SADDLING UP AGAIN
And so it came to pass, that five years after his
first world title he saddled up and did it again,
taking the highest point on the podium in 1959,
and again with an injury going along for the
ride... a broken ankle. The following year he
would finish runner-up.
He left the Dons and returned to New Zealand
in 1963, and at that time arrived home with
another injury (a broken leg).
His family were ready to pull the pin on shuffling
between New Zealand and the UK.
On the local front, Ronnie had won the New
Zealand Championship in 1956 and 1962, and he
would do so again in 1968 and 1969. Ronnie also
put in his time with a motorcycle business and
even went back to the roaring cylinder days by
re-activating a Wall of Death show.
But he realised he had unfinished business in
the UK and made return to international racing
in 1969 where he again donned the colours for
Wimbledon and at the age of 36 reached the
finals of the world championship.
The following year he and Ivan Mauger took
the World Pairs Championship title at Malmo
in Sweden.
The spark was indeed still sparking.
Five years later, in 1975 as he and Barry and Ivan
were part of the Kiwi team taking part in a “Battle
of the World Champions” series being staged
here and in Australia, the spark came close to
being put out.
It was at Jerilderie Park Speedway in Newcastle.
During a heat Ronnie clipped the rear wheel of
another bike and he was sent flying.
It was bad. He received serious head and internal
injuries, and at one stage doctors working on him
effectively pronounced him dead.
KIWI RIDER 31