# 1983 Speedway World Pairs Championship

The 1983 Speedway World Pairs Championship was the fourteenth FIM Speedway World Pairs Championship. The final took place on 18 June at the Ullevi Stadium in Gothenburg, Sweden.
England won their sixth World Pairs Championship after Kenny Carter and Peter Collins scored 25 points. Australia, represented by Billy Sanders and Gary Guglielmi finished second on 24 points, while the two men who would go on to dominate Motorcycle Speedway for the next six years, Hans Nielsen and Erik Gundersen, rode Denmark to third place with 19 points.
Heading into Heat 16 of the Final, Billy Sanders was the only unbeaten rider. He won the start from Guglielmi and out of form West German pair Egon Müller and Karl Maier when he unbelievably fell in turn 2 of the first lap. Although Guglielmi went on to win the re-run of the heat, the points lost as a result of Sanders exclusion ultimately cost Australia its first (and only) World Pairs Championship. While Australian referee Sam Bass had no hesitation in excluding Sanders, he had earlier allowed Peter Collins to re-start after video replays suggested that he fell with no help in the first turn of Heat 10 against Denmark. England went on to a 5–0 score in the heat after Nielsen was excluded from the re-start for falling off his bike over the tapes and Gundersen suffered engine failure a lap from the flag while leading the race.
Defending champions Dennis Sigalos and Bobby Schwartz (USA), finished fourth with 18 points. The USA had also won the World Pairs in 1981 with Bruce Penhall and Schwartz.

## Preliminary round

* Ilirija Sports Park, Ljubljana
| Pos. | Team | Rider | Points |
| | Hungary - 27 | Zoltan Hajdu | 14 |
| | Hungary - 27 | Zoltan Adorjan | 13 |
| | Netherlands - 21 | Henny Kroeze | 13 |
| | Netherlands - 21 | Frits Koppe | 8 |
| | Bulgaria - 20 | Nikolaj Manev | 15 |
| | Bulgaria - 20 | Veselin Markov | 5 |
| 4 | Italy - 18 | Armando Dal Chiele | 9 |
| 4 | Italy - 18 | Valentino Furlanetto | 9 |
| 5 | Yugoslavia - 17 | Kreso Omerzel | 14 |
| 5 | Yugoslavia - 17 | Joze Zibert | 3 |
| 6 | Austria - 15 | Adi Funk | 10 |
| 6 | Austria - 15 | Robert Funk | 5 |
| 7 | Yugoslavia B - 8 | Zvonko Pavlic | 5 |
| 7 | Yugoslavia B - 8 | Artur Horvat | 3 |

## Semifinal 1

* Olympic Stadium, Wrocław
* 5 June
| Placing | Pair / Rider Name | Total | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 |
| 1 | New Zealand | 27 | | | | | | | 10 | | | | | | | 19 | | | | | | | 27 |
| 1 | (7) Ivan Mauger | 14 | | 2 | | | | 2 | | | 3 | | | | | 2 | | | | 2 | | | 3 |
| 1 | (8) Larry Ross | 13 | | 3 | | | | 3 | | | 1 | | | | | 3 | | | | 1 | | | 2 |
| 2 | Australia | 25 | | | | | | | 6 | | | | | | | 16 | | | | | | | 25 |
| 2 | (5) Billy Sanders | 15 | | 0 | | | 3 | | | 3 | | | | | 3 | | | | 3 | | | 3 | |
| 2 | (6) Gary Guglielmi | 10 | | 1 | | | 2 | | | 2 | | | | | 2 | | | | 2 | | | 1 | |
| 3 | Denmark | 23 | | | | | | | 6 | | | | | | | 13 | | | | | | | 23 |
| 3 | (3) Hans Nielsen | 13 | 3 | | | | 1 | | | | 2 | | | 3 | | | | 2 | | | 2 | | |
| 3 | (4) Erik Gundersen | 10 | 2 | | | | 0 | | | | 0 | | | 2 | | | | 3 | | | 3 | | |
| 4 | Czechoslovakia | 19 | | | | | | | 10 | | | | | | | 16 | | | | | | | 19 |
| 4 | (13) Jiri Stancl | 11 | | | | 3 | | | 3 | | | 3 | | | | 1 | | | 0 | | 1 | | |
| 4 | (14) Aleš Dryml | 8 | | | | 2 | | | 2 | | | 2 | | | | 0 | | | 2 | | 0 | | |
| 5 | Poland | 14 | | | | | | | 2 | | | | | | | 7 | | | | | | | 14 |
| 5 | (1) Roman Jankowski | 11 | 1 | | | 1 | | | | 1 | | | 3 | | | | 3 | | | 2 | | | |
| 5 | (2) Zenon Plech | 3 | 0 | | | 0 | | | | 0 | | | 1 | | | | 2 | | | 0 | | | |
| 6 | Netherlands | 9 | | | | | | | 4 | | | | | | | 7 | | | | | | | 9 |
| 6 | (11) Henny Kroeze | 9 | | | 3 | | | | 1 | | | | 2 | | 1 | | | 1 | | | | | 1 |
| 6 | (12) Henk Steman | 0 | | | 0 | | | | 0 | | | | 0 | | E | | | 0 | | | | | T |
| 7 | Bulgaria | 8 | | | | | | | 4 | | | | | | | 6 | | | | | | | 8 |
| 7 | (9) Veselin Markov | 4 | | | 1 | | | 0 | | | | 1 | | 1 | | | 1 | | | | | 0 | |
| 7 | (10) Nikolaj Manev | 4 | | | 2 | | | 1 | | | | 0 | | 0 | | | 0 | | | | | 1 | |
| Placing | Pair / Rider Name | Total | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 |
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 |

## Semifinal 2

* Hansa Stadium, Bremen
* 5 June
| Placing | Pair / Rider Name | Total | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 |
| 1 | United States | 28 | | | | | | | 8 | | | | | | | 18 | | | | | | | 28 | |
| 1 | (1) Bobby Schwartz | 13 | 2 | | | 2 | | | | 2 | | | 2 | | | | 2 | | | 3 | | | | |
| 1 | (2) Dennis Sigalos | 15 | 1 | | | 3 | | | | 3 | | | 3 | | | | 3 | | | 2 | | | | |
| 2 | England | 25 | | | | | | | 8 | | | | | | | 16 | | | | | | | 25 | |
| 2 | (3) Peter Collins | 10 | 0 | | | | 2 | | | | 3 | | | 2 | | | | 2 | | | 1 | | | |
| 2 | (4) Kenny Carter | 15 | 3 | | | | 3 | | | | 2 | | | 1 | | | | 3 | | | 3 | | | |
| 3 | West Germany | 21 +3 | | | | | | | 9 | | | | | | | 15 | | | | | | | 21 | |
| 3 | (9) Egon Müller | 14 | | | 3 | | | 3 | | | | 2 | | 3 | | | F | | | | | 3 | | 3 |
| 3 | (10) Karl Maier | 7 | | | 2 | | | 1 | | | | 1 | | 0 | | | 1 | | | | | 2 | | |
| 4 | Finland | 21 +E | | | | | | | 6 | | | | | | | 14 | | | | | | | 21 | |
| 4 | (13) Kai Niemi | 8 | | | | 1 | | | 2 | | | 0 | | | | 3 | | | 2 | | 0 | | | |
| 4 | (14) Ari Koponen | 13 | | | | 0 | | | 3 | | | 3 | | | | 2 | | | 3 | | 2 | | | E |
| 5 | Hungary | 13 | | | | | | | 7 | | | | | | | 9 | | | | | | | 13 | |
| 5 | (7) Zoltan Adorjan | 8 | | 3 | | | | 2 | | | 1 | | | | | 0 | | | | 1 | | | 1 | |
| 5 | (8) Zoltan Hajdu | 5 | | 2 | | | | 0 | | | 0 | | | | | 1 | | | | 0 | | | 2 | |
| 6 | Norway | 10 | | | | | | | 2 | | | | | | | 6 | | | | | | | 10 | |
| 6 | (11) Tormod Langli | 9 | | | 0 | | | | 1 | | | | 1 | | 3 | | | 1 | | | | | 3 | |
| 6 | (12) Dag Haaland | 1 | | | 1 | | | | F | | | | 0 | | 0 | | | 0 | | | | | 0 | |
| 7 | Italy | 8 | | | | | | | 2 | | | | | | | 6 | | | | | | | 8 | |
| 7 | (5) Armando Dal Chiele | 3 | | 0 | | | 0 | | | 0 | | | | | 1 | | | | 1 | | | 1 | | |
| 7 | (6) Valentino Furlanetto | 5 | | 1 | | | 1 | | | 1 | | | | | 2 | | | | 0 | | | F | | |
| Placing | Pair / Rider Name | Total | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 |
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 |

## World final

* Ullevi, Gothenburg
* 18 June
* Referee: Sam Bass
| Placing | Pair / Rider Name | Total | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 |
| 1 | England | 25 | | | | | | | 10 | | | | | | | 18 | | | | | | | 25 |
| 1 | (9) Kenny Carter | 15 | | | 2 | | | 3 | | | | 3 | | 2 | | | 2 | | | | | 3 | |
| 1 | (10) Peter Collins | 10 | | | 3 | | | 2 | | | | 2 | | 1 | | | 1 | | | | | 1 | |
| 2 | Australia | 24 | | | | | | | 10 | | | | | | | 17 | | | | | | | 24 |
| 2 | (3) Billy Sanders | 15 | 3 | | | | 3 | | | | 3 | | | 3 | | | | E | | | 3 | | |
| 2 | (4) Gary Guglielmi | 9 | 2 | | | | 2 | | | | 1 | | | 0 | | | | 3 | | | 1 | | |
| 3 | Denmark | 19 | | | | | | | 10 | | | | | | | 14 | | | | | | | 19 |
| 3 | (13) Hans Nielsen | 11 | | | | 2 | | | 3 | | | T | | | | 1 | | | 3 | | 2 | | |
| 3 | (14) Erik Gundersen | 8 | | | | 3 | | | 2 | | | E | | | | 3 | | | 0 | | 0 | | |
| 4 | United States | 18 | | | | | | | 2 | | | | | | | 10 | | | | | | | 18 |
| 4 | (1) Dennis Sigalos | 10 | 0 | | | X | | | | 3 | | | 1 | | | | 3 | | | 3 | | | |
| 4 | (2) Bobby Schwartz | 8 | 1 | | | 1 | | | | 2 | | | 2 | | | | 0 | | | 2 | | | |
| 5 | Sweden | 16 | | | | | | | 6 | | | | | | | 10 | | | | | | | 16 |
| 5 | (7) Jan Andersson | 12 | | 3 | | | | 1 | | | 2 | | | | | 2 | | | | 1 | | | 3 |
| 5 | (8) Pierre Brannefors | 4 | | 2 | | | | 0 | | | 0 | | | | | 0 | | | | 0 | | | 2 |
| 6 | West Germany | 12 | | | | | | | 2 | | | | | | | 8 | | | | | | | 12 |
| 6 | (11) Karl Maier | 6 | | | 0 | | | | 1 | | | | 3 | | 0 | | | 2 | | | | | X |
| 6 | (12) Egon Müller | 6 | | | 1 | | | | 0 | | | | 0 | | 3 | | | 1 | | | | | 1 |
| 7 | New Zealand | 11 | | | | | | | 2 | | | | | | | 6 | | | | | | | 11 |
| 7 | (5) Larry Ross | 4 | | 0 | | | 1 | | | 1 | | | | | 1 | | | | 1 | | | 0 | |
| 7 | (6) Ivan Mauger | 7 | | 1 | | | 0 | | | X | | | | | 2 | | | | 2 | | | 2 | |
| Placing | Pair / Rider Name | Total | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 |
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 |