The London Riders' Championship was an individual motorcycle speedway competition for top riders of teams from London. It was a prestigious competition, especially in its early days.
History The event was introduced in 1930. It was considered a prestigious competition, especially in its early days due to the fact that the leading teams in British speedway at the time were all from London. However, as the number of teams from London dwindled, so did interest in the competition. Jacobs, Norman (2001). Speedway in London. Belton, Brian (2003). Hammerin' Round. The last competition was held in 1983.Oakes, P & Rising, P (1986). 1986 Speedway Yearbook.
An attempted revival of the Championship was made in 2011 at the Arena Essex Raceway speedway track in Purfleet, Essex, where the riders taking part represented not their current clubs, but long-defunct London clubs including West Ham Hammers, New Cross Rangers, Wembley Lions and Walthamstow Wolves. It was staged there as the track, home of the Lakeside Hammers was the closest track to London staging speedway at the time. However, the meeting was abandoned after only a few heats due to heavy rain and was never restaged.
Past winners YearWinnerTeamVenue1930 Jack Ormston () Wembley Lions Crystal Palace Exhibition Grounds1931 Joe Francis () Crystal Palace Glaziers Crystal Palace Exhibition Grounds Championship suspended 1932-1933 1934 Tom Farndon () New Cross Lambs New Cross Stadium1935 Tom Farndon () New Cross Lambs New Cross Stadium1936 Vic Huxley () Wimbledon Dons New Cross Stadium1937 Jack Milne () New Cross Rangers New Cross Stadium1938 Eric Chitty () West Ham Hammers New Cross Stadium1939 Jack Milne () New Cross Rangers New Cross Stadium Championship suspended 1939-1944 1945 Ron Johnson () unattachedNew Cross Stadium1946 Ron Johnson () New Cross Rangers New Cross Stadium 1947 Vic Duggan () Harringay Racers New Cross Stadium1948 Split Waterman () Wembley Lions New Cross Stadium1949 Alec Statham () Wimbledon Dons New Cross Stadium1950 Cyril Roger () New Cross Rangers New Cross Stadium1951 Aub Lawson () West Ham Hammers New Cross Stadium1952 Ronnie Moore () Wimbledon Dons New Cross Stadium1953 Jack Young () West Ham Hammers Harringay Stadium1954 Jack Young () West Ham Hammers West Ham Stadium1955 Barry Briggs () Wimbledon Dons Wimbledon Stadium 1956 Brian Crutcher () Wembley Lions Wembley Stadium Championship suspended 1957-1962 1963* Norman Hunter () Hackney Hawks Hackney Wick Stadium1964 Mike Broadbanks () Swindon Robins West Ham Stadium1965Sverre Harrfeldt () West Ham Hammers Hackney Wick Stadium1966Norman Hunter () West Ham Hammers Hackney Wick Stadium1967 Colin Pratt () Hackney Hawks Hackney Wick Stadium1968 Colin Pratt () Hackney Hawks Hackney Wick Stadium1969 Trevor Hedge () Wimbledon Dons Hackney Wick Stadium1970Trevor Hedge () Wimbledon Dons Hackney Wick Stadium1971 Bengt Jansson () Hackney Hawks Hackney Wick Stadium1972 Ronnie Moore () Wimbledon Dons Hackney Wick Stadium1973Barry Thomas () Hackney Hawks Hackney Wick Stadium1974Barry Thomas () Hackney Hawks Hackney Wick Stadium1975Dave Jessup () Leicester LionsHackney Wick Stadium1976Gordon Kennett () White City Rebels Hackney Wick Stadium1977Larry Ross () Wimbledon Dons Hackney Wick Stadium1978Keith White () Hackney Hawks Hackney Wick Stadium Championship suspended 19791980Finn Thomsen () Hackney Hawks Hackney Wick Stadium Championship suspended 1981 1982Kai Niemi () Wimbledon Dons Wimbledon Stadium 1983Bo Petersen () Hackney Hawks Hackney Wick Stadium1988Andy Galvin () Hackney Kestrels Hackney Wick Stadium1996Billy Hamill () Cradley & Stoke London Stadium
* 1963 - Provincial League London Riders Championship
References