# 1954 Individual Speedway World Championship

In the 1954 Individual Speedway World Championship was the ninth edition of the official World Championship to determine the world champion rider.
Ronnie Moore a 21-year-old New Zealander won his first World Championship with a 15-point maximum in front of a 90,000 attendance. He defeated his main rival Olle Nygren in the final heat. Nygren then lost the silver medal ride off to Wembley's teenager Brian Crutcher. Moore's success was made all the more remarkable because he rode the meeting while still recovering from a broken leg. Moore's win made him New Zealand's first ever World Champion in all forms of motor racing.

## Qualification

Qualification started on 1 May.

### Stage 1
#### Norwegian round

* 27 September 1953
* Lerkendal Stadion, Trondheim
* Top 2 (+2 seeded) to Nordic final 1954
| Pos. | Rider | Points |
| 1 | Basse Hveem | 15 |
| 2 | Reidar Kristoffersen | 14 |
| 3 | Sverre Gjömesli | 13 |
| 4 | Odd Johansen | 9 |
| 5 | Erling Simonsen | 9 |
| 6 | Anders Röhme | 8 |
| 7 | Oddvar Gundersgaard | 8 |
| 8 | Rolf Solberg | 7 |
| 9 | Rolf Westerberg | 7 |
| 10 | Nils Kristian Paulsen | 6 |
| 11 | Arne Kristiansen | 6 |
| 12 | Gunnar Dyrseth | 5 |
| 13 | Aage Hansen | 5 |
| 14 | Tore Meiner | 5 |
| 15 | Gunnar Hamsaeter | 2 |
| 16 | Aage W. Jensen | 1 |

#### Swedish round

* Top 16 to Swedish final
| Pos. | Rider | Points |
| 1 | Rune Sörmander | 15 |
| 2 | Ove Fundin | 12 |
| 3 | Bertil Carlsson II | 10 |
| 4 | Curt Fredlund | 9 |
| 5 | Georg Duneborn | 9 |
| 6 | Rune Stenström | 9 |
| 7 | Per Olof Söderman | 8 |
| 8 | Dan Forsberg | 8 |
| 9 | Lars Pettersson | 7 |
| 10 | Bert Lindarw | 6 |
| 11 | Olle Heyman | 6 |
| 12 | Bernt Nilsson | 6 |
| 13 | Gunnar Johansson | 5 |
| 14 | Gunnar Karlsson | 4 |
| 15 | Ove Bodin | 3 |
| 16 | Ulf Ericsson | 2 |
| Pos. | Rider | Points |
| 1 | Olle Nygren | 11 |
| 2 | Olle Segerström | 11 |
| 3 | Allan Nilsson | 11 |
| 4 | Thorsten Carlsson | 10 |
| 5 | Sune Karlsson | 10 |
| 6 | Joel Jansson | 10 |
| 7 | Harry Lindgren | 10 |
| 8 | Evert Hägg | 8+3 |
| 9 | Göte Olsson | 8+2 |
| 10 | Sven Fahlén | 7 |
| 11 | Stig Pramberg | 7 |
| 12 | Birger Forsberg | 5 |
| 13 | Gunnar Hellqvist | 4 |
| 14 | Per-Tage Svensson | 2 |
| 15 | Göran Norlén | 2 |
| 16 | Jan Johnsson | 2 |

### Stage 2
#### Swedish final

* 9 May 1954
* Örebro Motorstadion Adolfsberg, Örebro
* Top 8 to Nordic final, 3 to Continental qualification
| Pos. | Rider | Points |
| 1 | Olle Nygren | 14 |
| 2 | Göte Olsson | 12 |
| 3 | Ove Fundin | 12 |
| 4 | Rune Sörmander | 11 |
| 5 | Dan Forsberg | 10 |
| 6 | Joel Jansson | 10 |
| 7 | Sune Karlsson | 10 |
| 8 | Georg Duneborn | 8 |
| 9 | Per Olof Söderman | 8 |
| 10 | Olle Segerström | 7 |
| 11 | Rune Stenström | 6 |
| 12 | Thorsten Carlsson | 4 |
| 13 | Allan Nilsson | 2 |
| 14 | Bertil Carlsson II | 2 |
| 15 | Evert Hägg | 2 |
| 16 | Harry Lindgren | 1 |

#### Continental Qualification

* 23 May 1954
* Altes Stadion Abensberg, Abensberg
* 8 to Continental semifinal
| Pos. | Rider | Points |
| 1 | Kjell Carlsson | 14+3 |
| 2 | Josef Kamper | 14+2 |
| 3 | Josef Hofmeister | 14+1 |
| 4 | Fritz Dirtl | 11 |
| 5 | Albin Siegl | 11 |
| 6 | Thei Bisschops | 9 |
| 7 | Karl Killmeyer | 9 |
| 8 | Josef Seidl | 7 |
| 9 | Sven Skoglund | 5 |
| 10 | Franz Aigner | 5 |
| 11 | Fred Aberl | 4 |
| 12 | Nicola Snjaric | 4 |
| 13 | Leopold Killmeyer | 3 |
| 14 | Sebastian Wiesent | 3 |
| 15 | Karl Kiendl | 3 |
| 16 | Valentin Medved | 0 |

### Stage 3
#### Nordic Final

* 3 June 1954
* Dælenenga idrettspark, Oslo
* First 8 to Continental final
| Pos. | Rider | Points |
| 1 | Olle Nygren | 15 |
| 2 | Rune Sörmander | 14 |
| 3 | Georg Duneborn | 12 |
| 4 | Sune Karlsson | 10 |
| 5 | Dan Forsberg | 10 |
| 6 | Ove Fundin | 9 |
| 7 | Göte Olsson | 9 |
| 8 | Joel Jansson | 9 |
| 9 | Reidar Kristoffersen | 7 |
| 10 | Kiehn Berthelsen | 6 |
| 11 | Leif Bech | 6 |
| 12 | Aage Hansen | 5 |
| 13 | Werner Lorentzen | 4 |
| 14 | Simo Ylänen | 2 |
| 15 | Kaukko Jousanen | 1 |
| 16 | Erling Simonsen | 1 |

#### Continental semi-final

* 13 June 1954
* Niederrheinstadion, Oberhausen
* 8 to Continental final
| Pos. | Rider | Points |
| 1 | Kjell Carlsson | 14 |
| 2 | Albin Siegl | 12 |
| 3 | Bill Kitchen | 11 |
| 4 | Sven Skoglund | 11 |
| 5 | Josef Hofmeister | 10 |
| 6 | Olle Segerström | 8 |
| 7 | Jack Parker | 8 |
| 8 | Josef Seidl | 8 |
| 9 | Karl Killmeyer | 7 |
| 10 | Jan Kesselmans | 7 |
| 11 | Per Olof Söderman | 5 |
| 12 | Hans van der Sluis | 5 |
| 13 | Tonny Kroeze | 4 |
| 14 | Thei Bisschops | 4 |
| 15 | Gerrit Kops | 2 |
| 16 | H. van Rijswijk | 1 |

### Stage 4
#### British round

* Top 24 to Championship Round
| Date | Venue | Winner |
| 1 July | Foxhall Stadium | Tommy Miller |
| 1 July | Oxford Stadium | Peter Robinson |
| 5 July | County Ground Stadium | Goog Hoskin |
| 5 July | Wimborne Road | Ken Middleditch |
| 6 July | Banister Court Stadium | Charlie May |
| 8 July | Pennycross Stadium | Brian McKeown |
| 9 July | Knowle Stadium | Dick Bradley |
| 9 July | Leicester Stadium | Ken McKinlay |
| 9 July | The Stadium, Motherwell | Derek Close |
| 10 July | Brandon Stadium | Ernie Brecknell |
| 10 July | Old Meadowbank | Ken McKinlay |
| 10 July | Rayleigh Weir Stadium | Peter Clark |
| 10 July | Abbey Stadium | Bob Roger |

#### Continental Final

* 20 June 1954
* Ryd Motorstadion, Linköping
* First 8 to Championship Round
| Pos. | Rider | Points |
| 1 | Ove Fundin | 14 |
| 2 | Rune Sörmander | 14 |
| 3 | Sune Karlsson | 12 |
| 4 | Olle Nygren | 10 |
| 5 | Kjell Carlsson | 9 |
| 6 | Fritz Dirtl | 9 |
| 7 | Joel Jansson | 9 |
| 8 | Olle Segerström | 9 |
| 9 | Bill Kitchen | 8 |
| 10 | Dan Forsberg | 7 |
| 11 | Göte Olsson | 6 |
| 12 | Fred Lang | 4 |
| 13 | Georg Duneborn | 3 |
| 14 | Sven Skoglund | 3 |
| 15 | Thorsten Carlsson | 2 |
| 16 | Josef Kamper | 1 |
| 17 | Per Olof Söderman | 1 |

### Stage 5
#### Championship Round

* Top 16 qualify for World final, 17th & 18th reserves for World final
| Date | Venue | Winner |
| 14 August | Hyde Road Stadium | Peter Craven |
| 14 August | Perry Barr Stadium | Jack Young |
| 16 August | Wimbledon Stadium | Barry Briggs |
| 18 August | Harringay Stadium | Split Waterman |
| 21 August | The Firs Stadium | Aub Lawson |
| 26 August | Wembley Stadium | Edie Rigg |
| 31 August | West Ham Stadium | Jack Young |
| 1 September | Odsal Stadium | Arthur Forrest |

#### Scores

* Top 16 qualify for World final, 17th-18th reserves for World final
| Pos. | Rider | Total pts |
| 1 | Jack Young | 29 |
| 2 | Peter Craven | 28 |
| 3 | Eddie Rigg | 28 |
| 4 | Ove Fundin | 26 |
| 5 | Brian Crutcher | 26 |
| 6 | Ronnie Moore | 26 |
| 7 | Geoff Mardon | 26 |
| 8 | Aub Lawson | 26 |
| 9 | Arthur Forrest | 26 |
| 10 | Jack Biggs | 24 |
| 11 | Fred Brand | 24 |
| 12 | Split Waterman | 23 |
| 13 | Barry Briggs | 23 |
| 14 | Tommy Price | 23 |
| 15 | Olle Nygren | 22 |
| 16 | Trevor Redmond | 22 |
| 17 | Alan Hunt | 22 |
| 18 | Freddie Williams | 21 |
| 19 | Gerry Hussey | 21 |
| 20 | Eric Williams | 19 |
| 21 | Ron Johnston | 18 |
| 22 | Arthur Wright | 17 |
| 23 | Dick Campbell | 17 |
| 24 | Dick Bradley | 17 |
| 25 | Rune Sörmander | 16 |
| 26 | Cyril Roger | 16 |
| 27 | Derick Close | 16 |
| 28 | Sune Karlsson | 15 |
| 29 | Harry Edwards | 15 |
| 30 | Bert Roger | 15 |
| 31 | Tommy Miller | 14 |
| 32 | Alan Smith | 14 |
| Pos. | Rider | Total pts |
| 33 | Cyril Brine | 14 |
| 34 | John Fitzpatrick | 13 |
| 35 | Don Perry | 13 |
| 36 | Ken Sharples | 13 |
| 37 | Ken McKinlay | 12 |
| 38 | Alan Quinn | 12 |
| 39 | Fred Rogers | 12 |
| 40 | Ian Williams | 12 |
| 41 | Bob Roger | 11 |
| 42 | Peter Robinson | 11 |
| 43 | Ken Middleditch | 11 |
| 44 | Jack Geran | 10 |
| 45 | Kjell Carlsson | 9 |
| 46 | Ron Mountford | 9 |
| 47 | Dent Oliver | 9 |
| 48 | Joel Jansson | 8 |
| 49 | Eric Boothroyd | 8 |
| 50 | Charlie May | 8 |
| 51 | Brian McKeown | 8 |
| 52 | Jim Lightfoot | 9 |
| 53 | Pete Lansdale | 8 |
| 54 | Olle Segerström | 7 |
| 55 | Fritz Dirtl | 7 |
| 56 | Bob Oakley | 7 |
| 57 | Junior Bainbridge | 7 |
| 58 | Wally Green | 6 |
| 59 | Phil Clarke | 6 |
| 60 | Billy Bales | 5 |
| 61 | Les McGillivray | 4 |
| 62 | Jimmy Squibb | 4 |
| 63 | Dick Seers | 4 |
| 64 | Ernie Brecknell | 2 |

## World final

* 16 September 1954
* London, Wembley Stadium
| Pos. | Rider | Heat Scores | Total |
| 1 | Ronnie Moore | (3,3,3,3,3) | 15 |
| 2 | Brian Crutcher | (3,2,2,3,3) | 13+3 |
| 3 | Olle Nygren | (2,3,3,3,2) | 13+2 |
| 4 | Jack Young | (3,1,3,3,1) | 11 |
| 5 | Split Waterman | (2,1,3,1,2) | 9 |
| 6 | Barry Briggs | (1,2,2,2,2) | 9 |
| 7 | Eddie Rigg | (0,3,2,2,0) | 7 |
| 8 | Fred Brand | (3,1,0,2,1) | 7 |
| 9 | Jack Biggs | (1,3,1,1,1) | 7 |
| 10 | Arthur Forrest | (0,1,0,2,3) | 5 |
| 11 | Tommy Price | (1,0,2,0,2) | 5 |
| 12 | Geoff Mardon | (2,2,1,0,0) | 5 |
| 13 | Trevor Redmond | (0,2,1,1,1) | 5 |
| 14 | Aub Lawson | (2,0,0,2,0) | 4 |
| 15 | Peter Craven | (F,0,0,0,3) | 3 |
| 16 | Ove Fundin | (1,0,1,0,F) | 2 |
| R1 | Alan Hunt | did not ride | – |
| R2 | Freddie Williams | did not ride | – |

### Classification

| Placing | Rider | Total | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | Pts | Pos |
| 1 | (14) Ronnie Moore | 15 | | | | 3 | | 3 | | | | | 3 | | 3 | | | | | | | 3 | 15 | 1 |
| 2 | (6) Brian Crutcher | 13+3 | | 3 | | | | 2 | | | 2 | | | | | | | 3 | | | 3 | | 13 | 2 |
| 3 | (11) Olle Nygren | 13+2 | | | 2 | | | | 3 | | 3 | | | | | 3 | | | | | | 2 | 13 | 3 |
| 4 | (10) Jack Young | 11 | | | 3 | | | 1 | | | | | | 3 | | | 3 | | 1 | | | | 11 | 4 |
| 5 | (15) Split Waterman | 9 | | | | 2 | | | 1 | | | 3 | | | | | | 1 | 2 | | | | 9 | 5 |
| 6 | (7) Barry Briggs | 9 | | 1 | | | | | 2 | | | | | 2 | 2 | | | | | 2 | | | 9 | 6 |
| 7 | (5) Eddie Rigg | 7 | | 0 | | | 3 | | | | | 2 | | | | | 2 | | | | | 0 | 7 | 7 |
| 8 | (4) Fred Brand | 7 | 3 | | | | | | | 1 | | | | 0 | | | | 2 | | | | 1 | 7 | 8 |
| 9 | (16) Jack Biggs | 7 | | | | 1 | | | | 3 | 1 | | | | | | 1 | | | 1 | | | 7 | 9 |
| 10 | (1) Arthur Forrest | 5 | 0 | | | | 1 | | | | 0 | | | | 1 | | | | 3 | | | | 5 | 10 |
| 11 | (3) Tommy Price | 5 | 1 | | | | | | 0 | | | | 2 | | | | 0 | | | | 2 | | 5 | 11 |
| 12 | (8) Geoff Mardon | 5 | | 2 | | | | | | 2 | | | 1 | | | 0 | | | 0 | | | | 5 | 12 |
| 13 | (13) Trevor Redmond | 5 | | | | 0 | 2 | | | | | | | 1 | | 1 | | | | | 1 | | 5 | 13 |
| 14 | (2) Aub Lawson | 4 | 2 | | | | | 0 | | | | 0 | | | | 2 | | | | 0 | | | 4 | 14 |
| 15 | (9) Peter Craven | 3 | | | - | | 0 | | | | | | 0 | | | | | 0 | | 3 | | | 3 | 15 |
| 16 | (12) Ove Fundin | 2 | | | 1 | | | | | 0 | | 1 | | | 0 | | | | | | - | | 2 | 16 |
| | (17) Alan Hunt | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 | |
| | (18) Freddie Williams | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 | |
| Placing | Rider | Total | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | Pts | Pos |
m - exclusion for exceeding two minute time allowance • t - exclusion for touching the tapes • x - other exclusion • e - retired or mechanical failure • f - fell • ns - non-starter • nc - non-classify
| gate A - inside | gate B | gate C | gate D - outside |