Golden Helmet of Pardubice

The Golden Helmet of Pardubice (Czech: Zlatá přilba) is a speedway competition hosted annually in Pardubice, the Czech Republic. It is the oldest motorcycle speedway race in the world and is considered one of the most prestigious awards outside of the World Championship. The race has been established by three motorsport enthusiasts František Hladěna, Adolf Trnka and Ladislav Polák in 1929. The first 15 events of the Golden Helmet race was held on the 2400 m long turf racetrack of Velká pardubická Steeplechase in Pardubice from 1929 to 1963. It was not rare that the race was visited by more than 100 000 fans at the time, but also 5 riders suffered mortal injuries competing on this dangerous grassy track.

Since 1964 the race has been moved on the standard flat oval cinder track of the speedway stadium in Pardubice - Svítkov. The wide track of Pardubice - Svítkov stadium enables up to six riders to compete in Golden Helmet heats.

Race Format

Exclusionary groups

Twenty four riders are divided into four exclusionary groups of six riders. Three runs are held in each exclusionary group. Riders change in individual runs according to a predetermined key starting position. Six riders together compete on the track in each single run. Three best riders advance from each exclusionary group to quarterfinal stage of the race. Two best results obtained from three runs are counted into the classification results of each individual group. The rider can skip any ride.

Quarterfinals

Quarterfinal groups consist of twelve riders advancing from the exclusion round and twelve seeded riders. They are divided again into four groups of six riders. Three quarterfinal rides take place in each group. Three best riders advance from each quarterfinal group in the semifinals.

Semifinals

Twelve riders are divided within two semifinal groups of on the basis of the results of the quarterfinal groups according to the rolling keys. Three runs in each semifinal group are held. Riders change in individual races according to a predetermined key starting position.

Finals

Riders of 1 to 3 places of semifinal groups advance to the finals to compete for Golden Helmet. Riders of 4 to 6 position then participate in small finale of 7 to 12 place in the race.

Winners
Year Date of Competition Winner Nation. Runner-up Nation. 3rd place Nation.
1. 29.09.1929 Zdeněk Pohl Robert Uvíra Josef Hájek
2. 31.08.1930 Josef Antun Štrban Hans Hieronymus Míťa Vychodil
3. 06.09.1931 Rudi Klein Josef Riha Antun Uroić
4. 25.09.1932 Hans Mayer Hans Winkler Josef Antun Štrban
5. 01.10.1933 Hans Walter Buttler Erich Bertram Hans Winkler
6. 02.09.1934 Gerrit van Dijk Hermann Gunzenhauser Arend Hartman
7. 15.09.1935 Herman Gunzenhauser Erich Bertram Leopold Killmeyer
8. 27.09.1936 Herman Gunzenhauser Hans Walter Buttler Erich Bertram
9. 04.09.1938 František Juhan Václav Stanislav Jan Lucák
The race was not run in 1939 - 1946 due to German occupation of Czechoslovakia (1938 - 1945).
10. 07.09.1947 Hugo Rosák Karl Killmeyer Miloslav Špinka
11. 04.09.1949 Fritz Dirtl Hugo Rosák Gerrit van Dijk
12. 09.09.1951 Jan Lucák Hans Zierk Antonín Švarc
The race was not run in 1952 - 1960 due to lack of support to Speedway competitions from communist government in Czechoslovakia at that time.
13. 20.08.1961 Oldřich Klaudinger Jiří Jasanský Ervín Krajčovič
14. 16.09.1962 Josef Seidl Jaroslav Machač Antonín Šváb Sr.
15. 15.09.1963 Antonín Kasper Sr. Martin Tatum Ervín Krajčovič
16. 06.09.1964 Igor Plechanov Antonín Kasper Sr. Boris Samorodov
17. 12.09.1965 Farit Šajnurov Stanislav Kubíček Antonín Kasper Sr.
18. 18.09.1966 Igor Plechanov Barry Briggs Boris Samorodov
19. 10.09.1967 Ove Fundin Barry Briggs Antonín Kasper Sr.
20. 20.10.1968 Leif Enecrona Ove Fundin František Ledecký
21. 18.09.1969 Genadij Kurilenko Valerij Klementěv Miloslav Verner
22. 27.09.1970 Ole Olsen Miloslav Verner Vladimir Gordeev
23. 19.09.1971 Ole Olsen Jim Airey Hans Jürgen Fritz
24. 01.10.1972 Ole Olsen Ivan Mauger Genadij Ivanov
25. 22.09.1973 Milan Špinka Ole Olsen Ivan Mauger
26. 22.09.1974 Jiří Štancl Ivan Mauger Genadij Ivanov
27. 05.10.1975 Ole Olsen Ivan Mauger Jiří Štancl
28. 03.10.1976 Jiří Štancl Ole Olsen Ivan Mauger
29. 02.10.1977 Ole Olsen Jiří Štancl Aleš Dryml Sr.
30. 01.10.1978 Jiří Štancl Michael Lee Ole Olsen
31. 30.09.1979 Ole Olsen Michael Lee Jiří Štancl
32. 28.09.1980 Ole Olsen Aleš Dryml Sr. Bobby Schwartz
33. 27.09.1981 Jiří Štancl Aleš Dryml Sr. Viktor Kuznetsov
34. 26.09.1982 Jiří Štancl Roman Jankowski Aleš Dryml Sr.
35. 25.09.1983 Dennis Sigalos Jiří Štancl Ole Olsen
36. 23.09.1984 John Davis Lance King Jiří Štancl
37. 22.09.1985 Erik Gundersen Antonín Kasper Jr. Simon Wigg
38. 21.09.1986 Erik Gundersen Kelvin Tatum Sam Ermolenko
39. 27.09.1987 Hans Nielsen Kelvin Tatum Per Jonsson
40. 02.10.1988 Per Jonsson Roman Matoušek Jeremy Doncaster
41. 24.09.1989 Jeremy Doncaster Roman Matoušek Tony Olsson
42. 30.09.1990 Jeremy Doncaster Antonín Kasper Jr. Zdeněk Tesař
43. 29.09.1991 Antonín Kasper Jr. Ronnie Correy Jeremy Doncaster
44. 27.09.1992 Tony Rickardsson Antonín Kasper Jr. Mitch Shirra
45. 03.10.1993 Tony Rickardsson Leigh Adams Armando Castagna
46. 11.09.1994 Simon Wigg Chris Louis Tony Rickardsson
47. 04.09.1995 Tony Rickardsson Tomáš Topinka Hans Nielsen
48. 29.09.1996 Tomáš Topinka Simon Wigg Chris Louis
49. 05.10.1997 Ryan Sullivan Tony Rickardsson Mark Loram
50. 04.10.1998 Hans Nielsen Tony Rickardsson Brian Andersen
51. 03.10.1999 Leigh Adams Tony Rickardsson Ryan Sullivan
52. 15.10.2000 Leigh Adams Greg Hancock Todd Wiltshire
53. 07.10.2001 Leigh Adams Marian Jirout Mark Loram
54. 06.10.2002 Jason Crump Matej Zagar Lee Richardson
55. 27.09.2003 Ryan Sullivan Jason Crump Lee Richardson
56. 26.09.2004 Leigh Adams Aleš Dryml Jr. Hans N. Andersen
57. 02.10.2005 Scott Nicholls Nicki Pedersen Aleš Dryml Jr.
58. 17.10.2006 Jason Crump Hans N. Andersen Nicki Pedersen
59. 10.10.2007 Andreas Jonsson Rune Holta Kenneth Bjerre
60. 05.10.2008 Nicki Pedersen Leigh Adams Matej Ferjan
61. 04.10.2009 Rune Holta Grzegorz Walasek Davey Watt
62. 03.10.2010 Nicki Pedersen Fredrik Lindgren Andreas Jonsson
63. 02.10.2011 Rune Holta Antonio Lindbäck Piotr Pawlicki
64. 14.10.2012 Grzegorz Walasek Fredrik Lindgren Hans N. Andersen
65. 29.9.2013 Darcy Ward[1] Greg Hancock Przemysław Pawlicki
66. 05.10.2014 Chris Holder Fredrik Lindgren Jurica Pavlic
67. 20.09.2015 Jurica Pavlic[2] Troy Batchelor Martin Smolinski
68. 19.09.2016 Emil Sayfutdinov[3] Rune Holta Martin Smolinski
69. 01.10.2017 Václav Milík Jr.[4] Rune Holta Max Fricke
70. 30.09.2018 Jason Doyle Martin Vaculík Václav Milík Jr.
71. 06.10.2019 Jason Doyle Andžejs Ļebedevs Patryk Dudek
72. 04.10.2020 Jason Doyle Jan Kvěch Brady Kurtz

Speedway World Champions winning Golden Helmet

Below is a list of Speedway World Champions who have won also Golden Helmet of Pardubice.

Rider Nation Golden Helmets World Championships
Ole Olsen 7 3
Tony Rickardsson 3 6
Jason Doyle 3 1
Hans Nielsen 2 4
Erik Gundersen 2 3
Jason Crump 2 3
Nicki Pedersen 2 3
Ove Fundin 1 5
Per Jonsson 1 1
Chris Holder 1 1

Speedway World Champions starting at Golden Helmet but never winning the race

Below is a list of Speedway World Champions that have started at Golden Helmet of Pardubice race but never won the trophy.

Rider Nation Golden Helmets World Championships
Ivan Mauger 0 6
Barry Briggs 0 4
Greg Hancock 0 4
Tai Woffinden 0 3
Jerzy Szczakiel 0 1
Michael Lee 0 1
Sam Ermolenko 0 1
Mark Loram 0 1
Tomasz Gollob 0 1

Multiple Golden Helmet winners

Below is a list of multiple Golden Helmet winners.

Rider Nation Golden Helmets
Ole Olsen 7
Jiří Štancl 5
Leigh Adams 4
Tony Rickardsson 3
Jason Doyle 3
Herman Gunzenhauser 2
Igor Plechanov 2
Erik Gundersen 2
Hans Nielsen 2
Jeremy Doncaster 2
Ryan Sullivan 2
Jason Crump 2
Nicki Pedersen 2
Rune Holta 2

Golden Helmet by Countries
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