Ove Fundin

Last updated

Ove Fundin
Born (1933-05-23) 23 May 1933 (age 91)
Tranås, Sweden
NicknameThe Fox or The Flying Fox
NationalitySwedish
Career history
Sweden
1951-1957 Filbyterna
1958-1971 Kaparna
Great Britain
1955-1964 Norwich Stars
1966 Long Eaton Archers
1967 Belle Vue Aces
1970 Wembley Lions
Individual honours
1956, 1960, 1961, 1963, 1967 World Champion
1956, 1957, 1960, 1962, 1964,
1966, 1967, 1969, 1970		 Swedish Champion
1954 Continental Champion
1956, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1965 European Champion
1955, 1961, 1963, 1967 Nordic Champion
1957Pride of the East winner
1960 Southern Riders Champion
1963Pride of the Midlands winner
1960/61 SA State Champion
1969 WA State Champion
1967 Golden Helmet of Pardubice
1961, 1962, 1963 Internationale
1962The Laurels
Team honours
1960, 1962, 1963,
1964, 1967, 1970		 World Team Cup
1968 World Pairs Champion
1968, 1970 Allsvenskan Champion
1955, 1963National Trophy
Competition record
Representing Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden
Speedway World Championship
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1956
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1960
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1961
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1963
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1967
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1957
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1958
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1959
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 1962
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 1964
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 1965
Speedway World Team Cup
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1960
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1962
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1963
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1964
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1967
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1970
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1961
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1965
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1968
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 1966
Speedway World Pairs Championship
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1968
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1969
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1970
Golden Helmet
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1967
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1968
Long Track World Championship
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1961

Ove Fundin (born 23 May 1933) is a Swedish former professional motorcycle speedway rider. He competed in the Speedway World Championships from 1951 to 1970. Fundin is notable for winning the Speedway World Championship Final five times (1956, [1] 1960, 1961, 1963, 1967), a record bettered only by Ivan Mauger and fellow Swede Tony Rickardsson who each won six World Championships. [2] He finished runner-up in the championship 3 times (1957–59) and was third in 1962, 1964 and 1965 meaning that from his first win in 1956 until his last in 1967, Fundin did not finish lower than a podium place in a record eleven World Finals. [3] He was known by the nickname of the "Flying Fox" or just "the Fox" because of his red hair. He earned 99 caps for the Sweden national speedway team. [4]

Contents

Career

Fundin was born in Tranås. It was suggested to him by Australian champion Aub Lawson that he ride in Britain and he joined the Norwich Stars, riding for them from 1955 until 1964 when the Firs stadium closed. Then he rode for Long Eaton 1966, [5] Belle Vue 1967, [6] Wembley 1970 but will always be remembered for the glory days at Norwich Stars where he was worshiped by the home fans.

He made a total of 15 World Final appearances coming runner-up three times and third three times as well as his five wins. He also helped Swede win the World Team Cup in 1960, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1967 and 1970 as well as the Speedway World Pairs Championship in 1968. He is considered to being one of the greatest riders of all time (along with the likes of Ivan Mauger and Hans Nielsen). Fundin went through the World Team Cup (including qualifying rounds and the final in Gothenburg) undefeated in 1960, a feat not matched until Australia's Jason Crump went through the 2001 Speedway World Cup undefeated.

Fundin won the Wimbledon Internationale for three consecutive years from 1961 to 1963. [7]

Fundin also made several visits to Australia during his career with considerable success. Along with representing Sweden and various "Rest of the World" teams in Test Matches against the Australians, he won the South Australian Championship four times (1966, 1967, 1969, 1970) at the Rowley Park Speedway in Adelaide, and the Western Australian Championship at the Claremont Speedway in Perth in 1969.

He won a record nine Swedish Championships. [8]

Awards

Fundin received the Svenska Dagbladet Gold Medal in 1961 (shared with Sten Lundin). [9]

Fundin was honoured as a Freeman of the City of Norwich in 2006, only the second non-English person to be awarded this honour. The ceremony was completed at Norwich City Hall Council chamber by the Lord Mayor of Norwich on 30 October 2006.

In 2013, Fundin was named an FIM Legend for his motorcycling achievements. [10]

After retirement

He currently lives on the French Riviera. [11] In 2024, he joined a charity cycling team at the end of their journey in aid of the Speedway Riders Benevolent Fund. [12]

World Final appearances

Individual World Championship

World Pairs Championship

* Unofficial World Championships.

World Team Cup

World Longtrack Championship

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References

  1. ↑ "Fundin is champ" . Sunday Mirror. 23 September 1956. Retrieved 8 September 2024– via British Newspaper Archive.
  2. ↑ Montague, Trevor (2004). The A-Z of Sport. Little, Brown. p. 518. ISBN   0-316-72645-1.
  3. ↑ Bamford, R. & Shailes, G. (2002). A History of the World Speedway Championship. Stroud: Tempus Publishing. ISBN   0-7524-2402-5
  4. ↑ "Ultimate rider index, 1929-2022" (PDF). British Speedway. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
  5. ↑ "Archers may lose Fundin" . Nottingham Evening Post. 15 June 1966. Retrieved 7 September 2024– via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. ↑ "Fundin in Aces team tonight" . Lynn Advertiser. 15 September 1967. Retrieved 28 September 2024– via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. ↑ "Fundin zips to victory" . Streatham News. 15 June 1962. Retrieved 29 September 2024– via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. ↑ Oakes, Peter (1981). 1981 Speedway Yearbook. Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd. p. 85. ISBN   0-86215-017-5.
  9. ↑ Göran Söderlund (28 March 2020). "Legendaren porträtteras igen" (in Swedish). Idrottens affärer. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
  10. ↑ "FIM Legends" (PDF). fim-live.com. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
  11. ↑ Marsh, Lorna (21 July 2006). "Speedway legend to get freedom of city". Eastern Daily Press. Retrieved 24 November 2017. Speaking from his home in the French Riviera, Fundin, known around the world for his contribution to the sport in Norwich, said: "It is a great honour, really fantastic. I am deeply proud and very happy."
  12. ↑ "Dramatic conclusion for heroic speedway fundraising ride". Cumbria Crack. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
Preceded by Svenska Dagbladet Gold Medal . (with Sten Lundin)
1961		Succeeded by
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