The Golden Helmet of Pardubice (Czech: Zlatá přilba) is a motorcycle speedway competition hosted annually in Pardubice, the Czech Republic. It is the oldest motorcycle speedway race in Europe and is considered prestigious.
History The race was established by three motorsport enthusiasts František Hladěna, Adolf Trnka and Ladislav Polák in 1929. The first 15 events of the Golden Helmet race were held on the long turf racetrack of Velká pardubická Steeplechase in Pardubice, from 1929 to 1963. On several occasions the event attracted more than 100,000 fans, but also five riders suffered mortal injuries competing on this dangerous grass track, including Luboš Tomíček Sr..
Since 1964, the race has been held on the standard flat oval cinder track of the Svítkov Stadium in Pardubice.
Race format In the first round, 24 riders are divided into four groups of six. Three riders advance from each group to the quarterfinal stage, where they join 12 seeded riders. In the quarterfinal, the same format sees three riders from each group progressing to the semi final. In the semi final two groups of six riders race three times with the top three riders from each group progressing to the final. The wide track of Pardubice enables up to six riders to compete in the event instead of the conventional four.
Past winners YearDate of CompetitionWinnerNation.Runner-upNation.3rd placeNation.1.29.09.1929Zdeněk PohlRobert UvíraJosef Hájek2.31.08.1930Josef Antun ŠtrbanHans HieronymusMíťa Vychodil3.06.09.1931Rudi KleinJosef RihaAntun Uroić4.25.09.1932Hans MayerHans WinklerJosef Antun Štrban5.01.10.1933Hans Walter ButtlerErich BertramHans Winkler6.02.09.1934Gerrit van DijkHermann GunzenhauserArend Hartman7.15.09.1935Herman GunzenhauserErich BertramLeopold Killmeyer8.27.09.1936Herman GunzenhauserHans Walter ButtlerErich Bertram9.04.09.1938František JuhanVáclav StanislavJan LucákThe race was not run in 1939 - 1946 due to German occupation of Czechoslovakia (1938 - 1945).10.07.09.1947Hugo RosákKarl KillmeyerMiloslav Špinka11.04.09.1949Fritz DirtlHugo RosákGerrit van Dijk12.09.09.1951Jan LucákHans ZierkAntonín ŠvarcThe race was not run in 1952 - 1960 due to lack of support to Speedway competitions from communist government in Czechoslovakia at that time.13.20.08.1961Oldřich KlaudingerJiří JasanskýErvín Krajčovič14.16.09.1962Josef SeidlJaroslav MachačAntonín Šváb Sr.15.15.09.1963Antonín Kasper Sr.Martin TatumErvín Krajčovič16.06.09.1964Igor PlechanovAntonín Kasper Sr.Boris Samorodov17.12.09.1965Farit ŠajnurovStanislav KubíčekAntonín Kasper Sr.18.18.09.1966Igor PlechanovBarry BriggsBoris Samorodov19.10.09.1967Ove FundinBarry BriggsAntonín Kasper Sr.20.20.10.1968Leif EnecronaOve FundinFrantišek Ledecký21.18.09.1969Gennady KurilenkoValeri KlementievMiloslav Verner22.27.09.1970Ole OlsenMiloslav VernerVladimir Gordeev23.19.09.1971Ole OlsenJim AireyHans Jürgen Fritz24.01.10.1972Ole OlsenIvan MaugerGenadij Ivanov25.22.09.1973Milan ŠpinkaOle OlsenIvan Mauger26.22.09.1974Jiří ŠtanclIvan MaugerGenadij Ivanov27.05.10.1975Ole OlsenIvan MaugerJiří Štancl28.03.10.1976Jiří ŠtanclOle OlsenIvan Mauger29.02.10.1977Ole OlsenJiří ŠtanclAleš Dryml Sr.30.01.10.1978Jiří ŠtanclMichael LeeOle Olsen31.30.09.1979Ole OlsenMichael LeeJiří Štancl32.28.09.1980Ole OlsenAleš Dryml Sr.Bobby Schwartz33.27.09.1981Jiří ŠtanclAleš Dryml Sr.Viktor Kuznetsov34.26.09.1982Jiří ŠtanclRoman JankowskiAleš Dryml Sr.35.25.09.1983Dennis SigalosJiří ŠtanclOle Olsen36.23.09.1984John DavisLance KingJiří Štancl37.22.09.1985Erik GundersenAntonín Kasper Jr.Simon Wigg38.21.09.1986Erik GundersenKelvin TatumSam Ermolenko39.27.09.1987Hans NielsenKelvin TatumPer Jonsson40.02.10.1988Per JonssonRoman MatoušekJeremy Doncaster41.24.09.1989Jeremy DoncasterRoman MatoušekTony Olsson42.30.09.1990Jeremy DoncasterAntonín Kasper Jr.Zdeněk Tesař43.29.09.1991Antonín Kasper Jr.Ronnie CorreyJeremy Doncaster44.27.09.1992Tony RickardssonAntonín Kasper Jr.Mitch Shirra45.03.10.1993Tony RickardssonLeigh AdamsArmando Castagna46.11.09.1994Simon WiggChris LouisTony Rickardsson47.04.09.1995Tony RickardssonTomáš TopinkaHans Nielsen 48.29.09.1996Tomáš TopinkaSimon WiggChris Louis49.05.10.1997Ryan SullivanTony Rickardsson Mark Loram 50.04.10.1998Hans Nielsen Tony Rickardsson Brian Andersen 51.03.10.1999Leigh Adams Tony RickardssonRyan Sullivan52.15.10.2000Leigh Adams Greg HancockTodd Wiltshire 53.07.10.2001Leigh Adams Marian JiroutMark Loram 54.06.10.2002Jason Crump Matej Zagar Lee Richardson 55.27.09.2003Ryan Sullivan Jason CrumpLee Richardson56.26.09.2004Leigh AdamsAleš Dryml Jr.Hans N. Andersen57.02.10.2005Scott NichollsNicki PedersenAleš Dryml Jr.58.17.10.2006Jason CrumpHans N. AndersenNicki Pedersen59.10.10.2007Andreas JonssonRune HoltaKenneth Bjerre60.05.10.2008Hans N. AndersenLeigh Adams Matej Ferjan 61.04.10.2009Rune HoltaGrzegorz WalasekDavey Watt62.03.10.2010Nicki PedersenFredrik LindgrenAndreas Jonsson 63.02.10.2011Rune HoltaAntonio LindbäckPiotr Pawlicki64.14.10.2012Grzegorz WalasekFredrik LindgrenHans N. Andersen65.29.9.2013Darcy WardGreg HancockPrzemysław Pawlicki66.05.10.2014Chris HolderFredrik LindgrenJurica Pavlic67.20.09.2015Jurica PavlicTroy BatchelorMartin Smolinski68.19.09.2016Emil SayfutdinovRune HoltaMartin Smolinski69.01.10.2017Václav Milík Jr.Rune HoltaMax Fricke70.30.09.2018Jason DoyleMartin VaculíkVáclav Milík Jr.71.06.10.2019Jason DoyleAndžejs ĻebedevsPatryk Dudek72.04.10.2020Jason DoyleJan KvěchBrady Kurtz73.03.10.2021Patryk DudekJason DoyleTimo Lahti74.25.09.2022Dan BewleyVáclav MilíkRasmus Jensen75.24.09.2023Timo LahtiJakub JamrógDimitri Berge76.06.10.2024Rasmus JensenRobert ChmielMathias Pollestad77.12.09.2025Dimitri BergéAndžejs ĻebedevsRasmus Jensen78.4.10.2026Jan KvěchAndžejs ĻebedevsKai Huckenbeck
Statistics Multiple Golden Helmet winners
Below is a list of multiple Golden Helmet winners. Rider Nation Golden HelmetsOle Olsen7Jiří Štancl5Leigh Adams4Tony Rickardsson3Jason Doyle3Herman Gunzenhauser2Igor Plechanov2Erik Gundersen2Hans Nielsen2Jeremy Doncaster2Ryan Sullivan2Jason Crump2Rune Holta2
Golden Helmet by Countries
Country Riders Total 1 6 142 8 13 6 13 3 5 7 4 5 65 3 4 3 46 3 3 Nazi Germany 2 37 2 2 2 28 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Speedway world champions winning Golden Helmet
Below is a list of Speedway World Champions who have also won Golden Helmet of Pardubice. Rider Nation Golden Helmets World ChampionshipsOle Olsen73Tony Rickardsson36Jason Doyle31Hans Nielsen24Erik Gundersen23Jason Crump23Ove Fundin15Nicki Pedersen13Per Jonsson11Chris Holder11
References
External links
Golden helmet championships at www.speedwaychampions.com