Leo McAuliffe (1933-2018) was an international

motorcycle speedway Motorcycle speedway, usually referred to simply as speedway, is a motorcycle sport involving four and sometimes up to six riders competing over four anti-clockwise laps of an oval circuit. The motorcycles are specialist machines that use only ...

rider from Wales.

Biography

McAuliffe was born in 1933 in the village of Clydach near Swansea. In 1948, he moved to Pontardawe and appeared in court following a motorcycle offence where the magistrate suggested that he find an appropriate place for his motorcycling. After moving to London he began training at Rye House and gained his first contract with

Eastbourne Eagles The Eastbourne Eagles were a British speedway team, based at Arlington Stadium, near Eastbourne, England, that raced in the SGB Championship. History Speedway was initially introduced to Eastbourne in 1929. During their first league season th ...

McAuliffe won the

Southern Area League Riders' Championship The Southern Area League Riders' Championship was a contest between the top riders with the highest average points total from motorcycle speedway clubs competing in the Southern Area League in the United Kingdom. It was held in each year that t ...

, held at

Rye House Stadium Rye House Stadium is a former greyhound racing and speedway venue in Rye Road, Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire. It is situated adjacent to the River Lea Navigation. Origins The name Rye House originates from a collection of medieval buildings on an ar ...

on 30 September 1956. Later, he became a protege of fellow Welshman Freddie Williams and went on to ride in the top tier of British Speedway for various clubs. His greatest moment came when he reached the final of the Speedway World Championship in the

1963 Individual Speedway World Championship The 1963 Individual Speedway World Championship was the 18th edition of the official World Championship to determine the world champion rider. Ove Fundin extended his record by winning a fourth world crown. Fellow Sweden Björn Knutsson finished ...

. He was capped by Great Britain just once.

World final appearances

Individual World Championship

1963 Events January * January 1 – Bogle–Chandler case: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation scientist Dr. Gilbert Bogle and Mrs. Margaret Chandler are found dead (presumed poisoned), in bushland near the Lane Cov ...

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

Wembley Stadium Wembley Stadium (branded as Wembley Stadium connected by EE for sponsorship reasons) is a football stadium in Wembley, London. It opened in 2007 on the site of the Wembley Stadium (1923), original Wembley Stadium, which was demolished from 200 ...

- 8th - 7pts

References

1933 births 2018 deaths British speedway riders Welsh speedway riders Welsh motorcycle racers Birmingham Brummies riders Belle Vue Aces riders Cradley Heathens riders Eastbourne Eagles riders New Cross Rangers riders Oxford Cheetahs riders Rayleigh Rockets riders Southampton Saints riders Swindon Robins riders Wimbledon Dons riders {{Speedway-stub