A History of Hull Speedway

100% Unofficial CPD Vikings Hull Speedway Website

Hull Speedway has quite a chequered history; first taking place in Hull known as Hull White City in the 1930's then at the old Hedon aerodrome in the late 1940's, when the team was known as the Hull Angels. The Angels ran in the 3rd division for 1 1/2 seasons, 1948 when the league was won by the Exeter Falcons, and part of 1949 when the licence and most of the riders were transferred to Swindon Robins. An interesting feature of Hedon/Hull Speedway at this time was the rail link from Hull's Paragon station, trains stopped at a specially built platform known as Hedon Halt, which was used by the majority of fans as very few people owned cars in those days.

The sport re-opened in Hull in 1971 this time at The Boulevard Stadium, the rugby ground home of Hull FC, where the track was carefully constructed around the perimeter of the rugby pitch. Now known as the Hull Vikings, though the team name almost became the Hull Angels once again and very nearly the Hull Kestrels, speedway continued at this venue until the end of 1981. However the Vikings had comparatively little success in this period save for winning the Four-Team Trophy, finishing 2nd in the league and the legendary Ivan Mauger, signed form the Exeter Falcons, winning his record-breaking 6th World Championship in 1979. It will quickly become apparent that both the Swindon Robins and the Exeter Falcons figure prominently in the history of Hull Speedway for a variety of different reasons.

From the Boulevard: (left pic); B Penhall (W), I Mauger (R), I Teromaa (Y), J Owen (B), (right pic); I Mauger (R), J Owen (B).

After 2 years in the British League (then the top division) for 1976 the Hull Vikings decided to sign an out-and-out No.1 and were allocated the World Champion, Dane Ole Olsen under the old Rider Control system. This was the often seemingly random team strength levelling system utilized before point limits were introduced. After being apparently being initially agreeable to the idea of becoming a Viking, Olsen decided he wanted to join the Coventry Bee's instead and a real "tug of war" began.

After threatening to retire, the result was Olsen being released to join Coventry (as opposed to being sent there!) and a cash settlement meant Hull Vikings could afford to sign any No.1 rider they wished. Trouble was none were available; all the No'1's were already signed up to other teams. Olsen, who retired form riding speedway in 1983, built and owns the Vojens track in Denmark and is the official Race Director of the Speedway Grand Prix series. But back to '76; "WHO IS OLE OLSEN ?" read a fans banner at the time. Quite. Undaunted, the Vikings tried another avenue....

The extremely pleasing result was the definite signing of another World Champion; 4 times-winner New Zealander Barry Briggs MBE! Briggs had recently retired from the Wimbledon Dons and unhappy with his form of the previous year, "Briggo" as he is widely known, fancied the idea of just one more season in British Speedway. This time as a Viking!

So, Briggo rode for the Hull Vikings in the 1976 season and led the team to victory in the Inter-Divisional Knock-Out Cup. But more than his actual points scoring, Briggo showed the Hull riders how to believe in themselves more, ride as a team and become successful. As a result, the Vikings went on to achieve their best ever league position and probably the best away record in the entire league. Still an active spectator and promoter of his own Golden Greats veteran meetings, Briggo is officially retired but still has the odd spin around the speedway track for exhibitions, testimonial meetings, etc.

It was Briggs' influence that persuaded another World Champion in renown Long-Track expert Egon Muller of Germany to become a Hull rider also in '76. Primarily a specialist on the long-tracks of Europe, Muller was a more than handy "short track" competitor and quickly adapted to the relatively tight British tracks during his short stay with the Vikings.

Unfortunately, he quit the Vikings mid-season fearing injury prior to that years Speedway World Championship Final in Katowice, Poland won by England's Peter Collins. Though no-one knew it, this venue was to have extreme importance to Vikings in a few years time.... Muller went on to win the world title in 1983 but is now retired and runs his own night-club in his native Germany . Briggo could only commit himself for the one season and the year after, 1977, the Vikings sadly became an average team once more. After tasting success, returning to be "also-rans" could not be allowed to continue and so another big signing was required. And, once again, they don't get more major (pun intended!) than the current World Champion!

In 1978, reigning World Champion the legendary Ivan Mauger, also of New Zealand, was signed from the Exeter Falcons for a then world record fee of £12,000! For 4 years the Vikings never really looked back, these were indeed golden times and really quite incredible years. Bringing his incredible experience, mechanical know-how, scoring power and total professionalism, Mauger again showed the Vikings how to believe in themselves more, be much more professional and to win. Regularly.

Following a then unprecedented sponsorship deal in 1979, the team was known as the Hull Lada Vikings until the end of 1981 when speedway ended at the Boulevard.

On 5 April 1995, the sport re-opened in Hull for a 3rd time (4th if you include the White City operation) at New Craven Park Stadium, the home of the cities other rugby team Hull Kingston Rovers, and continues to date at this venue. This was tremendous news for Hull's speedway-starved public as the opening meeting attendance of an estimated 7,500, yes 7,500, demonstrated.

Since re-opening, the Vikings have competed almost exclusively in the Premier League, or 2nd division, save for a brief flirtation with the Elite League, or 1st division in 1999. After being the Oceanic Vikings in 1996 + 1997 and TC Harrison Rover sponsorship in 1998, the team became the H2O Vikings for the 1999 Elite League year. When the Hull H2O Vikings entered the upper Elite League of British Speedway, the league itself was split in to two divisions in 1997 and the other division became known as the Premier League. The Vikings signed their last, to date, World Champions in American "Sudden" Sam Ermolenko, the 1993 winner, from the Wolverhampton Wolves and the1993 World Under-21 Champion "Screen Machine" Joe Screen from the Belle Vue Aces.

Both Sam and Joe remain the only World Champions to ride for the Hull Vikings in the modern, Craven Park era.

For season 2000 the Vikings were bought by business man and speedway entrepreneur Malcolm Wright and with renown team manager and ex-international rider Eric Boocock installed, a team was put together on the eve of the new season. Surprising many (including possibly themselves!) the Vikings went on to finish 3rd in the league and won the Premier Trophy Final, beating the Exeter Falcons - the Vikings' first such success for 24 years!

In season 2001, the Vikings went on to arguably greater success; finishing 2^nd in the Premier League and winning the Knock-Out Cup, the speedway equivalent of footballs FA Cup, beating the Swindon Robins. In season 2002, after topping the Premier League almost all season long, the CD Bramall Ford Vikings suffered from injuries to different riders but still went on to have a reasonable season and went on to finish 5th.

From Craven Park; (left pic) P Thorp (R), G Stead (B), P Fry (Y), (right pic) Celebrating the KO Cup win; P Bentley, P Thorp, J Smith, M Smith and G Stead.

The year 2003 is only spoke of in hushed tones (ssh!) by Vikings fans, if at all, as with the team under new owners and a new universally dis-liked logo, another "new" experience was that results started and continued going the "wrong way". Despite not really being a bad team, defeat followed defeat and morale dropped among riders, fans and eventually the management. Results-wise the Vikings had their worst campaign ever, entered the dreaded "wooden spoon city" and finished - bottom....

Hull Vikings fans are never glum for long however and 2004 bought much new optimism with a new owner in long-term Vikings' fan Paul Hodder (he watched at the Boulevard as a nipper!), the (very) welcome return of the much-respected Eric Boocock, an almost completely new team from the previous season and brand new sponsors; BHK Flooring.

And didn't they just! The Vikings went form Zeroes to Heroes in less than 12 months as they clinched the 2004 Premier League Title - with 2 matches still to ride! Hull Vikings: Played 28, Won 23, Drawn 0, Lost 5; 58 Pts. - CHAMPIONS!

If that wasn't incredible enough, the Vikings went on to complete a memorable treble as they won the Knock-Out Cup and the Jack Young Shield. 3 is a magic number!

For 2005, the treble defence year, the team is now the Hull CPD Vikings with brand new sponsors: Cleaning and Paper Disposals.

2004 Premier League Treble Champions

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