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1983 British League season

The 1983 British League season was the 49th season of the top tier of motorcycle speedway in the United Kingdom and the 19th known as the British League.

Summary

Cradley Heathens won the league and cup double. Despite losing their double world champion Bruce Penhall to retirement the Cradley side performed just as well. Erik Gundersen, Simon Wigg and Lance King were now some of the world's leading riders and backed up by Phil Collins, Alan Grahame and Peter Ravn they were a formidable team. Even Penhall's replacement, a new signing from Denmark Jan O. Pedersen was already showing signs of a bright future.

This would also be the final season of speedway for three-time world champion Ole Olsen, who announced his retirement.

Final table

<small>M = Matches; W = Wins; D = Draws; L = Losses; Pts = Total Points</small>

Fixtures and results

Top ten riders (league averages)

British League Knockout Cup

The 1983 Speedway Star British League Knockout Cup was the 45th edition of the Knockout Cup for tier one teams. Cradley Heath Heathens were the winners.

First round

Quarter-finals

Semi-finals

Final

First leg=

Second leg

Cradley Heath were declared Knockout Cup Champions, winning on aggregate 86-70.

League Cup

The League Cup was split into North and South sections. The two-legged final was won by Belle Vue Aces beating Coventry Bees in the final 86–70 on aggregate.

North Group

South Group

North Group

South Group

Final

Leading final averages

Riders' Championship

Erik Gundersen won the British League Riders' Championship, held at Hyde Road on 15 October.

  • ef=engine failure, f=fell, x=excluded r-retired

Midland Cup

Cradley Heath won the Midland Cup. The competition consisted of five teams.

First round

Semi final round

Final

First leg

Second leg

Cradley won on aggregate 96–60

London Cup

Wimbledon won the London Cup but the competition consisted of just Wimbledon and Hackney.

Results

Riders & final averages

Belle Vue

  • 10.30
  • 9.13
  • 7.37
  • 5.62
  • 5.38
  • 4.95
  • 4.48
  • 4.30
  • 1.09

Birmingham

  • 10.82
  • 8.29
  • 6.88
  • 5.71
  • 5.63
  • 5.36
  • 5.01
  • 4.85
  • 3.13
  • 2.07

Coventry

  • 9.87
  • 9.56
  • 8.07
  • 6.79
  • 5.44
  • 5.23
  • 4.87

Cradley Heath

  • 10.23
  • 8.86
  • 8.74
  • 8.69
  • 7.98
  • 7.97
  • 6.78
  • 6.00
  • 2.54
  • 2.33

Eastbourne

  • 8.73
  • 6.53
  • 4.18
  • 3.87
  • 3.79
  • 3.79
  • 3.75
  • 3.65
  • 3.56
  • 2.55
  • 1.93
  • 0.27

Hackney

  • 8.47
  • 7.94
  • 6.74
  • 6.30
  • 6.25
  • 4.83
  • 4.39
  • 4.30

Halifax

  • 10.28
  • 6.60
  • 6.17
  • 5.77
  • 5.59
  • 5.41
  • 3.52
  • 2.40

Ipswich

  • 10.75
  • 9.70
  • 6.79
  • 6.72
  • 4.82
  • 4.51
  • 4.08
  • 4.06
  • 0.35

King's Lynn

  • 8.45
  • 8.39
  • 7.02
  • 6.29
  • 6.21
  • 5.95
  • 5.25

Leicester

  • 8.66
  • 8.24
  • 7.17
  • 5.95
  • 5.11
  • 5.10
  • 4.98
  • 4.76
  • 3.85
  • 3.81

Poole

  • 10.16
  • 7.72
  • 6.95
  • 6.06
  • 5.38
  • 4.74
  • 4.41
  • 4.25 (4 matches only)
  • 4.23
  • 3.56
  • 2.96

Reading

  • 10.02
  • 9.47
  • 9.02
  • 7.28
  • 4.31
  • 3.85
  • 3.24
  • 2.74

Sheffield

  • 9.43
  • 7.03
  • 6.26
  • 5.84
  • 5.09
  • 3.97
  • 3.26
  • 2.13

Swindon

  • 10.03
  • 7.01
  • 5.65
  • 5.23
  • 5.14
  • 4.99
  • 4.31
  • 3.57
  • 2.88
  • 1.93

Wimbledon

  • 9.25
  • 7.86
  • 7.67
  • 6.55
  • 6.19
  • 5.95
  • 5.18

See also

References