Ice Speedway: 50 Years on

2015 marks the 50th running of the FIM Ice Speedway World Championship since ‘Gabby’ Kadyrov won the first series held in Ufa and Moscow in 1966, although an ‘FIM Cup’ had been raced for in 1963 and 1964. Ufa-born Kadyrov, who died in 1993, went on to win a total of six World titles and was the first of the Russian greats to dominate this competition. He was followed by Sergey Tarabanko, winner of four consecutive titles between 1975 and 1978, and the Ivanov brothers Yuri and Sergei with a total of ten medals between them. More recently, Nikolay Krasnikov won eight individual championships from 2002 until his retirement from international racing at the end of 2012.

The oldest surviving champion is Boris Samorodov, winner in 1967, who was also a successful international star on the speedway tracks and is fondly remembered by track racing fans throughout Europe.

Few were able to break the Russian superiority. The first to do so was the late Antonin Svab from Czechoslovakia who won the title in 1970, a feat repeated by his fellow countryman Milan Spinka four years later. It would be another ten years before a non-Russian was to win. Sweden’s Erik Stenlund took the first of his two wins in 1984 and only Per-Olaf Serenius (twice) and the ‘Flying Finn’ Jarmo Hirvasoja were able to achieve this feat again. Hirvasoja was never able to repeat his epic victory in Gothenburg in 1990 but ‘Posa’ Serenius, born in 1948. became the oldest World Champion when taking the title home to Sweden in 2002 and is still racing today, although not taking part in this year’s individual World Championship.

To celebrate 50 years of this competition, the FIM is gathering all the 18 living World Champions at a special awards ceremony in Togliatti, Russia to coincide with the second round of this year’s championship on 7 and 8 February. 

The organising club SC Mega-Lada is making local arrangements and the event will include a Press conference and the presentation of a commemorative “50 years” diploma to all the champions present. See the Anniversary picture gallery HEREThe following living champions are on the guest list and it is hoped that as many as possible will be able to attend: