Bernt Persson

Bernt Eveart Persson (24 June 1946 - 20 September 2020) was a Swedish international motorcycle speedway rider.^[2] He earned 102 caps for the Sweden national speedway team.^[3]

Career

Persson started his career in the Swedish Speedway Team Championship riding for Smederna but came to prominence racing in the British leagues from 1965 to 1978.^[4] In 1965 after competing in the Brandonapolis at Coventry, he signed to race for the Edinburgh Monarchs for the latter part of the 1965 British League season.^[5]

Persson was unable to ride for Edinburgh in 1966 because he was serving in the Swedish army but returned in 1967.^[6] During 1967 he established himself as one of the world's leading riders finishing 9th in the 1967 Individual Speedway World Championship final.

Persson joined Cradley Heathens/United in 1969 and spent five years at the Dudley Wood Stadium in his first spell with the club.^[7]

His greatest achievement was finishing runner up in the 1972 Speedway World Championship. After tying with the legendary Ivan Mauger on 13 points, during the 1972 Individual Speedway World Championship final, held on 16 September at Wembley Stadium, he lost the run-off and missed out on becoming the world champion.^{[8] [9]}

Persson went on to win three medals at the Speedway World Cup (1973, 1975 and 1977) and became Swedish Champion in 1977.^[10]

World Final Appearances

Individual World Championship

• 1967 - London, Wembley Stadium - 9th - 6pts
• 1968 - London, Wembley Stadium - 16th - 1pt
• 1971 - Gothenburg, Ullevi - 6th - 9pts
• 1972 - London, Wembley Stadium - 2nd - 13pts
• 1973 - Chorzów, Silesian Stadium - 16th - 0pts
• 1975 - London, Wembley Stadium - 10th - 5pts
• 1977 - Göteborg, Ullevi - 11th - 6pts
• 1978 - London, Wembley Stadium - Reserve - did not ride

World Pairs Championship

• 1971 - Rybnik, Rybnik Municipal Stadium (with Anders Michanek) - 3rd - 22pts (9)
• 1972 - Borås (with Hasse Holmqvist) - 3rd - 22pts (13+3)
• 1976 - Eskilstuna, Eskilstuna Motorstadion (with Bengt Jansson) - 3rd - 22pts (11)
• 1977 - Manchester, Hyde Road (with Anders Michanek) - 2nd - 18pts (2)

World Team Cup

• 1971 - Wrocław, Olympic Stadium (with Anders Michanek / Sören Sjösten / Bengt Jansson] / Leif Enecrona) - 4th - 18pts (0)
• 1973 - London, Wembley Stadium (with Anders Michanek / Bengt Jansson / Tommy Jansson) - 2nd - 31pts (9)
• 1975 - Norden, Motodrom Halbemond (with Anders Michanek / Tommy Jansson / Sören Sjösten / Sören Karlsson) - 3rd - 17pts (2)
• 1976 - London, White City Stadium (with Anders Michanek / Bengt Jansson / Lars-Åke Andersson / Christer Löfqvist) - 3rd - 26pts (8)
• 1977 - Wrocław, Olympic Stadium (with Bengt Jansson / Anders Michanek / Tommy Nilsson / Sören Karlsson) - 4th - 11pts (4)

References

1. ^ "Biography". Cradley Speedway. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
2. ^ Oakes, Peter & Mauger, Ivan (1976). Who's Who of World Speedway. Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd. ISBN 0-904584-04-6.
3. ^ "Ultimate rider index, 1929-2022". British Speedway. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
4. ^ Lawson, K (2018) “Riders, Teams and Stadiums”. ISBN 978-0-244-72538-9
5. ^ "Stars at Gold Cup match at Brandon". Rugby Advertiser. 24 September 1965. Retrieved 8 September 2024. – via British Newspaper Archive.
6. ^ "broken foot". Coventry Evening Telegraph. 3 June 1966. Retrieved 8 September 2024. – via British Newspaper Archive.
7. ^ "Swede No.2 for Cradley". Wolverhampton Express and Star. 12 June 1970. Retrieved 8 September 2024. – via British Newspaper Archive.
8. ^ "4-Timer Mauger". Sunday Mirror. 17 September 1972. Retrieved 9 July 2021. – via British Newspaper Archive
9. ^ Bamford, R. & Shailes, G. (2002). A History of the World Speedway Championship. Stroud: Tempus Publishing. ISBN 0-7524-2402-5
10. ^ Oakes, Peter (1981). 1981 Speedway Yearbook. Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd. p. 85. ISBN 0-86215-017-5.