the Sydney Games in 2000.
In 1970, two men from the USA, George Wenn and Ray Bokelman, made a special promise. They said if Ivan Mauger won his third World Final in a row, they would have his winning bike covered in gold. Ivan won the World Final that year. True to their word, the bike was gold-plated and became known as the "Triple Crown Special." You can see this special bike at the Canterbury Museum in Christchurch, New Zealand.
Later Life and Passing
Ivan Mauger was the president of the World Speedway Riders' Association from 2007 to 2008. He passed away on 16 April 2018, in Gold Coast, Australia.
Guinness World Records
Ivan Mauger holds several amazing records in the Guinness Book of Records:
- He won the most individual championship titles, with 9 (6 in Speedway and 3 in Long Track).
- He was the first person to win both the World Speedway and Long Track Championships in the same year (1972).
- He is the only person to win 3 Individual World Championships in a row (1968, 1969, and 1970).
- He shares the record for most individual World Speedway wins with Tony Rickardsson (6 titles).
- He has the most World Championship Finals appearances, with 52.
- He was the first person to win World Speedway, World Long Track, World Pairs, and World Team Cup Championships. He achieved this in 1971.
Images for kids
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Ivan Mauger
