Vladimir Trofimov (born 28 January 1962) is a former international motorcycle speedway rider from the Soviet Union and later Ukraine. He was the champion of the Soviet Union in 1988 and represented both the Soviet Union and Ukraine national teams.
| Born | 28 January 1962 Leningrad, Soviet Union |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Soviet/Ukrainian |
| Career history | |
| Soviet Union | |
| 1980–2012 | Rivne |
| Individual honours | |
| 1988 | Soviet Union national champion |
| 1982, 1989, 1992, 2004 | Ukraine national champion |
Speedway career
editTrofimov was born in Leningrad, Soviet Union[1][2] and pursued a career in speedway because his father Viktor Trofimov was an international rider. It was during the late 1960s that his father began riding in Ukraine for the Rivne Speedway team who competed in Soviet team championship.
Based in Ukraine, Vladimir also began riding for the team in 1980 and continued to ride for them up to the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Following the dissolution the family remained in Ukraine and Vladimir represented the Ukraine national speedway team. Vladimir's son Viktor Trofimov Jr. would also represent the Ukraine national team before taking out a Polish licence.
Vladimir reached the finals of the 1982 Individual Speedway Junior European Championship[3] and the 1983 Individual Speedway Junior European Championship[4]
Vladimir was the Soviet Union Individual Speedway champion in 1988[5][6] and became the Soviet team captain.[7] He was also a four-time champion of Ukraine, winning the national championship in 1982, 1989, 1992 and 2004.[8]
He would continue to ride for Rivne until the age of 50 in 2012, spending a remarkable 32 years at the club. Additionally, during the later stages of his career he became a Speedway longtrack and grasstrack rider and competed in the 1997 Individual Long Track World Championship.[1]
He later became the president of the Rivne Speedway team.[9][10]
References
edit- ^ a b "Vladimir Trofimov". Grasstrack GB. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
- ^ "Vladimir Trofimov profile". Speedweek. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
- ^ "1982". Speedway.org. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
- ^ "1983". Speedway.org. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
- ^ "Individual USRR Championship". Historia Sportu Zuzlowego. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
- ^ Bamford, Reg (2004). Speedway Yearbook. Tempus Publishing, Stroud. ISBN 978-0-7524-2955-7.
- ^ "The Russians are coming". Peterborough Herald & Post. 26 April 1990. Retrieved 7 April 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Ukrainian Speedway Championship". Historia Sportu Zuzlowego. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
- ^ "Star man Adams confirms Hamill appearance". Wolverhampton Wolves. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
- ^ "Last hurrah for Heathens hero". Stourbridge News. Retrieved 5 September 2024.