Retirement plans still hold

Press, 1 March 1982, Page 19

Retirement plans still hold

By

ALISTAIR ARMSTRONG

Ivan Manger’s dramatic step back into contention for the world speedway finals will not be affecting his plans for a gradual retirement from the sport. He said after his second placing in the. Australasian eliminations at Ruapuna Park on Saturday that he still intended making this year’s world championships his last. “This (latest success) doesn’t change anything,” he said. Ealier this year Mauger also announced his retire-

ment from British League riding, but despite getting “all sorts of offers” since, there would be no return to that either. “I want to make sure I am still keen for the world championships, so I am not riding anywhere else,” he said. ' Mauger said the ankle injury he suffered at the world long track championships last September was still causing him “lots” of pain, but hinted that it would not be allowed to stand in the way of his world championship campaign.

“I am not going to ride again now till a meeting in Germany in mid-April and by then I will have done a lot of training and a lot of physiotherapy,” he said. ‘‘As it is I am taking pills every day and seeing the doctor every third day. “But this year there will be no British League so I can pace myself out. I think I will be fit enough for the next world championship round (on July 4 in London), but whether I am keen enough — that is the point. Mauger said if he was not enthusiastic, he would let a

fellow New Zealander, Mitch Shirra, take his place, but Shirra “shouldn’t count on it.” Mauger’s return to form on what is his home track on Saturday was especially heartening for the speedway great, "I have had some bad meetings here in the last couple of years because each time I have been ill-prepared and physically ill,” he said. “I don’t like Christchurch people judging me on that. “But I am thrilled now because I have proved to the

Christchurch public that I can still ride when I want to. “I owed something to the people that have worked hard for me.” Commenting on his “comeback" after being placed tenth at the 'New Zealand championships in Auckland earlier this month, Manger showed what a professional competitor he is. “People have been saying *oh, he’s out,’ but that has always been a spur to me. When the world championship is at stake, it is just a matter of gritting your teeth,” he said.