Anders Michanek

Anders Michanek
Born (1943-05-30) 30 May 1943
Stockholm, Sweden
Nationality  Sweden
Current club information
Career status Retired
Career history
1965-1966 (SWE) Gamarna
1967 Long Eaton Archers
1967-1983 (SWE) Getingarna
1968 Leicester Lions
1970 Newcastle Diamonds
1971-1973, 1975, 1981 Reading Racers
1977 Cradley Heath Heathens
1984-1985 (SWE) Gamarna
1989 (SWE) Rospiggarna
Individual honours
1974 World Champion
1977 Long Track World Champion
1972, 1975, 1976, 1978, 1982 Swedish Champion
1967, 1973 Brandonapolis
1973 Pride of the East
1973 Blue Riband
1973 Spring Classic
1967 Olympique
1973 Superama
1973 Golden Gauntlets
Team honours
1973, 1974, 1975 World Pairs Champion
1970 World Team Champion
1973 British League Champion
1965, 1970, 1974, 1975 Swedish Pairs Champion
1967, 1969, 1974, 1978, 1979, Swedish Team Champion
1972 Spring Gold Cup Winner

Anders Michanek (born 30 May 1943 in Stockholm, Sweden)[1] is a Speedway rider. In 1974 he won the Speedway World Championship in his Swedish homeland with a maximum score of 15 points.[2]

Career

Michanek had a very successful career riding in the British League. He initially signed for the Long Eaton Archers in 1967 before going on to ride for various clubs including Leicester Lions, Newcastle Diamonds, Reading Racers, Ipswich Witches and Cradley Heath Heathens.

Michanek won the World Final in 1974 at the Ullevi Stadium in Gothenburg, and won the Swedish Individual Championship several times.[3] He won the World Long Track Final in 1977 at Aalborg in Denmark.[4]

When Michanek finished second behind Denmark's Ole Olsen in the 1975 World Final at London's Wembley Stadium, it was reported that he was relieved to have relinquished his world title as he had not enjoyed the pressure of being the World Champion. Reports also told that he only started to enjoy the 1975 Final after finishing third in his opening heat behind Olsen and Russian rider Viktor Trofimov knowing that from that point he was not likely to repeat his 1974 win. This was reflected when he came out and won his final four races to finish 2 points behind the undefeated Olsen in second place.

Anders Michanek also won the World Pairs Championship in 1973 in Borås with Bernt Persson, again in 1974 at the Hyde Road Speedway in Manchester with Sören Sjösten, and a third time in succession in 1975 in Wrocław, Poland with Tommy Jansson. He also won the Speedway World Team Cup with Sweden in 1970.

In 1977, Michanek won the Long Track World Championship in Aalborg, Denmark.

World Final Appearances

Individual World Championship

World Pairs Championship

World Team Cup

Long Track World Championship

References

  1. ↑ Oakes, Peter; Mauger, Ivan OBE (1976). Who's Who of World Speedway. Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd. ISBN 0-904584-04-6.
  2. ↑ Bamford, R. & Shailes, G. (2002). A History of the World Speedway Championship. Stroud: Tempus Publishing. ISBN 0-7524-2402-5
  3. ↑ "Swedish Champion", Speedway Star, 9 September 1978, p. 8
  4. ↑ "World Long Track", Speedway Star, 9 September 1978, p. 8
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