Russian Legend Samorodov dies

Russian Speedway and Ice Race legend Boris Samorodov has died at the age of 85 in Ufa after a long illness. 

Born in Rybinsk, North West Russia in 1931, Boris was evacuated with his family during World War 2 to Ufa. There his father, a keen motorcyclist, worked in a motor factory and following his footsteps Boris took up motocross very successfully. But it was in Track Racing that Boris excelled and he pioneered the sport on both cinder and ice tracks in the Soviet Union during the 1950s. During 1958 and 1959 he became the first USSR Champion in both disciplines and in 1963 was the first winner of the FIM Cup for Ice Racing, later to become the European Championship and forerunner of the World Ice Racing Championship. 

After taking the 1965 European ice title, Boris could only manage a 5th place in the first World Ice Final in 1966 but he came back to take the gold medal in the following year.  Although this was his only world title on ice he continued to represent the Soviet Union in individual and team competitions through the 60s and early 70s.

Boris was also known as a tough competitor on the speedway tracks of Europe. Somewhat overshadowed by his more successful compatriot Igor Plechanov, he is nevertheless remembered for his fourth place in the 1963 Wembley final which he might have won had it not been for a disputed exclusion in his first race. He repeated the result on a rain-drenched Gothenburg track the following year but that was his last speedway final and he was never able to match his ice race success. He was however a leading member of the USSR speedway teams which toured Great Britain in the 1960s attracting huge crowds and making many friends despite the cultural and political differences. 

On his retirement from racing he was coach to the USSR Ice race team and mentor to another rider who was to become a Russian track race legend, ‘Gabby’ Kadirov. He later became a trainer in his adopted home town of Ufa where he worked hard for the success of the Bashkiria club and the revival of speedway in the city. 

Russia owes much of its later success to the enthusiasm and hard work of Boris Samorodov and the part that he played in the development of track racing in that country. He will be sadly missed.

FIM Communications