# Geoff Mardon

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**Geoffrey Cyril Mardon** (24 November 1927 – 6 August 2015) was a New Zealand [motorcycle speedway](/source/Motorcycle_speedway) rider.[1][2] He earned 10 caps for the [New Zealand national speedway team](/source/New_Zealand_national_speedway_team).[3]

## Career

Mardon began riding at the [Aranui](/source/Aranui) Speedway in [Christchurch](/source/Christchurch) in 1949, the same track that would later start the careers of [World Champions](/source/Speedway_World_Championship) and fellow Christchurch natives [Barry Briggs](/source/Barry_Briggs) and [Ivan Mauger](/source/Ivan_Mauger). He moved to England in 1951 and joined the third division team, [Aldershot Shots](/source/Aldershot_Shots).[4] He qualified as second reserve for the 1951 [World Final](/source/Speedway_World_Championship). The following year he moved up the first division to ride for the [Wimbledon Dons](/source/Wimbledon_Dons). He rode in the 1953 [World Final](/source/Speedway_World_Championship) and finished in 3rd place.[5] In 1954 Mardon was the third highest individual points scorer in the [National League](/source/National_League_(1932%E2%80%931964)). He rode in the World final again and he won the Brandonapolis at Coventry. Later in the year he married Valerie Moore, the sister of [Ronnie Moore](/source/Ronnie_Moore_(speedway_rider)).

At the beginning of 1955 he decided to retire and live in New Zealand. After a four-year break [Southampton Saints](/source/Southampton_Saints) persuaded him to return to British speedway in 1959. He rode for the Saints for a year and qualified for the World final. He continued to race when he returned to New Zealand and in 1964 he won the [New Zealand Championship](/source/New_Zealand_Individual_Speedway_Championship).

Mardon also raced cars. In 1954, he competed in an Erskine Staride in England and in 1958 he drove a RA Vanguard in the [Lady Wigram Trophy](/source/Lady_Wigram_Trophy) race.[6] In the mid 1960s he drove a New Zealand built sportscar, the Stanton Corvette and in 1970 and 1971 he drove for the Begg Chevrolet Formula 5000 team in the [Tasman Series](/source/Tasman_Series) and the New Zealand Gold Star Championship.[7]

He died on 6 August 2015 in Christchurch.[8]

## World final appearances

Mardon had four appearances in world championship finals:[9]

- [1951](/source/1951_Individual_Speedway_World_Championship) - London, [Wembley Stadium](/source/Wembley_Stadium_(1923)) - Reserve - Did Not Ride
- [1953](/source/1953_Individual_Speedway_World_Championship) - London, Wembley Stadium - 3rd - 12pts
- [1954](/source/1954_Individual_Speedway_World_Championship) - London, Wembley Stadium - 11th - 5pts
- [1959](/source/1959_Individual_Speedway_World_Championship) - London, Wembley Stadium - 10th - 6pts

## References

1. Holmes, Tracy (13 August 2009). ["Riders to Remember....Geoff Mardon"](https://web.archive.org/web/20150914015936/http://www.speedwayplus.com/GeoffMardon.shtml). Archived from [the original](http://www.speedwayplus.com/GeoffMardon.shtml) on 14 September 2015. Retrieved 13 August 2015.

1. Crozier, I. "The first of the kiwi greats" in *Ivan Mauger's Speedway Spectacular*. London: Pelham. ISBN 0-7207-0725-0

1. ["Ultimate rider index, 1929-2022"](https://britishspeedway.co.uk/docs/Ultimate_Index_1929-2022.pdf). *British Speedway*. Retrieved 27 August 2024.

1. ["Walthamstow rider joins Aldershot speedway team"](https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001746/19510223/001/0001). *Aldershot News*. 23 February 1951. Retrieved 27 August 2024. – via British Newspaper Archive.

1. Bamford, R. & Shailes, G. (2002). *A History of the World Speedway Championship*. Stroud: Tempus Publishing. ISBN 0-7524-2402-5

1. Vercoe, Graham (1993). *The Golden Era of New Zealand Motor Racing*. Reed. p. 84. ISBN 0790003023.

1. "Obituary: Trail-blazer for three Canty World champions". *The Press*. 24 October 2015. p. 44.

1. ["RIP - Geoff Mardon"](https://web.archive.org/web/20150823110017/http://www.mnz.co.nz/news/news-detail/2015/08/12/rip---geoff-mardon). Motorcycling New Zealand. Archived from [the original](http://www.mnz.co.nz/news/news-detail/2015/08/12/rip---geoff-mardon) on 23 August 2015. Retrieved 15 August 2015.

1. Jones, M. (1979). *World Speedway Final : a history from 1929*. London: MacDonald & Jane's. ISBN 0-354-08551-4

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Geoff Mardon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoff_Mardon) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoff_Mardon?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.