The 1988 Individual Speedway World Championship was the 43rd edition of the official World Championship to determine the world champion rider.
The final was held at the Vojens Speedway Center, owned by former World Champion Ole Olsen. Despite the country having won seven World Individual Championships between three riders since 1971 (Olsen, Erik Gundersen and Hans Nielsen), it was the first time Denmark hosted the World Final.
Gundersen renewed his fierce rivalry with Nielsen as both finished on 14 points to tie for the lead of the Championship. However it was Gundersen that won the toss to choose his starting gate for the run-off. He chose the outside and on a wet track he won his third title by defeating Nielsen in the run-off. Fellow Dane Jan O. Pedersen completed a clean sweep for Denmark by taking the bronze medal.
First round Qualification results. British qualification Top 32 riders to British semi-finals DateVenueWinner2nd3rd 8 April Powderhall Stadium, Edinburgh Mark Courtney Rob Grant Les Collins 10 April Arlington Stadium, Eastbourne Martin Dugard 11 April County Ground Stadium, Exeter Andrew Silver Steve Schofield Andy Campbell 14 April Cleveland Park Stadium, Middlesbrough Darren Sumner Steve Wilcock Neville Tatum 16 April Loomer Road Stadium, Chesterton Graham Jones Nigel Crabtree Andy GalvinQuarter-final 26 April Wimborne Road, Poole Les Collins Neville Tatum Steve Schofield
Second round West German Final 4 September '87 Rottalstadion, Pocking Riders progress to Continental qualification Pos. Rider Scores Total1 Tommy Dunker 3,3,3,3,3 152 Gerd Riss 3,3,3,2,3 143 Karl Maier 2,3,2,3,3 134 Carsten Pelzmann 3,2,1,3,1 105 Andreas Marynowski 2,2,1,3,2 106 Peter Schrock 2,1,3,2,2 107 Berndt Traunspurger 1,0,3,2,1 78 Tommy Broch 2,E,1,1,3 79 Klaus Freundorfer 1,2,2,F,2 710 Peter Hehlert 1,3,0,2,0 611 Alois Bachuber 0,1,2,1,1 512 Andre Pollehn 0,1,1,0,2 413 Hans Faltermeier 1,1,2,F,- 414 Heinz Huber 3,F,-,-,- 315 Hans Kressirer 0,2,0,1,E 316 Mario Trupkovic 0,0,0,0,1 1
Netherlands/Belgium Final Riders progress to Continental qualification
R1 (20 Apr '87, Stichting Baansport Blijham, Blijham) R2 (26 Apr '87, Olympic Stadium, Amsterdam) R3 (24 May '87, Veenoord Speedway, Veenoord) R4 (4 Jul '87, Stadionlaan, Heusden-Zolder) R5 (12 Jul '87, Veenoord Speedway, Veenoord) Pos. Rider Scores Total1 Henk Steman 13+15+1+13,5+13 54,52 Rene Elzinga 3,5+8+15+15+15 533 Peter Seur 12+11,5+9+11,5+9,5 44,54 Geert Cools ns+9+9+13,5+12 43,55 Wil Stoes 11+10+ns+7,5+14 42,56 Rob Steman 0,5+11,5+14+6+6,5 38,57 Robert Jam Munnecom 10+14+13+ns+ns 378 Rikus Gorter 8,5+3+11,5+9+5 349 Frans Cools 0,5+5,5+5,5+10+11 3110 Ron Koppe 3,5+7+5,5+11,5+6,5 30,511 Frits Koppe 14+13+ns+ns+ns 2712 Vital Cardeynaels 7+4+11,5+1+ns 23,513 Henny Kroeze 15+5,5+ns+ns+ns 20,514 Ron Van Dam 2+ns+7+7,5+3,5 2015 Patrick Pino 5+ns+3,5+3,5+8 2016 Aage Lucardie ns+1+9+5+2 1717 Fokke Van Der Walle 8,5+2+2+3,5+3,5 16,518 Hylke Dijkema ns++ns+ns+ns+9,5 9,519 Willy Heremans 6+ns+3,5+ns+ns 9,520 Herman Heremans ns+ns+ns+2+ns 2
Italian Final Top 4 to Continental qualification Riders progress to Continental qualification R1 (29 Mar '87, Giavera del Montello, Treviso) R2 (5 Apr '87, Santa Marina Stadium, Lonigo) R3 (24 Apr '87, Pista Olimpia Terenzano, Terenzano) R4 (10 May '87, Stadio Ottorino Verzaro, Badia Polesine) R5 (4 Jul '87, Castiglione Olona, Varese) Pos. Rider Scores Total1 Valentino Furlanetto 16+14+15+16 612 Armando Castagna 14+15+15+14 583 Paolo Salvatelli 12+11+13+9 454 Armando Dal Chiele 13+8+11+10 425 Ottaviano Righetto 11+12+10+9 426 Giuseppe Scalzolaro 9+10+9+5 337 Giorgio Zaramello ns+10+8+12 308 Gianni Famari ns+9+10+10 299 Giovanni Cragnolini 9+5+0+7 2110 Fabrizio Vesperini 8+5+5+4 2111 Gaetano Bressan ns+7+8+5 2012 Davide Guarise 4+6+ns+8 1813 Amerigo Milanese 5+4+1+4 1414 Mario Andriolo 6+3+3+0 1215 Daniele Doro 6+0+4+1 1116 Fabrizio Maggio ns+2+5+3 1017 Giuseppe Marzotto ns+ns+4+ns 418 Domenico Solda 3+ns+ns+ns 3
Hungarian Final Riders progress to Continental qualification R1 (26 Apr '87, Christián László Municipal Sports Complex, Gyula) R2 (27 Jun '87, Borsod Volán Stadion, Miskolc) R3 (28 Jun '87, Hajdú Volán Stadion, Debrecen) Pos. Rider Total1 Zoltan Adorjan 302 József Petrikovics 283 Laszlo Bodi 244 Sandor Tihanyi 225 Antal Kocso 216 Zoltan Hajdu 217 Janoš Bologh 218 Janoš Sereš 199 Robert Nagy 1610 Joszef Sziracky 1411 Ferenc Juhaš 1412 Ištvan Rušz 1313 Andraš Kovacs 814 Robert Csilik 815 Sandor Ujhelyi 416 Janoš Oreško 3
Australian qualification DateEventVenueWinner2nd3rd ??Northern Territory ChampionshipArunga Park Speedway, Alice Springs Glen Baxter ?? ?? ??Victorian ChampionshipOlympic Park, Mildura Phil Crump Leigh Adams ?? ??New South Wales ChampionshipNewcastle Motordrome, Tomago Stephen Davies David Hamnett Brian Dixon ??South Australian ChampionshipMurray Bridge Speedway, Murray Bridge Craig Hodgson Mark Fiora Darrell Branford ??Queensland ChampionshipRockhampton Showgrounds, Rockhampton Steve Regeling Troy Butler ?? ?? Western Australian ChampionshipClaremont Speedway, Perth Rob Woffinden* Glenn Doyle ?? * Due to the rules, England's Rob Woffinden did not progress to the Australian Championship
New Zealand qualification DateEventVenueWinner2nd3rd? South Island Final Nelson Speedway, Richmond Larry Ross Alan Mason Mark Lyndon ??North Island Final Kihikihi Speedway, Kihikihi Gary Allan John Roberts Chris Martin
British semi-finals 8 May Oxford Stadium, Oxford Top 8 to British final Pos. Rider Points1 Simon Wigg132 Jeremy Doncaster123 John Davis124 Andrew Silver115 Marvyn Cox116 Steve Schofield97 Simon Cross98 Andy Galvin99 Alun Rossiter810 Malcolm Holloway711 Alan Grahame12 David Walsh13 14 15 16 8 May Owlerton Stadium, Sheffield Top 8 to British final Pos. Rider Points1 Kelvin Tatum14+32 Chris Morton14+23 Neil Evitts114 Neil Collins 105 Richard Knight106 Sean Wilson97 Gary Havelock98 Andy Smith99 Paul Thorp810 Sean Willmott811 Neville Tatum412 Mark Loram413 Les Collins414 Michael Graves315 Daz Sumner316 Mark Courtney0
Swedish qualification Top 8 in each heat to Swedish final
(7 May, Huddinge Motorstadion, Huddinge)PosRider Points 1 Tony Olsson 152 Peter Karlsson 133 Conny Ivarsson 12+34 Mikael Ritterwall 12+25 Dennis Löfqvist 116 Christer Rohlén 107 Peter Nahlin 108 Tommy Nilsson 79 Erik Stenlund 610 Lars Andersson 611 Jörgen Johansson 512 Krister Gardell 513 Roger Söderberg 414 Sören Brolin 315 Kent Rickardsson 116 Mats Boström (res) 117 Tommy Lindgren 018 Teddie Jönsson 0
(7 May, Gislaved Motorbana, Gislaved)PosRider Points 1 Claes Ivarsson 152 Jan Andersson 123 Bo Arrhén 114 Mikael Teurnberg 105 Niklas Karlsson 106 Kenneth Nyström 9+37 Roland Dannö9+28 Patrik Karlsson 9+19 Mikael Blixt 9+010 Tony Gudbrand 611 Thomas Ek 612 Tony Zetterström 613 Patrik Palovaara 314 Christer Jonsson 315 Patrik Åhlund 216 Åke Fridell 017 Kristian Hultgren 0
Third round Continental preliminary round DateVenueWinner2nd3rd 7 May Municipal Stadium, Ostrów Mirosław Korbel Ryszard Dołomisiewicz Valery Gordeev 7 May Speedway Natschbach-Loipersbach Paolo Salvatelli Heinrich Sczatzer Zoltan Hajdu 8 May Ilirija Sports Park, Ljubljana József Petrikovics Janosh Bologh Nikolai Manev 8 May Stadion Lindenau, Petershagen Viktor Kuznetsov Henny Kroeze Lubomir Jedek
British Final 22 May 1988 Brandon Stadium, Coventry First 9 to Commonwealth Final
Australian Final 23 January 1988 Murray Bridge Speedway, Murray Bridge Top 4 to Commonwealth Final Pos. Rider Total1 Phil Crump 152 Steve Regeling 113 Craig Hodgson 114 Mark Fiora 105 Troy Butler 106 David Jackson 97 Glen Baxter 88 Leigh Adams 89 Stephen Davies 710 Chris Watson 711 Steve Baker 612 Scott Fisher 613 Darrel Bradford 514 Glenn Doyle 415 Dave Hammett 116 Nigel Tramelling 1
New Zealand Final Ruapuna Speedway, Christchurch Riders selected for Commonwealth Final Pos. Rider Total1 Larry Ross 152 David Bargh 143 Garry Allan 134 Mark Lyndon 115 Alan Mason 116 Mitch Shirra97 Craig Wilkie 78 Nathan Murray 79 Justin Monk 710 John Roberts 711 Chris Martin 412 Mark Thorpe 413 Sam Morice314 Mark Jamieyson 315 David Claydon 216 Spencer Timmo217 Lens Chappell 018 Daren Hopewell 0
Fourth round Continental quarter-finals To 32 to Continental semi-finals DateVenueWinner2nd3rd 22 May Motodrom Halbemond, Norden Antal Kocso Paolo Salvatelli Gerd Riss 5 June Santa Marina Stadium, Lonigo Viktor Kuznetsov Armando Dal Chiele Roman Jankowski 5 June Rivne Speedway Stadium, Rivne Antonín Kasper Jr. Zoltán Adorján Petr Vandirek 5 June Speedway Žarnovica, Žarnovica Roman Matoušek Klaus Freundorfer Miroslaw Korbel
Danish Final 8 May Outrup Speedway Center, Outrup, First 7 to Nordic final plus 1 reserve Pos. Rider Total1 Hans Nielsen 15 2 Jan O. Pedersen 143 Erik Gundersen 134 Peter Ravn 105 Peter Glanz 96 Per Sorensen 97 John Jørgensen 8+38 Tommy Knudsen 8+29 Jan Stæchmann 710 Frank Andersen 611 John Eskildsen 612 Flemming Pedersen 613 Sam Nikolajsen 514 Aksel Jepsen 415 Jan Pedersen 016 Finn Rune Jensen 0
Norway Final Elgane Speedway, Varhaug 30 August 1987, top 1 (+1 seeded) to Nordic final 1988 Pos. Rider Points1 Tor Einar Hielm142 Arnt Førland12+33 Jan Arid Slatta 12+24 Robert Lengland 115 Ingvar Skogland 10
Finland Final Pippo Speedway, Lahti 26 August 1987, top 1 (+1 seeded) riders to Nordic Final 1988 Pos. Rider Total1 Ari Koponen 152 Vesa Ylinen143 Roy Malminheimo 134 Aki Ala Riihimaki 115 Olli Turkia116 Aarre Soivuori 77 Juha Moksunen 68 Jorma Frantila 69 Janne Moksunen 510 Markku Haapala 511 Mikael Back 512 Esa Einola 513 Marko Hyyrylainen (res)514 Petri Kokko 315 Jari Kortelainen316 Jari Moisio317 Tapio Suutari (res) 118 Janne Koivula019 Reijo Mattila (res)0
Swedish Final First 3 to Nordic Final plus 1 reserve Per Jonsson and Jimmy Nilsen seeded to Nordic Final R1 (17 May, Malmö Motorstadion, Malmö) R2 (18 May, Norrköping Motorstadion, Norrköping) R3 (19 May, Orionparken, Hallstavik) Pos. Rider R1R2R3Total1 Conny Ivarsson 121314 392 Peter Nahlin 111413 383 Mikael Blixt 121313 384 Christer Rohlén 14109 335 Tony Olsson 91210 316 Mikael Ritterwall 8312 237 Peter Karlsson 887 238 Kenneth Nyström 1094 239 Mikael Teurnberg 488 2010 Dennis Löfqvist 784 1911 Claes Ivarsson 684 1812 Bo Arréhn 467 1713 Tommy Nilsson 352 1014 Tony Gudbrand --8 815 Roland Dannö 42- 616 Tony Zetterström (res) 3-3 617 Patrik Karlsson 50- 518 Krister Gardell (res) -01 1
American Final 11 June Veterans Memorial Stadium, Long Beach First 5 to Overseas final plus 1 reserve Pos. Rider Heat Scores Total1 Sam Ermolenko 4,4,4,4,4 202 Robert Pfetzing 4,2,4,3,4 17+33 Rick Miller 4,4,3,4,2 17+24 Mike Faria 3,3,2,3,4 155 Bobby Schwartz 1,4,4,2,3 146 Shawn Moran 3,4,3,F,3 137 Ronnie Correy 3,3,3,3,0 128 Kelly Moran 2,3,4,0,2 119 Randy Green 0,3,2,2,4 1110 Steve Lucero 2,2,3,2,1 1011 Ed Castro 2,2,2,1,3 1012 Lance King 4,2,E,0,3 913 Brad Oxley 1,1,1,4,2 914 Shawn Venables 1,0,2,4,1 815 Dub Ferrell 3,0,E,2,2 716 Bart Bast 1,1,1,3,0 617 Billy Hamill 0,1,0,1,1 318 Gary Hicks 2,0,0,-,- 219 Scotty Brown (res) 0,1,-,-,- 120 Alan Christian 0,0,0,1,0 121 Len Dillon 1
Commonwealth Final 12 June 12 Norfolk Arena, King's Lynn First 11 to Overseas Final plus 1 reserve Pos. Rider Heat Scores Total1 Kelvin Tatum 3,2,3,3,3 142 Mitch Shirra 2,3,3,2,3 133 Simon Wigg 3,3,3,3,0 124 John Davis 3,1,2,2,3 115 Simon Cross 3,0,3,X,3 96 Chris Morton 1,3,2,2,1 97 Neil Evitts 2,1,0,3,2 88 Andy Smith 1,3,1,1,2 89 Richard Knight F,X,2,3,2 710 Craig Hodgson 2,2,1,1,1 711 Marvyn Cox 2,1,1,1,2 712 Mark Fiora 0,2,0,2,1 513 David Bargh 0,2,1,0,0 314 Steve Baker 0,0,2,1,0 315 Steve Regeling 1,1,0,0,1 316 Mark Lyndon 1,0,0,E,0 1
Fifth round Continental semi-finals 18 June Stal Rzeszów Municipal Stadium, Rzeszów Top 8 to Continental final