# 1963 Individual Speedway World Championship

The 1963 Individual Speedway World Championship was the 18th edition of the official World Championship to determine the world champion rider.
Ove Fundin extended his record by winning a fourth world crown. Fellow Sweden Björn Knutson finished second and Barry Briggs took the bronze medal.

## First round

Qualification results.

### Swedish qualifying

* Top 16 to Nordic qualifying
| Date | Venue | Winner | 2nd | 3rd |
| 28 April | Vetlanda Motorstadion, Vetlanda | Björn Knutson | Ove Fundin | Per Tage Svensson |
| 1 May | Gamla Speedway Track, Visby | Rune Sörmander | Ove Fundin | Willihard Thorsson |
| 5 May | Gamla Motorstadion, Målilla | Per Olof Söderman | Arne Carlsson | Göran Norlén |
| Pos. | Rider | Points |
| 1 | Björn Knutson | 26 |
| 2 | Arne Carlsson | 24 |
| 3 | Ove Fundin | 23 |
| 4 | Per-Olof Söderman | 22 |
| 5 | Göran Norlén | 22 |
| 6 | Sören Sjösten | 20 |
| 7 | Willihard Thomsson | 20 |
| 8 | Per-Tage Svensson | 19 |
| 9 | Rune Sörmander | 18 |
| 10 | Olle Nygren | 16 |
| 11 | Leif Larsson | 16 |
| 12 | Bernt Nilsson | 15 |
| Pos. | Rider | Points |
| 13 | Bengt Brannefors | 13 |
| 14 | Åke Andersson | 13 |
| 15 | Kjell Svensson | 13 |
| 16 | Göte Nordin | 13 |
| 17 | Inge Gustafsson | 13 |
| 18 | Curt Eldh | 13 |
| 19 | Per-Åke Lundgren | 9 |
| 20 | Evert Andersson | 9 |
| 21 | Bengt Jansson | 9 |
| 22 | Thorvald Karlsson | 8 |
| 23 | Curt Nyqvist | 2 |
| 24 | Göran Carlsson | 0 |
| Norwegian qualifying 21 October 1962 Marienlyst Stadion, Drammen Top 5 to Nordic qualification 1963 Pos.RiderPoints 1Sverre Harrfeldt15 2Aage Hansen14 3Jon Odegaard12 4Tore Svaleng11 5Per Jakob Aulie10 6Svein Johansen9 7Rolf Westerberg9 8Bjarne Sorenby6 9Reidar Eide5 10Oystein Mellerud5 11Reidar Larsen4 12Reidar Bakken4 13Johnny Faafeng3 14Egil H. Kruke1 | Finnish qualifying 27 July 1962 Eteläpuisto, Tampere Top 4 to Nordic qualification 1963 Pos.RiderPoints 1Timo Laine15 2Kalevi Lahtinen14 3Esko Koponen13 4Olavi Turunen12 5Martti Assinen11 6Antero Salasto10 7Yrjo Vuori7 8Keijo Sarubin6 9Seppo Virtanen6 10Osmo Hokkanen5 11Kari Ala Sippola5 |

### British & Commonwealth Provincial qualifying

* Top 16 riders to British Provincial final
| Date | Venue | Winner | 2nd | 3rd |
| 10 June | Brough Park, Newcastle upon Tyne | Ivan Mauger | Brian Craven | Brian Brett |
| 10 June | County Ground Stadium, Exeter | Len Silver | Peter Vandenberg | Ross Gilbertson |
| 11 June | Cornish Stadium, St Austell | George Hunter | John Hart | John Dews |
| 11 June | New Cross Stadium, London | Ivor Brown | Reg Luckhurst | Wayne Briggs |
| 11 June | Long Eaton Stadium, Long Eaton | Charlie Monk | Graham Warren | Chris Julian |
| 12 June | Wimborne Road, Poole | Brian Brett | Ross Gilbertson | Reg Luckhurst |
| 12 June | Hackney Wick Stadium, London | Norman Hunter | Trevor Hedge | Colin Pratt |
| 13 June | Owlerton Stadium, Sheffield | Jack Kitchen | Graham Warren | Clive Featherby |
| 13 June | Cleveland Park, Middlesbrough | Peter Vandenberg | Eric Boothroyd | Eric Boocock |
| 14 June | Monmore Green, Wolverhampton | Ivan Mauger | George Hunter | Maury Mattingley |
| 15 June | Dudley Wood Stadium, Dudley | Ivor Brown | Maury Mattingley | Cliff Cox |
| 15 June | Sun Street Stadium, Hanley | Jack Kitchen | Colin Pratt | Peter Jarman |
| 15 June | Rayleigh Weir Stadium, Rayleigh | Clive Featherby | Ken Adams | Tommy Roper |
| 15 June | Old Meadowbank, Edinburgh | Doug Templeton | Jimmy Squibb | Wayne Briggs |

### Continental qualifying

* Top 32 to Continental semi-final
| Date | Venue | Winner | 2nd | 3rd |
| 9 May | Great Strahov Stadium, Prague | Igor Plekhanov | Antonín Kasper Sr. | Henryk Żyto |
| 12 May | Linzer Stadion, Linz | Luboš Tomíček Sr. | Evald Babic | Manfred Poschenreider |
| 12 May | Stroitel Stadium, Ufa | Farid Szajnurov | Andrzej Pogorzelski | Miroslav Šmíd |
| 12 May | Stražišče Sports Park, Kranj | Boris Samorodov | Gennady Kurilenko | Marian Kaiser |

## Second round
### Nordic qualification

| Pos. | Rider | Points |
| 1 | Ove Fundin | 14 |
| 2 | Per-Olof Söderman | 12 |
| 3 | Olle Nygren | 12 |
| 4 | Sören Sjösten | 10 |
| 5 | Åke Andersson | 10 |
| 6 | Kurt W. Petersen | 10 |
| 7 | Arne Pander | 9 |
| 8 | Timo Laine | 7 |
| 9 | Willihard Thomsson | 7 |
| 10 | Kjell Svensson | 7 |
| 11 | Kalevi Lahtinen | 6 |
| 12 | Bengt Brannefors | 5 |
| 13 | Jon Ödegaard | 4 |
| 14 | Erik Kastebo | 4 |
| 15 | Martti Assinen | 3 |
| 16 | Olavi Turunen | 0 |
| Pos. | Rider | Points |
| 1 | Göte Nordin | 14 |
| 2 | Björn Knutson | 13 |
| 3 | Göran Norlén | 11 |
| 4 | Bernt Nilsson | 11 |
| 5 | Arne Carlsson | 10 |
| 6 | Sverre Harrfeldt | 9 |
| 7 | Per-Tage Svensson | 8 |
| 8 | Leif Larsson | 8 |
| 9 | Rune Sörmander | 8 |
| 10 | Paul Wissing | 8 |
| 11 | Per Aulie | 6 |
| 12 | Nils Paulsen | 5 |
| 13 | Reidar Eide | 4 |
| 14 | Cato Agner | 2 |

### British Provincial final

* 22 June, Old Meadowbank, Edinburgh
* Top 9 riders to British national league round
| Pos. | Rider | Points |
| 1 | Ivan Mauger | 14 |
| 2 | Eric Boothroyd | 13 |
| 3 | George Hunter | 12 |
| 4 | Jack Kitchen | 11 |
| 5 | Brian Brett | 10 |
| 6 | Len Silver | 9 |
| 7 | Peter Vandenberg | 9 |
| 8 | Maury Mattingley | 8 |
| 9 | Doug Templeton | 7 |
| Pos. | Rider | Points |
| 10 | Eric Boocock | 6 |
| 11 | Charlie Monk | 6 |
| 12 | Reg Luckhurst | 5 |
| 13 | Ivor Brown | 5 |
| 14 | Ross Gilbertson | 3 |
| 15 | Clive Featherby | 1 |
| 16 | Cliff Cox | 1 |
| 17 | Colin Pratt | 0 |

### Continental semi-finals

| Pos. | Rider | Points |
| 1 | Josef Hofmeister | 15 |
| 2 | Boris Samorodov | 14 |
| 3 | Pawel Waloszek | 12 |
| 4 | Marian Kaiser | 10 |
| 5 | Luboš Tomíček Sr. | 9 |
| 6 | Vitalij Sjilo | 8 |
| 7 | Marian Rose | 8 |
| 8 | Manfred Poschenreider | 8 |
| 9 | Franc Babic | 8 |
| 10 | Bohumír Bartoněk | 6 |
| 11 | Heinrich Sprenger | 6 |
| 12 | Marek Kepa | 5 |
| 13 | Karel Průša | 5 |
| 14 | Borek Regvart | 3 |
| 15 | Antonin Novak | 3 |
| 16 | Alfred Aberl | 0 |
| Pos. | Rider | Points |
| 1 | Stanisław Tkocz | 14 |
| 2 | Igor Plekhanov | 13 |
| 3 | Henryk Żyto | 12 |
| 4 | Zdenek Kovar | 10 |
| 5 | Antonín Kasper Sr. | 10 |
| 6 | Joachim Maj | 9 |
| 7 | Andrzej Pogorzelski | 9 |
| 8 | Yuri Chekranov | 8 |
| 9 | Stanislav Kubicek | 7 |
| 10 | Mieczyslaw Polukard | 6 |
| 11 | Farid Szajnurov | 6 |
| 12 | Viktor Kuznecov | 5 |
| 13 | Miroslav Smid | 4 |
| 14 | Bronislaw Rogal | 3 |
| 15 | Jan Holub I (res) | 3 |
| 16 | Edmund Migos | 2 |
| 17 | Frantisek Ledecky | dns |

## Third round
### British & Commonwealth national league round

* Top 16 to British & Commonwealth finals
| Date | Venue | Winner | 2nd | 3rd |
| 29 June | Brandon Stadium, Coventry | Ron Mountford | Doug Templeton | Jack Geran |
| 1 July | Wimbledon Stadium, London | Mike Broadbanks | Ron How | Bob Andrews |
| 2 July | Banister Court Stadium, Southampton | Barry Briggs | Dick Fisher | Peter Craven |
| 4 July | Oxford Stadium, Oxford | Peter Craven | Barry Briggs | Ken McKinlay |
| 5 July | Abbey Stadium, Swindon | Mike Broadbanks | Ron How | Nigel Boocock |
| 10 July | Hyde Road, Manchester | Ken McKinlay | Dick Fisher | Brian Brett |
| 12 July | The Firs Stadium, Norwich | Peter Craven | Peter Moore | Jimmy Gooch |

### Nordic Final

* 9 June 1963
* Växjö Motorstadion, Växjö
* First 8 to European Final
| Pos. | Rider | Heat Scores | Total |
| 1 | Ove Fundin | 3,3,3,3,3 | 15 |
| 2 | Björn Knutson | | 12 |
| 3 | Göte Nordin | | 12 |
| 4 | Sverre Harrfeldt | | 11 |
| 5 | Arne Carlsson | | 9 |
| 6 | Per Tage Svensson | | 9 |
| 7 | Bernt Nilsson | | 9 |
| 8 | Per Olof Söderman | | 8 |
| 9 | Göran Norlén | | 8 |
| 10 | Timo Laine | | 8 |
| 11 | Rune Sörmander | | 7 |
| 12 | Sören Sjösten | | 5 |
| 13 | Leif Larsson | | 3 |
| 14 | Åke Andersson | | 2 |
| 15 | Kurt W. Petersen | | 1 |
| 16 | Olle Nygren | | 0 |
| R1 | Arne Pander | | 0 |

### Continental Final

* 23 June 1963
* Olympic Stadium, Wrocław
* First 8 to European Final plus 1 reserve
| 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 |
| | (13) Stanisław Tkocz | 15 | | | | 3 | 3 | | | | | | | 3 | | 3 | | | | | 3 | | 15 | 1 |
| | (9) Boris Samorodov | 12 | | | 2 | | 2 | | | | | | 3 | | | | | 3 | | 2 | | | 12 | 2 |
| | (14) Antonín Kasper Sr. | 11 | | | | 2 | | 3 | | | | | 1 | | 3 | | | | | | | 2 | 11 | 3 |
| 4 | (16) Joachim Maj | 9 | | | | 0 | | | | 3 | 3 | | | | | | 3 | | | E | | | 9 | 4 |
| 5 | (1) Marian Kaiser | 9 | 3 | | | | 1 | | | | 2 | | | | E | | | | 3 | | | | 9 | 5 |
| 6 | (2) Igor Plekhanov | 9 | 0 | | | | | 2 | | | | 2 | | | | 2 | | | | 3 | | | 9 | 6 |
| 7 | (12) Luboš Tomíček Sr. | 9 | | | 1 | | | | | 2 | | 3 | | | 2 | | | | | | 1 | | 9 | 7 |
| 8 | (10) Henryk Żyto | 9 | | | 3 | | | 1 | | | | | | 1 | | | 2 | | 2 | | | | 9 | 8 |
| 9 | (4) Josef Hofmeister | 9 | 1 | | | | | | | 1 | | | | 2 | | | | 2 | | | | 3 | 9 | 9 |
| 10 | (3) Stanislav Kubíček | 8 | 2 | | | | | | 2 | | | | 2 | | | | F | | | | 2 | | 8 | 10 |
| 11 | (7) Pawel Waloszek | 6 | | 3 | | | | | 1 | | | | | E | 1 | | | | | 1 | | | 6 | 11 |
| 12 | (15) Andrzej Pogorzelski | 4 | | | | 1 | | | 3 | | | E | | | | | | 0 | | | | | 4 | 12 |
| 13 | (8) Marian Rose | 4 | | 2 | | | | | | 0 | | | 0 | | | 1 | | | 1 | | | | 4 | 13 |
| 14 | (6) Manfred Poschenreider | 3 | | 1 | | | | 0 | | | 1 | | | | | | | 1 | | | 0 | | 3 | 14 |
| 15 | (5) Yuri Chekranov | 2 | | 0 | | | 0 | | | | | 1 | | | | | 1 | | | | | 0 | 2 | 15 |
| 16 | (11) Vitalij Shilo | 1 | | | 0 | | | | 0 | | 0 | | | | | 0 | | | | | | 1 | 1 | 16 |
| 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 |

## Fourth round
### British & Commonwealth Finals

Three events with the top 8 accumulated scorers going through to World Final.
| Date | Venue | Winner | 2nd | 3rd |
| 22 July | Wimbledon Stadium, London | Peter Craven | Barry Briggs | Nigel Boocock |
| 23 July | Banister Court Stadium, Southampton | Barry Briggs | Peter Craven | Peter Moore |
| 26 July | The Firs Stadium, Norwich | Barry Briggs | Peter Craven | Leo McAuliffe |
| Pos. | Rider | Points |
| 1 | Peter Craven | 42 |
| 2 | Barry Briggs | 41 |
| 3 | Nigel Boocock | 31 |
| 4 | Leo McAuliffe | 31 |
| 5 | Ron How | 29 |
| 6 | Jim Lightfoot | 27 |
| 7 | Dick Fisher | 27 |
| 8 | Peter Moore | 26 |
| Pos. | Rider | Points |
| 9 | Tadeusz Teodorowicz | 23 |
| 10 | Ron Mountford | 18 |
| 11 | Bob Andrews | 17 |
| 12 | Mike Broadbanks | 15 |
| 13 | Cyril Maidment | 13 |
| 14 | Ken McKinlay | 12 |
| 15 | Neil Street | 6 |
| 16 | Doug Templeton | 2 |

### European Final

* 28 August 1963
* Ullevi, Gothenburg
* First 8 to World Final
| 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 |
| | (8) Björn Knutson | 15 | | 3 | | | | | | 3 | | | 3 | | | 3 | | | 3 | | | | 15 | 1 |
| | (5) Ove Fundin | 13 | | 1 | | | 3 | | | | | 3 | | | | | 3 | | | | | 3 | 13 | 2 |
| | (2) Per Olof Söderman | 10 | 3 | | | | | 2 | | | | 2 | | | | 1 | | | | 2 | | | 10 | 3 |
| 4 | (1) Arne Carlsson | 10 | 2 | | | | 2 | | | | 3 | | | | 1 | | | | 2 | | | | 10 | 4 |
| 5 | (11) Boris Samorodov | 9 | | | 3 | | | | 3 | | 1 | | | | | 2 | | | | | | 0 | 9 | 5 |
| 6 | (14) Sverre Harrfeldt | 9 | | | | F | | 3 | | | | | 1 | | 3 | | | | | | | 2 | 9 | 6 |
| 7 | (7) Göte Nordin | 9 | | 2 | | | | | 2 | | | | | 0 | 2 | | | | | 3 | | | 9 | 7 |
| 8 | (16) Per Tage Svensson | 9 | | | | 3 | | | | 2 | 2 | | | | | | 1 | | | 1 | | | 9 | 8 |
| 9 | (3) Antonín Kasper Sr. | 8 | 1 | | | | | | 1 | | | | 2 | | | | 2 | | | | 2 | | 8 | 9 |
| 10 | (13) Henryk Żyto | 7 | | | | 1 | X | | | | | | | 3 | | 0 | | | | | 3 | | 7 | 10 |
| 11 | (6) Igor Plekhanov | 4 | | 0 | | | | 1 | | | 0 | | | | | | | 3 | | | 0 | | 4 | 11 |
| 12 | (4) Bernt Nilsson | 4 | 0 | | | | | | | 1 | | | | 2 | | | | 0 | | | | 1 | 4 | 12 |
| 13 | (12) Stanisław Tkocz | 4 | | | 2 | | | | | 0 | | 1 | | | F | | | | | | 1 | | 4 | 13 |
| 14 | (15) Marian Kaiser | 4 | | | | 2 | | | 0 | | | 0 | | | | | | 1 | 1 | | | | 4 | 14 |
| 15 | (9) Luboš Tomíček Sr. | 3 | | | 0 | | 1 | | | | | | 0 | | | | | 2 | | 0 | | | 3 | 15 |
| 16 | (10) Joachim Maj | 2 | | | 1 | | | 0 | | | | | | 1 | | | 0 | | 0 | | | | 2 | 16 |
| R1 | (R1) Josef Hofmeister | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 | R1 |
| 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 |

## World Final

* 24 September 1963
* Wembley Stadium, London
| 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 |
| | (9) Ove Fundin | 14 | | | 3 | | 3 | | | | | | 2 | | | | | 3 | | 3 | | | 14 | 1 |
| | (8) Björn Knutson | 13 | | 2 | | | | | | 2 | | | 3 | | | 3 | | | 3 | | | | 13 | 2 |
| | (12) Barry Briggs | 12 | | | 1 | | | | | 3 | | 3 | | | 3 | | | | | | 2 | | 12 | 3 |
| 4 | (11) Boris Samorodov | 11 | | | 0 | | | | 3 | | 3 | | | | | 2 | | | | | | 3 | 11 | 4 |
| 5 | (13) Göte Nordin | 10 | | | | 3 | 2 | | | | | | | 3 | | 1 | | | | | 1 | | 10 | 5 |
| 6 | (3) Sverre Harrfeldt | 10 | 2 | | | | | | 2 | | | | 1 | | | | 2 | | | | 3 | | 10 | 6 |
| 7 | (1) Nigel Boocock | 8 | 3 | | | | 1 | | | | 1 | | | | 2 | | | | 1 | | | | 8 | 7 |
| 8 | (16) Leo McAuliffe | 7 | | | | 2 | | | | E | 2 | | | | | | 3 | | | 0 | | | 7 | 8 |
| 9 | (10) Ron How | 7 | | | 2 | | | 3 | | | | | | F | | | F | | 2 | | | | 7 | 9 |
| 10 | (6) Peter Craven | 6 | | 3 | | | | 1 | | | F | | | | | | | 2 | | | 0 | | 6 | 10 |
| 11 | (7) Peter Moore | 6 | | 1 | | | | | 1 | | | | | 1 | 1 | | | | | 2 | | | 6 | 11 |
| 12 | (5) Per Olof Söderman | 5 | | 0 | | | 0 | | | | | 2 | | | | | 1 | | | | | 2 | 5 | 12 |
| 13 | (4) Dick Fisher | 5 | 1 | | | | | | | 1 | | | | 2 | | | | 0 | | | | 1 | 5 | 13 |
| 14 | (2) Jim Lightfoot | 4 | E | | | | | 2 | | | | 1 | | | | 0 | | | | 1 | | | 4 | 14 |
| 15 | (14) Per Tage Svensson | 1 | | | | 1 | | F | | | | | 0 | | 0 | | | | | | | 0 | 1 | 15 |
| 16 | (15) Arne Carlsson | 1 | | | | 0 | | | 0 | | | 0 | | | | | | 1 | 0 | | | | 1 | 16 |
| R1 | (R1) Tadeusz Teodorowicz | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 | R1 |
| R2 | (R2) Ron Mountford | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 | R2 |
| 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 |