Erik Gundersen
 |
|
| Born |
8 October 1959 Esbjerg, Denmark |
|---|---|
| Nationality |
 Denmark
|
| Current club information | |
| Career status | Retired (1989) |
| Career history | |
| 1979-1989 | Cradley Heath Heathens |
| Individual honours | |
| 1984, 1985, 1988 | World Champion |
| 1984, 1986 | Long Track World Champion |
| 1983, 1985 | British League Riders Champion |
| 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1989 | Danish Champion |
| 1977 | Danish Under-21 Champion |
| 1985, 1986 | Golden Helmet of Pardubice (CZE) |
| 1986, 1987 | Intercontinental Champion |
| 1981, 1982, 1986 | Danish Gold Bar |
| 1981, 1982, 1983 | Midland Riders Champion |
| 1982, 1986 | Golden Gala Italy |
| 1986, 1987 | Golden Hammer |
| 1983 | Blue Riband |
| 1983 | Second City Trophy |
| Team honours | |
| 1981, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988 |
World Team Cup winner |
| 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989 | World Pairs Champion |
| 1981, 1983 | British League Champion |
| 1979, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989 |
British League KO Cup Winner |
Erik Gundersen (born 8 October 1959 in Esbjerg, Denmark) is a former motorcycle speedway rider in the late 1970s and 1980s. Gundersen is one of the most successful speedway riders of all time. He was the Speedway World Champion on three occasions, a two time Long Track World Champion, a five time World Pairs Champion, and a seven time World Team Cup winner with Denmark
Gundersen won the World Pairs Championship a record five years in succession from 1985-1989, and won the World Team Cup a record six years in succession from 1983-1988. His 17 World Championship wins sees him sit second for the most World Championships won. Fellow Dane and Gundersen's long time Danish team mate Hans Nielsen holds the record with 22 World titles, though unlike Gundersen, Nielsen never won the Long Track World Championship.
Gundersen rode for the Cradley Heath Heathens from 1979 until 1989 when he almost died in a racing accident. He began his career at Cradley with Bruce Penhall but after Penhall's premature retirement in 1982, Gundersen became the club's number one rider – a position he held until his crash.
Gundersen first appeared in the Speedway World Championship Final in 1981 at Wembley Stadium where in front of 92,500 fans he finished 4th with 11 points. On the night he set a new 4 lap record for the 345 metres (377 yards) track of 66.8 seconds, a record that will stand forever as this was the last time that speedway was raced at the famous venue. His 1982 title chase ended on a sour note when he failed to qualify for the final held at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum after finishing a surprising 16th and last in the 1982 Intercontinental Final in Sweden. He made amends for his 1982 failure, easily qualifying for the 1983 World Final in West Germany where he would again finish in a strong 4th place.
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