Worldpairsfinal69

Dear Bob,
Why do you make life so awkward? There I was sitting down quite happily thinking about the World Best Pairs. And it struck me that the title was a little inaptly named, as the New Zealand representatives should have been world champion Ivan Mauger and runner-up Barry Briggs.
Now I am sure that you - and everyone else in speedway - would agree that a Mauger - Briggs combination is, without any doubt at all, the world's strongest pairing. Barry, as you know, dropped out because of various legal complications and countryman Ronnie Moore was selected as Mauger's partner.
Ronnie, as you know, reached the World Final and surely ranks as Kiwi No.3 in anyone's eyes. But Mirac decides he would be foolish to risk his injured foot against tearaway Poles for a number of reasons. Not least that he might let down his partner and country.
So, Bob you are next in line as Kiwi No.4. A rating I would not disagree with. But simple me thinks that pairing of world No.1 and world No.4 cannot be as strong as No.1 and No.2.

So I sit down and write something to that effect (see this column last week). Now I did at least cover myself by including a sentence saying whatever happens at Stockholm, the New Zealand pairing isn't the strongest the country can field.
I owe you an apology, Bob. On the night, the Kiwis couldn't have fielded a stronger pairing. Ivan Mauger rode six unbeaten races for a maximum 18 points. He was top scorer bar none. But, as we all know, to win a Best Pairs of this calibre you need your second man to weigh in with a few points.
Which is where you came in. With 10 points. Not, on the face of it, a particularly world-shattering performance when you see it in black and white.
But you know, I know, and the rest of speedway knows, that your 10 points consisted of five second places and one fourth place. In other words, you partnered Ivan to five maximum heat wins. With the resulting bonus points, you picked up 15 points, which made you the second best rider on view. Simply second in the world.
How, or why, does not concern me. You did it. You proved that you are still in the top bracket of international speedway and that your league form has not been a completely true indication of your ability.
And you have done something I never believed you could have done - outscored every other rider in probably the finest speedway field out side a World Final.
For that you deserve congratulations of every single person in speedway. I lead these congratulations. And I hope that you will not judge me too harshly. I was wrong in my assessment of you as Kiwi No.4 And I regret only one thing . . . that you became a naturalised New Zealander.
How the English team could have done with your 10 (paid 15) points in Sweden.
Once again congratulations, Bob.

                                   Yours faithfully,
                                               Peter Oakes

Against all expectations, Ivan Mauger and Bobby Andrews won the World Best Pairs title for New Zealand in Stockholm on September 25.
If the Kiwis had paraded Mauger and Barry Briggs or Ronnie Moore, such a result might have been expected.
But Moore was fulfilling a domestic engagement at Wimbledon. And Briggs was at home too, having been santioned to miss the Swedish engagement while his lawyers fought out a complicated battle dating back to Swedish newspaper articles written about him at 1968 World Final time.
So Bobby Andrews, still a useful rider for Cradley Heath, but far from being considered one of the top two dozen riders in the British League, an Englishman by birth but now domiciled in New Zealand, was named as Mauger's partner.
Of the quality of Ivan there could be no dispute. His masterly form in 1969 finally quashed any nagging doubts about his rightful place among the all-time great riders.
Andrews, cheerfully admitting that he had come along for the ride, astounded all watchers and quite a few of the competitors by providing magnificent support. The hotly-tipped Swedish partnership of Ove Fundin and Gote Nordin relegated him to one last place. In five other outings, however, he followed Mauger home.
With Mauger invincible and Andrews producing one of the most notable performances of his career, the New Zealanders produced a title-winning total of 28 points.
Fundin and Nordin, great riders both but not always a happy track combination, produced individual performances of quality. But it was not quite enough.
After Mauger, the flying Olsen was the most spectacular individual star of the meeting. He came from last to first in a thrilling race against Boocock and Martin Ashby, whose 21 point haul took them into third position on the night. That race was the high point of the event.
Other interesting features included the performance of the hitherto unknown Bulgarians and the East Germans, too. Obviously these are emerging speedway nations but the techniques required on their own tracks left them short of experience for this class of company.
Nevertheless, there were always sparks flying, with chunky Peter Iliev and 1967 World Finalist Jochen Dinse doing their best to demolish the safety fence on almost every one of their appearances! Bulgarian Peter Petkov. however, appeared to be a steady and stylish customer who could develop, and East Germany's Gerhard Uhlenbrock looked by far the classiest rider that country has yet produced.
The middle placings went to Denmark, who relied too heavily upon Olsen, and Czechoslovakia, also well served by another British League performer in the shape of Jan Holub (Exeter). Summer Second Division tourist Zdonek Majstr looked a likely prospect.
With all respect to the other performers, however, it was Mauger's meeting. Before the meeting he exchanged banter with British Control Board official John McNulty, who was at pains to assure him that this meeting is rated in the F.I.M. calendar third only to the World Final and World Team Cup.
Mauger did not appear convinced, but he went out and thrashed everybody in sight, anyway.
If this event is to be elevated to such a lofty position, which it could be, there will have to be some more positive thinking on the subject in the seventies. Potentially, it is a most attractive event. But some of the competing countries seemed inclined to take it rather lightly.
Nevertheless, it is a competition which can only increase in stature. The Stockholm crowd, certainly, greeted the occasion with enthusiasm, despite the fact that team riding, as such, was only seen in flashes, and in spite of a rarely-used track surface which disintergrated rather badly after a few heats.
Relations between officials of different speedway nations, not least those between Britain and Sweden, were enhanced, and that, in itself, is good to report.
It will be interesting to see what significance is placed upon this still-new competition in forthcoming seasons. It will achieve a stature directly related to the interest and organisation displayed by the controlling bodies.