Speedway Champions

    The Golden Helmet of Pardubice competition has been run since 1929 and has been a prestigious motorcycle event in Eastern Europe and wider since its early days, with over 70 riders from as many as 18 different countries participating pre-war, and attendances of over 120,000 post-war and 100,000 for its 1960s resurrection following the years of communist suppression. Having commenced as a grass event on the famous 2.4km(1½mile) Pardubice steeplechase course the event transferred to the cinder speedway track of a purpose-built adjacent course in 1964.

    The table below, - colour-coded for ready analysis - , shows that despite many attempts by star name New Zealand World Champions Briggs and Mauger, they failed to capture a Golden Helmet. (A new unique helmet is presented every year for the winner's retention, as well as a full Jawa speedway machine.) Ole Olsen, however was successful on a record 7 occasions during the 1970s, with local hero Jiri Stancl pushing him hard through the same period, - only once did these two not take the trophy over a 13 year period ! (Note also Stancl's record in the national Czech championships over this period, - 12 speedway and 6 Long Track title wins ! ) At the turn of the century Australia provided the winner 8 times through Ryan Sullivan (2x), Leigh Adams (4x), and Jason Crump (2x), and into the next decade it continued with 5 more Aussie wins, culminating in a hattrick from Jason Doyle, who joins Adams and Ole Olsen as the only riders to achieve this feat.