Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Today in motorcycle history, December 30, 1934


  

  




  Former multiple World Champion Speedway rider, Barry Briggs, is born in Christchurch, New Zealand.









  'Former multiple World Champion' barely seems to scratch the surface. Barry Briggs won four World Individual Championship titles – in 1957, 1958, 1964 and 1966. From 1954 to 1970 Briggs appeared in a record 17 consecutive World Individual finals, during which he scored a record 201 points.

 
  He was a six-time winner of the British Championship. He won his first in 1961 and then dominated the sixties 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.


  He was crowned the London Riders' Champion in 1955, a three-time Midland Riders' Champion in 1966, 1967 and 1970 and was the Scottish Open Champion for 1967.


 Upon Briggs retirement from the sport he became a respected Speedway commentator in England and Europe, as well as the USA.


  In 1973 Barry Briggs was awarded an MBE for his services to sport and in 1990 he was inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame.





  Today in motorcycle history proudly supports the National Association for Bikers with a Disability (NABD). www.nabd.org.uk