Masters Of The Ice...

This week I have mainly been watching some old films of Ice Speedway and reliving the Ice Speedway World Finals of years gone by - this sport must be the most dangerous and intense type of  motorcycle sport known to man and I love it. To learn more about the sport there is a brief overview of what it's all about here and you can read a history of Ice Speedway on the FIM site right here.

Now to share some of my photographs of the Ice Speedway World Champions of the past 40 years.

GABDRAKHMAN KADYROV - USSR:
An Ice racing legend and the very first World Champion in 1966.
He won another 5 titles in 1968, 1969, 1971, 1972 and 1973. He also won the FIM Cup in 1964.

BORIS SAMORODOV - USSR:
Another legendary Ice Racer - Winner of the FIM cup in 1963, European Champion in 1965 and World Champion in 1967.

ANTONIN SVAB - Czechoslovakia:
Celebrating victory in 1970.

MIROSLAV "MILAN" SPINKA - Czechoslovakia:
On top of the rostrum in 1974 flanked by Vladimir Tsibrov(2nd) and Gabdrakhman Kadyrov (3rd).

SERGEI TARABANKO - USSR:
Four consecutive victories in 1975, 1976, 1977 and 1978.
This picture was taken at Eindhoven in '79.

ANATOLI BONDARENKO - USSR:
The  1979 and 1980 World Champion flanked by Vladimir Ljubitsch (2nd) and Zdenek Kdruna (3rd)
(Photo by Stephan Jarivik)
* Anatoli's nephew Iliya Bondarenko will be seen on British shale in 2011 having signed to race for the new Premier League  Leicester Lions team. Watch out for this exciting Russian rider over the course of the new season.

BONDARENKO in action leading Hasse Johansson at Assen.

VLADIMIR LJUBITSCH - USSR:
Made it to the top of the rostrum in 1981

SERGEI KASAKOV - USSR:
Champion of the World in 1982 and 1983.
(Photos of Kasakov are copyright of John Hipkiss)

ERIK STENLUND - SWEDEN:
The first rider to break the Soviet domination. A worthy World Champion in 1984 and 1988.

YURI IVANOV - USSR:
Three times a winner 1986, 1987 and 1992.
(action photo by David Lowes)

NIKOLAI NISHENKO - USSR:
The 1989 World Champion sadly lost his life racing on the ice in 1993.
(Photo by Norbert Ockenga)

JARMO HIRVASOJA - Finland:
This Thrill-Merchant was Top of The World in 1990

SERGEI IVANOV - Russia:
Keeping it in the family, like his brother Yuri, Sergei became World Champion in 1991, but only after a thrilling run-off with Sweden's Per Olof Serenius. (photo by Klaus Goffelmeyer)

VLADIMIR FADEYEV - Russia:
Twice World Champion 1993 and 1999.
(Photo copyright of Ian Charles)

ALEKSANDR BALAZHOV - Russia:
Three times a Champion - 1994, 1996 and 1998
(Action Photo by Jan Janu)

ALEKSANDR BALAZHOV and VLADIMIR FADEYEV
Five World Titles between them.
(Photo by Norbert Ockenga)

PER OLOF SERENIUS - Sweden:
Posa finished runner up 1982, '91 and '94 before taking his first title in 1995 He won again in 2002 at the tender age of 54!
(Photo by Jan Janu)

KYRIL DROGALIN - Russia:
An exciting rider who has been World Champion on three occasions - 1997, 2000 and 2001.
(Photo by David S Lowes)

VITALIY KHOMITSEVICH - Russia:
On his way to the title in 2003

DIMITRI BULANKIN - Russia:
World Champion in 2004

NIKOLAI KRASNIKOV - Russia:
The new breed of Ice racer - Won his first title in 2005 at the age of 19 and has dominated the sport ever since. He has won 6 consecutive titles between 2005 and 2010 and will no doubt be there or thereabouts again this year. Ironically, he is also from the town of Ufa, the same town as 60s legends Samorodov and Kadyrov
(Photo from Motor Sport Aktuell)