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Ari Koponen (speedway rider)

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Finnish speedway rider (1959–2018)
Ari Koponen
Born(1959-07-20)20 July 1959
Lahti, Finland
Died28 April 2018(2018-04-28) (aged 58)
NationalityFinnish
Career history
Great Britain
1978–1982Birmingham Brummies
1983Wimbledon Dons
1984–1985Swindon Robins
Sweden
1987Getingarna
1988–1989Rospiggarna
Individual honours
1983, 1985, 1987Finnish national Champion
1979World U21 Championship bronze
Team honours
1988Sweden Division 1

Ari Koponen (20 July 1959 – 28 April 2018) was a Finnish motorcycle speedway rider. He earned 17 caps for the Finland national speedway team.

Career

In 1978, Koponen joined the Birmingham Brummies for the 1978 British League season, this was his first season in the British leagues. The following year he won a bronze medal at the 1979 Individual Speedway Junior European Championship.

He remained with Birmingham for five years, scoring over 800 points until he requested a transfer and joined Wimbledon Dons in 1983. It was in 1983, that Koponen became the national champion of Finland after winning the Finnish Individual Speedway Championship.

In 1984, Koponen switched from Wimbledon to join the Swindon Robins where he enjoyed two successful seasons in 1984 and 1985. Also in 1985, he won a second Finnish national championship. In 1987, he won his third and final Finnish national championship.

He was also a long track rider and reached the Individual Speedway Long Track World Championship final in 1988.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Ari Koponen". WWOS backup. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
  2. ^ "ARI KOPONEN – RIP". Swindon Speedway. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
  3. ^ "ARI KOPONEN – RIP". Birmingham Speedway. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
  4. "Ultimate rider index, 1929-2022" (PDF). British Speedway. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  5. "Cradley". Sports Argus. 1 February 1978. Retrieved 25 August 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. "Koponen on move". Sandwell Evening Mail. 2 February 1983. Retrieved 25 August 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. "Heathens look good". Coventry Evening Telegraph. 12 March 1983. Retrieved 30 August 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. ^ "Individual Finnish Championship". Historia Sportu Zuzlowego. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
  9. "Individual Championship of Finland". Speedway Fansite. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
  10. "Ari Koponen". Grasstrack GB. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
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