Barry Briggs
Encyclopedia
Barry Briggs MBE
(born 30 December 1934) from Christchurch
, New Zealand
is a former Speedway
rider.
He won the World Individual Championship
title four times - in 1957, 1958, 1964 and 1966. He appeared in a record 17 consecutive World Individual finals (1954–70), and a record 18 in all, during which he scored a record 201 points. He also won the London Riders' Championship
in 1955 whilst riding for the Wimbledon Dons
. He is also a six-time winner of the British Championship
. He won the first final in 1961 and then dominated the sixties titles by winning in 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, and 1969. Briggs also won his home title, the New Zealand Championship
, twice winning in 1959 and again in 1963.
Briggs also created a domestic record by winning the British League Riders Championship
for six consecutive years from 1965–1970, representing the Swindon Robins
.
for his services to sport and in 1990 he was inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame
. From 17 March 2010 Barry will be taking part in a John o' Groats
to Land's End
bike ride to raise money for the BBC's
Sport Relief
.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 30 December 1934) from Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
is a former Speedway
Motorcycle speedway
Motorcycle speedway, usually referred to as speedway, is a motorcycle sport involving four and sometimes up to six riders competing over four anti-clockwise laps of an oval circuit. Speedway motorcycles use only one gear and have no brakes and racing takes place on a flat oval track usually...
rider.
He won the World Individual Championship
Speedway World Championship
The World Championship of Speedway is an international competition between the highest ranked motorcycle speedway riders of the world. Today, it is organised as a series of Speedway Grand Prix events, where points are awarded according to performance in the event and tallied up at the end of each...
title four times - in 1957, 1958, 1964 and 1966. He appeared in a record 17 consecutive World Individual finals (1954–70), and a record 18 in all, during which he scored a record 201 points. He also won the London Riders' Championship
London Riders' Championship
The London Riders' Championship was an individual speedway competition for top riders of teams from London. It was a very prestigious competition, especially in its early days. However, as the number of teams from London dwindled, so did interest in the competition. The last competition wast held...
in 1955 whilst riding for the Wimbledon Dons
Wimbledon Dons
The Wimbledon Dons were a professional motorcycle speedway team who operated from the Wimbledon Stadium, Plough Lane in London.The track opened in 1928 and the Dons operated there from 1929 until 1991. They were closed during the Second World War but upon their re-opening in 1946 there were 42,000...
. He is also a six-time winner of the British Championship
British Speedway Championship
The British Speedway Championship is an annual motorcycle speedway competition open to British national speedway riders. The winner of the event becomes the British Speedway Champion. It has been open in the past to riders from British dominions and was dominated in its early years by riders from...
. He won the first final in 1961 and then dominated the sixties titles by winning in 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, and 1969. Briggs also won his home title, the New Zealand Championship
New Zealand Individual Speedway Championship
The New Zealand Individual Speedway Championship is a Motorcycle speedway championship held each year to determine the New Zealand national champion. The championship has been running since 1929 though it has only been running each year since 1958...
, twice winning in 1959 and again in 1963.
Briggs also created a domestic record by winning the British League Riders Championship
Speedway Elite League Riders Championship
The Elite League Riders Championship is a contest between the top riders with the highest average points total from each club competing in the Speedway Elite League in the UK. The championship was inaugurated in 1960 when it was known as the Provincial League Riders Championship...
for six consecutive years from 1965–1970, representing the Swindon Robins
Swindon Robins
The Swindon Speedway team, also known as the Swindon Robins, are an English Motorcycle Speedway team established in 1949 that competes in the Elite League....
.
World final appearances
- 19541954 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1954 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 15, 1954 London, Wembley Stadium...
-
United Kingdom LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Wembley Stadium - 6th - 9pts - 19551955 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1955 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 15, 1955 London, Wembley Stadium...
- United Kingdom LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Wembley Stadium - 3rd - 12pts + 2pts - 19561956 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1956 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 22, 1956 London, Wembley Stadium...
- United Kingdom LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Wembley Stadium - 7th - 10pts - 19571957 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1958 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*21 September 1957 London, Wembley Stadium...
- United Kingdom LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Wembley Stadium - Winner - 14pts + 3pts - 19581958 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1958 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 20, 1958 London, Wembley Stadium*Referee: E. G. Cope-Classification:...
- United Kingdom LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Wembley Stadium - Winner - 15pts - 19591959 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1959 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 19, 1959 London, Wembley Stadium...
- United Kingdom LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Wembley Stadium - 3rd - 11pts + 3pts - 19601960 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1960 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 8, 1960 London, Wembley Stadium...
- United Kingdom LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Wembley Stadium - 6th - 9pts - 19611961 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1961 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 15, 1961 Malmö, Malmö Stadion...
-
Sweden MalmöMalmöMalmö , in the southernmost province of Scania, is the third most populous city in Sweden, after Stockholm and Gothenburg.Malmö is the seat of Malmö Municipality and the capital of Skåne County...
, Malmö StadionMalmö StadionMalmö Stadion is a multi-purpose stadium in Malmö, Sweden which is currently the home of Swedish football Division 4 club IFK Malmö and athletics club MAI...
- 4th - 12pts + 1pt - 19621962 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1962 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 8, 1962 London, Wembley Stadium*Referee: C. H. King-Classification:...
- United Kingdom LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Wembley Stadium - 2nd - 13pts - 19631963 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1963 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 14, 1963 London, Wembley Stadium...
- United Kingdom LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Wembley Stadium - 3rd - 12pts - 19641964 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1964 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 18, 1964 Göteborg, Ullevi...
- Sweden Göteborg, UlleviUlleviUllevi is a stadium in Gothenburg, Sweden. The stadium was built for the 1958 FIFA World Cup, but since then Ullevi has also hosted the 1995 World Championships in Athletics and the 2006 European Championships in Athletics, the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup finals in 1983 and 1990, the UEFA Euro 1992...
- Winner - 15pts - 19651965 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1965 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 18, 1965 London, Wembley Stadium...
- United Kingdom LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Wembley Stadium - 4th - 10pts - 19661966 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1966 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 23, 1966 Göteborg, Ullevi...
- Sweden Göteborg, UlleviUlleviUllevi is a stadium in Gothenburg, Sweden. The stadium was built for the 1958 FIFA World Cup, but since then Ullevi has also hosted the 1995 World Championships in Athletics and the 2006 European Championships in Athletics, the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup finals in 1983 and 1990, the UEFA Euro 1992...
- Winner - 15pts - 19671967 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1967 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 16, 1967 London, Wembley Stadium...
- United Kingdom LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Wembley Stadium - 5th - 11pts - 19681968 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1968 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 6, 1968 Göteborg, Ullevi...
- Sweden Göteborg, UlleviUlleviUllevi is a stadium in Gothenburg, Sweden. The stadium was built for the 1958 FIFA World Cup, but since then Ullevi has also hosted the 1995 World Championships in Athletics and the 2006 European Championships in Athletics, the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup finals in 1983 and 1990, the UEFA Euro 1992...
- 2nd - 12pts - 19691969 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1969 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 5, 1969 London, Wembley Stadium...
- United Kingdom LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Wembley Stadium - 2nd - 11pts + 3pts - 19701970 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1970 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 6, 1970 Wrocław, Olympic Stadium...
-
Poland WroclawWroclawWrocław , situated on the River Oder , is the main city of southwestern Poland.Wrocław was the historical capital of Silesia and is today the capital of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship. Over the centuries, the city has been part of either Poland, Bohemia, Austria, Prussia, or Germany, but since 1945...
, Olympic StadiumOlympic Stadium (Wroclaw)Olympic Stadium in Wrocław is a multi-purpose stadium in Wrocław, Poland. It is currently used mostly for football matches and speedway racing. It serves as the home stadium of Atlas Wrocław. The stadium has a capacity of 35,000 people and was opened in 1935. The stadium was supposed to be used...
- 7th - 7pts - 19721972 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1972 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*16 September 1972 London, Wembley Stadium...
- United Kingdom LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Wembley Stadium - 14th - 3pts
After retirement
In 1976 Briggs was awarded an MBEMBE
MBE can stand for:* Mail Boxes Etc.* Management by exception* Master of Bioethics* Master of Bioscience Enterprise* Master of Business Engineering* Master of Business Economics* Mean Biased Error...
for his services to sport and in 1990 he was inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame
New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame
The New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame is an organisation commemorating New Zealand's greatest sporting triumphs. It was inaugurated as part of the New Zealand sesquicentenary celebrations in 1990. Some 160 members have been inducted into the Hall of Fame since its inception representing a wide...
. From 17 March 2010 Barry will be taking part in a John o' Groats
John o' Groats
John o' Groats is a village in the Highland council area of Scotland. Part of the county of Caithness, John o' Groats is popular with tourists because it is usually regarded as the most northerly settlement of mainland Great Britain, although this is not a claim made by the inhabitants...
to Land's End
Land's End
Land's End is a headland and small settlement in west Cornwall, England, within the United Kingdom. It is located on the Penwith peninsula approximately eight miles west-southwest of Penzance....
bike ride to raise money for the BBC's
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
Sport Relief
Sport Relief
Sport Relief is a biennial charity event from Comic Relief, in association with BBC Sport, which brings together the worlds of sport and entertainment to raise money to help vulnerable people in both the UK and the world's poorest countries...
.