Erik Gundersen
| Erik Gundersen | ||
 |
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| Personal information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Nationality |  Denmark |
|
| Date of birth | 8 October 1959 | |
| Place of birth | Esbjerg, Denmark | |
| Current club information | ||
| Career status | Retired (1989) | |
| Career history | ||
| Cradley Heath Heathens | 1979-1989 | |
| Individual honours | ||
| World Individual Champion Long Track World Champion British League Riders Champion Danish Champion |
1984, 1985, 1988 1984, 1986 1983, 1985 1983, 1984, 1985 1986, 1989 |
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| Team honours | ||
| World Team Cup winner World Pairs Champion British League Champion British League KO Cup Winner |
1981, 1983, 1984 1985, 1986, 1987 1988 1985, 1986, 1987 1988, 1989 1981, 1983, 1979, 1980, 1982 1983, 1986, 1987 1988, 1989 |
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Erik Gundersen (born 8 October 1959, in Esbjerg, Denmark)[1] was a speedway rider in the late 1970s and 1980s. Gundersen was the Speedway World Championship on three occasions, a two time Long Track World Champion and a seven time World Team Cup winner with Denmark.
[edit] Career
Gundersen rode for the Cradley Heath Heathens from 1979 until 1989 when he almost died in a racing accident. He began his career at Cradley with Bruce Penhall but after Penhall's premature retirement in 1982, Gundersen became the club's number one rider – a position he held until his crash.[2]
Gundersen won the Speedway World Championship three times: in 1984, 1985 and 1988. His career was ended when he was involved in an accident whilst riding for Denmark at the Odsal Stadium on the 17 September 1989, in the World Team Cup final. His motorcycle locked up on the first bend and he was knocked off by the rider behind. As he lay on the race track he was hit in the head by another rider's rear wheel. After the accident he was not expected to live and he remained in coma for a period of time but he eventually regained consciousness.[3] Gundersen had to learn to walk again and raised a large amount of money for the hospital which saved his life. He later went on to manage the Danish national speedway team.
[edit] World final appearances
- 1981 -
London, Wembley Stadium - 4th - 11pts - 1983 -
Norden, Motodrom Halbemond - 4th - 10pts - 1984 -
Göteborg, Ullevi - Winner - 13pts + 4pts - 1985 - Bradford, Odsal Stadium - Winner - 13pts + 3pts
- 1986 -
Chorzów, Silesian Stadium - 10th - 7pts - 1987 -
Amsterdam, Olympic Stadium - 2nd - 24pts + 3pts - 1988 -
Vojens, Speedway Center - Winner - 14pts + 3pts - 1989 - Munich, Olympic Stadium - 4th - 11pts[3]
[edit] References
- ^ Oakes, P & Rising, P (1986). 1986 Speedway Yearbook. ISBN 0-948882-00-X
- ^ Foster, P. (2003) Heathens: Cradley Heath Speedway 1977-1996, The History Press Ltd. ISBN 0-7524-2738-5
- ^ a b Bamford, R. & Shailes, G. (2002). A History of the World Speedway Championship. Stroud: Tempus Publishing. ISBN 0-7524-2402-5
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