1989 Speedway World Team Cup

The 1989 Speedway World Team Cup was the 30th edition of the FIM Speedway World Team Cup to determine the team world champions.^[1]^[2]

The final was staged at Odsal Stadium, Bradford, England. The English team dominated the meeting, following near tragedy for Denmark. Jeremy Doncaster, Kelvin Tatum, Paul Thorp and Simon Wigg defeated Denmark, Sweden and the USA in a single meeting final. The Danish run of sixth consecutive titles finally came to an end and England once more went top of the all-time list, with nine titles.^[3]^[4]

The World Cup Final saw the end of the career of three time World Champion Erik Gundersen of Denmark. In the first race of the meeting, Gundersen won the start from gate 4 and headed the field into the first turn. As he pulled across the others and down t the white line (as he had done hundreds of times previously in his career) Lance King and Jimmy Nilsen were locked in their own private battle just behind him and didn't appreciate how close to Gundersen they were. As the American and Swede locked together they clipped Gundersen's rear wheel and he was thrown over the highside. As he lay on the race track he was hit in the head by Cradley teammate Simon Cross's rear wheel as Cross attempted to negotiate his way through the carnage. All 4 riders were rushed to Hospital but Gundersen had suffered life threatening injuries, indeed having been knocked unconscious and sustaining serious injuries Gundersen had swallowed his tongue and his life was saved on the track by the quick intervention of a St Johns Ambulance lady and the track doctor (attending his first ever speedway meeting) as fans and fellow riders watched on. After the accident he was not expected to live and he remained in coma for a period of time but he eventually regained consciousness.^[5] Gundersen had to learn to walk again and raised a large amount of money for the Bradford Royal Infirmary which saved his life and he later became manager of the Danish Speedway Team. None of the riders involved in the accident - Gundersen, Simon Cross, Jimmy Nilsen and Lance King, took any further part in the final and Denmark were clearly affected by the accident.

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1989 Speedway World Team Cup

First round

Second round

Third round

Fourth round

World final

See also

References

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