Bernt Persson
| File:Bernt Persson.jpg | |
| Born | 24 June 1946 Eskilstuna, Sweden |
|---|---|
| Died | 21 September 2020 (aged 74)[1] |
| Nickname | Bernie |
| Nationality | Swedish |
| Career history | |
| Great Britain | |
| 1965, 1967 | Edinburgh Monarchs |
| 1968 | Coatbridge Monarchs |
| 1969-1973, 1975-1977 | Cradley Heathens/United |
| 1978 | Sheffield Tigers |
| Sweden | |
| 1963-1968, 1977-1983 | Smederna |
| 1965 | Vargarna |
| 1969-1976 | Indianerna |
| 1985-1986 | Tuna Rebels |
| Individual honours | |
| 1977 | Swedish Champion |
| Team honours | |
| 1977 | Allsvenskan Champion |
| 1972, 1973 | Allsvenskan Div 2 (West) Champion |
| 1985 | Allsvenskan Div 2 (North) Champion |
| 1967 | Allsvenskan Div 3 (West) Champion |
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
[edit | edit source]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
[edit | edit source]Individual World Championship
[edit | edit source]- 1967 - England London, Wembley Stadium - 9th - 6pts
- 1968 - England London, Wembley Stadium - 16th - 1pt
- 1971 - Sweden Gothenburg, Ullevi - 6th - 9pts
- 1972 - England London, Wembley Stadium - 2nd - 13pts
- 1973 - Poland Chorzów, Silesian Stadium - 16th - 0pts
- 1975 - England London, Wembley Stadium - 10th - 5pts
- 1977 - Sweden Göteborg, Ullevi - 11th - 6pts
- 1978 - England London, Wembley Stadium - Reserve - did not ride
World Pairs Championship
[edit | edit source]- 1971 - Poland Rybnik, Rybnik Municipal Stadium (with Anders Michanek) - 3rd - 22pts (9)
- 1972 - Sweden Borås (with Hasse Holmqvist) - 3rd - 22pts (13+3)
- 1976 - Sweden Eskilstuna, Eskilstuna Motorstadion (with Bengt Jansson) - 3rd - 22pts (11)
- 1977 - England Manchester, Hyde Road (with Anders Michanek) - 2nd - 18pts (2)
World Team Cup
[edit | edit source]- 1971 - Poland Wrocław, Olympic Stadium (with Anders Michanek / Sören Sjösten / Bengt Jansson] / Leif Enecrona) - 4th - 18pts (0)
- 1973 - England London, Wembley Stadium (with Anders Michanek / Bengt Jansson / Tommy Jansson) - 2nd - 31pts (9)
- 1975 - West Germany Norden, Motodrom Halbemond (with Anders Michanek / Tommy Jansson / Sören Sjösten / Sören Karlsson) - 3rd - 17pts (2)
- 1976 - England London, White City Stadium (with Anders Michanek / Bengt Jansson / Lars-Åke Andersson / Christer Löfqvist) - 3rd - 26pts (8)
- 1977 - Poland Wrocław, Olympic Stadium (with Bengt Jansson / Anders Michanek / Tommy Nilsson / Sören Karlsson) - 4th - 11pts (4)
References
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- ^ Lawson, K (2018) “Riders, Teams and Stadiums”. Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
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- ^ Bamford, R. & Shailes, G. (2002). A History of the World Speedway Championship. Stroud: Tempus Publishing. Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
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