International SPEEDWAY

INTERNATIONALS - ITALY

Italy v England

1979	09.09 : Castelmassa
UNOFFICIAL	This programme scan has been sent by Duncan Luke, but the match is something of a mystery and no results are available. The teams listed in the programme are listed as: Italy: Mauro Ferraccioli, Luigi Bazan, Charlie Brown (Guiseppe Marzotto), Gian Paolo Noro, Giannetto Brizzolari, and Mario Andriolo. England: John David, Neil Collins, Mike Farrell, Nicky Allott, Eric Broadbelt, and Reg Pendlebury. Farrell was actually an Australian. This was not a British club team, as the six "English" riders came from five different teams. If anyone can help with some background to this match, please contact me at internationalspeedway@yahoo.co.uk
1988	23.07 : Lonigo
UNOFFICIAL	This scan from Charles McKay is a "Test Match" where the England team was actually a club side - in this case, a strengthened Ipswich team. Programmed teams were: Italy: Armando dal Chiele, Valentino Furlanetto, Armando Castagna, Paolo Salvatelli, Gianni Famari, Fabrizio Vesprini, Massimo Mora, and Andrea Maida. England: Jeremy Doncaster, Carl Blackbird, Kelly Moran (USA), Marvyn Cox, Neil Evitts, Gary Havelock, and Jon Cooper. The result was Italy 45 England 63. The next day (24.07), at Udine, a second match was held. Result: Italy 56 England 52
1989	22.07 : Lonigo
	Another "Test Match", but in this case the England team was actually club side Reading, who included Swedish and New Zealand riders (!). Match details: Italy 36: Armando Castagna 12, Massimo Mora 9, Andrea Maida 5, Mariano Castagna 3, Giorgio Zaramella 3, Valentino Furlanetto 2, Riccardo Salamon 2 [note that other sources give Salamon 9, Zaramella 4, Mora 0] "England" (Reading) 72: Marvyn Cox 14, Jeremy Doncaster 14, Tony Olsson (Swe) 11, Carl Blackbird 10, Martin Dugard 10, Mitch Shirra (NZ) 8, Malcolm Holloway 5. Arnie Gibbons tells me that a second match was held the next day at Udine: Italy 38: Andrea Maida 9, Valentino Furlanetto 8, Mariano Castagna 8, Gianni Famari 5, Fabrizio Vesprini 5, Giorgio Zaramella 4 "England" (Reading) 70: Marvyn Cox 15, Mitch Shirra 15, Martin Dugard 13, Tony Olsson 10, Malcolm Holloway 7, Carl Blackbird 5, Jeremy Doncaster 5.

© Brian Collins 2004-08