1971 Individual Speedway World Championship

The 1971 Individual Speedway World Championship was the 26th edition of the official World Championship to determine the world champion rider.
Ole Olsen became the first Danish winner of the Championship. His 15-point maximum denied Ivan Mauger from winning a fourth consecutive title. Mauger won the silver medal run-off against Bengt Jansson.

Format changes

The format of the Championship changed again for the 1971 event. This time the Swedish riders were allowed six places in the World Final to be held in Sweden. All other nations had to go through the European Final route to provide the remaining 10 riders for the World Final.

First round

Qualification results.

British/Commonwealth qualifying

Top 32 to British/Commonwealth semi-finals

Date	Venue	Winner	2nd	3rd
17 April	The Shay, Halifax	Dave Younghusband	Ronnie Moore	Bill Andrew
17 April	Abbey Stadium, Swindon	Barry Briggs	Martin Ashby	George Hunter
19 April	Reading Stadium, Reading	Ivan Mauger	Jim Airey	Howard Cole
19 April	County Ground Stadium, Exeter	Eric Boocock	Bob Kilby	Dave Younghusband
20 April	West Ham Stadium, London	Reg Luckhurst	Nigel Boocock	Greg Kentwell
20 April	Leicester Stadium, Leicester	Ray Wilson	Tommy Roper	John Boulger
21 April	Wimborne Road, Poole	Barry Briggs	Tony Lomas	Martin Ashby
22 April	Wimbledon Stadium, London	Garry Middleton	John Boulger	Ronnie Moore
22 April	Owlerton Stadium, Sheffield	Eric Boocock	Brian Leonard	Jim Airey
22 April	Oxford Stadium, Oxford	Martin Ashby	Colin Gooddy	Charlie Monk
23 April	Monmore Green, Wolverhampton	Terry Betts	Bob Andrews	Ivan Mauger
23 April	Hampden Park, Glasgow	Howard Cole	Eric Broadbelt	Norman Hunter
24 April	Hyde Road, Manchester	Ivan Mauger	George Hunter	Sándor Lévai
24 April	Brandon Stadium, Coventry	Tony Lomas	Alan Cowland	Col Cottrell
24 April	King's Lynn Stadium, King's Lynn	Malcolm Simmons	Ray Wilson	Terry Betts
26 April	Dudley Wood Stadium, Dudley	Roy Trigg	Garry Middleton	Peter Jarman
28 April	Brandon Stadium, Coventry	Tony Lomas	Bruce Cribb	Ken McKinlay
30 April	Hackney Wick Stadium, London	Barry Thomas	Garry Middleton	Bob Kilby
30 April	Somerton Park, Newport	Sándor Lévai	Nigel Boocock	Bill Andrew

Second round

Norwegian qualifying

20 September 1970
Geiteryggen Speedwaybane, Skien
Top 1 to Nordic final 1971

Pos.	Rider	Points
1	Reidar Eide	15
2	Ulf Lovaas	12
3	Svein Kaasa	11
4	Einar Egedius	11
5	Odd Fossengen	10
6	Jan Terje Gravningen	10
7	Jon Odegaard	10
8	Jorn Flatha	9
9	Dag Lovaas	6
10	Dagfinn Dahl	6
11	Johnny Larsen	5
12	Kjell Todnem	5
13	Nils O. Haraldsen	3
14	Thorbjorn Nygaard	3
15	Ragnar Olaisen	2
16	Leif O. Jorgensen	2

Finnish qualifying (top 8)

11 Aug & 25 Aug 1970
Kärpänen Speedway, Lahti & Eteläpuisto, Tampere
Top 2 to Nordic final 1971

Pos.	Rider	Points	Total
1	Kalevi Lahtinen	8+8	16
2	Matti Olin	6+6	12
3	Jouko Naskali	2+3	5
4	Erkki Hannula	4+0	4
5	Pekka Kulmala	0+4	4
6	Reima Lohkovuori	3+1	4
7	Timo Sinkkonen	0+2	2
8	Olavi Turunen	1+0	1

Continental qualifying

Top 32 to Continental semi-finals

Date

Venue

Winner

2nd

3rd

8 May

Third round

British/Commonwealth Final

16 June 1971
Brandon Stadium, Coventry
First 12 to British-Nordic Final

Nordic Final

6 June 1971
Selskov Stadium, Hillerød
First 4 to British/Commonwealth-Nordic Final

Fourth round

Swedish qualifying

Top 4 in each heat to Swedish final

British/Commonwealth/Nordic Final

30 July 1971
Hampden Park, Glasgow
First 8 to European Final

Continental Final

26 June 1971
Slaný Speedway Stadium, Slaný
First 8 to European Final plus 1 reserve

Fifth round

Swedish Finals

Three races held on
R1, 1 June at Snälltorpet, Eskilstuna
R2, 2 June at Norrköping Motorstadion, Norrköping
R3, 3 June in Gubbängens IP, Stockholm
Top 6 to World Final & 1 reserve

European Final

21 August 1971
Wembley Stadium, London
First 10 to World Final plus 1 reserve

World Final

10 September 1971
Ullevi, Gothenburg
Referee: Georg Traunspurger

Note : Vladimir Gordeev was disqualified after illegal additives were found in his fuel.