Svein Harald Kaasa

Svein Haralds historie og bilder:

 

Svein Kaasa
By Peter Colvin

Oversatt av KI i Word

​

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mot slutten av mars 1972 kunngjorde speedwaypressen detaljer om det nye konsortiet som skulle overta Oxford Cheetahs. Jazzklarinettisten Acker Bilk, hans bror David, Charlie og Bob Dugard sammen med Danny Dunton og ny manager Dave Lanning ledet det nye selskapet som skulle introdusere jazz og razzmatazz designet for å gjøre Cowley-sporet til et swingende sted å være på torsdagskvelder. De var fast bestemt på å fjerne merkelappen «umoderne», som hadde plaget Cheetahs i det siste, og skape et nytt image for speedwayklubben. Fansene fikk seg et sjokk. En endring av lagfargene og et nytt kallenavn, Rebels, med en "racejacket" (vest) som viste det yankee-konfødererte flagget, skulle bli starten på omveltningen i Oxford.

Siden dannelsen av British League i 1965, da Oxford endte på fjerdeplass, hadde Cheetahs alltid avsluttet sesongen et sted blant de nederste halve dusin. Faktisk hadde 1971 vært deres dårligste sesong i British League til dags dato, da de endte på 17. plass av 19 lag. Rebels-ledelsen hadde håpet å inkludere Sverre Harrfeldt i laget sitt. Han hadde et snitt på 7,80 og ble tildelt/alokert til Oxford etter at Wembley ble stengt. Dessverre skulle nordmannen gjennomgå en brokkoperasjon som ville ha holdt ham ute av salen store deler av sesongen. Følgende artikkel, fra Speedway Express-magasinet for mai 1972, tar opp historien.

"Dave [Lanning] nølte ikke med å finne sin egen erstatter. Sverige er en tvilsom kilde til førerforsyning på torsdagsbaner fordi tre av de syv svenske førstedivisjonsbanene kjører på torsdager. I tillegg var det ingen ikke-torsdag svensk rytter av nødvendig kaliber tilgjengelig . . . . Ufortrødent gikk Lanning for norske Svein Kaasa og avtalen ble raskt avgjort, slik at hans nye signering kunne legge til kai i Immingham to dager før Rebels' første kamp i Coventry . . . .

Kaasa er 24 år og ungkar. Mørkhåret og moteriktig kledd, har Oslo-tegneren vært engasjert i prosjekter for sin arbeidsgiver som løper på hundretusener av pund. Naturligvis er ikke arbeidsgiverne hans særlig begeistret for hans beslutning om å kjøre løp i Storbritannia.

Men med alle sine kvalifikasjoner trygt plassert i beltet, føler Svein seg klar til å smake på det harde og kraftfulle i British League-racing. Hans merittliste viser at han sannsynligvis ikke vil komme videre på grunn av mangelen på regelmessige stevner i Norge. De siste to årene har han blitt nummer tre i norsk mesterskap, langt foran noen britisk-baserte nordmenn. Han knuste en 15 år gammel banerekord på sin hjemmebane Skien, en rekord som motsto utfordringene til Harrfeldt i hans store år og mer nylig Reidar Eide.

Eide, norsk mester de siste fem årene, anbefaler Kaasa med samme entusiasme som han viste for Ed Stangeland for to år siden . . . . Han er virkelig en fullgass-forhandler og vil, som alle nordmenn, bruke litt tid på å venne seg til de glattere og glattere banene – og også til kravene til fulltids speedway.

Kaasa er kjent i Norge for sine raske sportsbiler. Han har eid en Mercedes Roadster, en Ford Mustang V8 fastback, en Lotus Europa, en Vauxhal Viva 2000 GT , og for tiden kjører han en Lotus Cortina i de norske fargene rød, hvit og blå. Inne er det luksus hele veien, med en stereobåndspiller [husker du dem?] og radio.

'Jeg håper at når han først har slått seg til ro, vil han være en skikkelig utfordrer,' sier Oxford-sjef Lanning. 'Han virker absolutt som en fargerik karakter, og jeg tror publikum vil like hans actionfylte stil,' erklærer Dave.

Bortsett fra biler er Kaasas hovedhobby vannski, og han har sin egen motorbåt hjemme i Gvarv, en pittoresk landsby ved en stor ferskvannssjø og omtrent 14 mil fra Oslo. Han har en ferieleilighet i Benidorm på Costa Blanca i Spania, og en i Oslo – 'Hvor jeg bare har tid til å jobbe og sove,' sier Svein.

Den britiske speedwayscenen vil være veldig annerledes for ham. Han må lykkes for å opprettholde levestandarden som lederjobben hans har gitt ham så langt. Men nye navn er alltid velkomne, og Dave Lannings veddemål har en tendens til å lykkes."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dette bildet ble tatt på Oxfords åpningsmøte 31. mars 1972 og viser Acker Bilk og manager Dave Lanning som introduserer det nye Rebels-laget for et oppmuntrende stort publikum. Svein Kaasa kan sees i bakgrunnen med Colin Gooddy på høyre side. Han hadde scoret 1+1 på fire ritter i et svært tungt 59-19-tap på Coventry seks dager tidligere. Rebels vant sin første hjemmekamp 43-35 mot Wimbledon, med Svein som scoret 4+1 på fire ritter, noe som fikk Speedway Star-reporteren til å skrive at "den unge nordmannen kjørte godt nok til å antyde at han vil være et nyttig kjøp."

Dessverre var det en falsk daggry. På grunn av Sveins totale manglende evne til å score på like vilkår, og han begynte å se ukomfortabel ut på den tette Cowley-banen, klarte han bare å score to poeng til for Rebels i de neste fire kampene, noe som ga ham et snitt på 1,71. Oxford-ledelsen hadde sett nok av en rytter med et vurdert snitt på 7,50. Det spilte ingen rolle at «han red ut for liten belønning», og beslutningen ble tatt om å slippe Svein Kaasa og hente inn dansken Preben Rosenkilde fra Halifax med et snitt på 6,40 fra fire møter. Svein Kaasas siste kamp for Oxford Rebels var i Halifax 15. april 1972, etter bare seks kamper og bare tre uker på dagen siden hans første møte i British League.

Rosenkilde roet seg heller ikke, og han gikk videre midtveis i sesongen med et snitt på 3,64. Oxfords jakt på en tredje heatleder var fruktløs, og Rebels gikk fra slutten av august til slutten av sesongen uten å vinne en eneste ligakamp og endte nest sist i British League, to poeng foran Newport.

Et lignende scenario utspilte seg i Glasgow, hvor den høye nordmannen Kjell Gimre, etter en lovende start, begynte å slite og deretter ble frigitt etter tretten kamper for Tigers med et snitt på bare 2,23. Preben Rosenkilde, som bare hadde kjørt ni stevner for Oxford, ble hentet inn i Tigers' septett og kjørte på Hackney i midten av august, men fikk dessverre ett års suspensjon av Danish Motor Union og ble aldri sett igjen.

Oxfords heatleder og tidligere Tiger Oyvind S Berg snakket med Glasgow-promotøren om å hente over Svein Kaasa for resten av sesongen. Uten å ha sett Svein kjøre og kun på Bergs anbefaling, tok den neste nordmannen som bar stripene den raske båtturen til Harwich for sitt første løp som Glasgow Tiger.

Sveins første møte var på Hampden Park 1. september mot Ipswich. Han kjørte som nummer seks og vant heat to på en svært rimelig tid for sitt første løp på den enorme Hampden-banen. Med tanke på at to av heatene hans var på lånt maskineri, gjorde Svein det oppmuntrende godt og fikk 5 + 1 på tre heat. I ukens programnotater skrev Neil Macfarlane «. . Jeg må spesielt nevne Svein Kaasa. Den kjekke norrøne mannen hadde først ankommet Glasgow klokken 01:00 på fredag og fikk sitt første blikk på Hampden fredag ettermiddag. Måten han kjempet om poengene sine på, fikk det til å se ut som om han hadde kjørt banen hele sesongen. Vi har ventet lenge på en slik karakter, og jeg er sikker på at gitt dette året til å slå seg til ro i Glasgow, kan neste år se Svein kjempe om førsteplassen blant nordmennene."

Mot Swindon kvelden etter klarte Svein bare ett poeng på to kamper. I sitt tredje møte for Glasgow 8. september scoret han 3+1 hjemme mot King's Lynn. Dette ble fulgt av en rask tur til Prestwick lufthavn for en flytur hjem for å konkurrere i det norske mesterskapet på Sandefiord Stadion. Svein endte på femteplass med 9 poeng, samme antall som tre andre British League-ryttere: Oyvind S Berg, Ed Stangeland og Reidar Eide. Svein var uheldig som ble ekskludert i heat 5 da Odd Fossengen falt, og hadde det ikke vært for dette, kunne han ha forbedret sin tredjeplass de to siste sesongene.

Hans fjerde seriekamp kom 22. september da et "to-manns" Wimbledon-lag forlot Hampden uten ligapoeng etter å ha tapt 51-27. Sveins utbetalte fem poeng på tre heat bidro nok en verdifull innsats til Tigers store seier. Dagen etter fulgte en tur til Manchester hvor Tigers tapte 46-32 mot Belle Vue Aces. Dette skulle bli den eneste gangen Svein ikke klarte å score poeng som Tiger.

Swindon Robins var i opposisjon på Hampden Park fredag 29. september 1972. Tigers hadde en ledelse på åtte poeng etter ti heat, Robins hadde allerede brukt Martin Ashby og Terry Betts som taktiske innbyttere. Svein Kaasa hadde betalt fem fra sine to første heat På siste runde i heat 11 ledet Jim McMillan, med Ashby på andreplass og Svein på tredje. Disse posisjonene ville ha vunnet kampen for Glasgow, men Svein mente han hadde farten til å passere Ashby, og da han kom inn i første sving, forsøkte han å passere ham på utsiden. Svein feilberegnet syklenes relative hastigheter og traff Ashbys bakhjul. Han ble kastet hodestups ut på banen, kolliderte med tregjerdet – og fikk dødelige skader. Svein ble tatt med inn i garderoben hvor det ble gjort forsøk på å gjenopplive ham. Nyheten om hans død ble ikke kunngjort for publikum før etter at møtet var over – de to gjenværende heatene av kampen pluss ni løp i andre halvdel ("second half")

Neil Macfarlane skrev følgende tekst til neste Glasgow-program: «Jeg er fortsatt lamslått, som jeg er sikker på at dere alle er, over de tragiske hendelsene forrige uke, så det er med tungt hjerte og under stort press at jeg skriver disse notatene.

Sveins dødelige krasj i heat 11 ga et tragisk slag mot Speedway, og spesielt mot Glasgow, hvor våre supportere tok ham til sine hjerter. Selv om Svein bare var hos oss i seks korte uker, hadde vi begynt å respektere og beundre ham for hans besluttsomhet om å gjøre sitt beste for Glasgow Tigers, og til vår store sorg var det hans 100 % innsats som kostet ham livet. Svein, som var tjuefem år gammel . . . . etterlater seg sin mor, far og søster, og det er til hans sørgende familie vi sender fra alle i Glasgow vår dypeste, mest hjertelige medfølelse."

 

Denne artikkelen ble først publisert 30. juni 2013

 

 

 

 

• Neil Macfarlane:

  "Well done Peter, a true and factual account of the circumstances surrounding Svein's tragic accident "

   

• andy:

  "Great article on Svein Kaasa. Ii had never heard of him as a rider but stories like that show the risks that EVERY rider of all standards and abilities take in entertaining the fans and that fans favourites are not necessary the number 1 superstar all of the time...great but sad story,."

   

• Ian Proctor:

  "Hi peter, good, well informed column with info. about Svein which I'm sure not many Glasgow fans were aware of. He had always been a rider who due to his short time as a Tiger, not much personal information had been known and even less photos were available."

   

• Colin Bennett:

  "I was working on the track staff that night and it happened right in front of me. The only slight change I would make as I recall. Martin was riding quite wide and appeared to lock up. Svein hit him quite hard not just a clip. Svein's bike went verticly airborn and appeared to come down on top of him , snapping the handlebars on the top of the fence as it did so. I ran on the track and lifted the bike away from him. A very sad night. He was a really nice guy and was always happy to chat away with the track staff."

   

• Ian McLean:

  "A truly sad day in Glasgow speedway history. Always in my thoughts. R.I.P. Svein."

   

• Tracy Holmes:

  "Thank you Peter. This piece is a real gem and I'm so glad you took the time to share it with us all. To discover his life outside speedway was real treat. It's great too that guys like Svein are not forgotten by the Speedway world, far from it in fact. Cheers !!!"

   

• Bill Elliot:

  "It's a remarkable tribute to Svein that nearly 41 years after his tragic death, and considering he rode here for such a brief time, that so many people still remember him with such fondness and sadness at the same time. I was there at Hampden that night also and the place was just never the same afterwards, which was hardly surprising. Don't think that anyone who was there will ever forget it."

   

• Thomas Lewis:

  "Yes, a truly sad and another tragic moment in Glasgow speedway. Was also present on this most tragic night at Hampden Park, and occasionally flicks past my speedway memory. Having lived many years overseas I do lose contact with the day to day of the sport however some of the magic moments seen at Hampden, and there were very many, happily dampen this tragedy. One of my angry recollections was the coverage from the local press, Daily Record, Evening Times etc., giving extensive full page coverage of what happened, and in general to a sport which was largely ignored by them.

  Looking back on facts and comments from the article I must also show my deception and perhaps dissapointment of the attitude shown by the promotion of the time, as I very clearly remember Neil McFarlane giving his very emotional discourse / speech at the very end of the meeting, although it would appear that they were already very well aware, for qute a considerable amount of time that Svein had in fact deceased from the tragic accident. It ocurred on the entrance of the first bend where Svein clipped the rear wheel of Martin Ashby and was hurled head first, into the then very solid wooden, safety fence None of this of course bears much relevance and will most certainly not alter history. Fond, and on this ocassion in particular, very sad memories, and on reflection a very bitter taste indeed of cinicism from the erstwhile promotion. The show must go on. "

   

• Grant Crawford:

  "Mr Lewis have you ever thought the fact for the delay in making the announcement at Hampden that tragic evening was down to the fact that The Promotion wanted to inform Svein's next of kin before making a public announcement? Having talked to various riders who rode that evening, including family members, not all were fully aware of the seriousness of the accident and had they been they certainly would not have ridden on. I was there as an 11 year old and it's not something I ever want to experience again and would hope no one ever witnesses such a sad occurence. "

   

• Thomas Lewis:

  "Good day Mr. Crawford, I would certainly consider agreeing with your comment about perhaps trying to contact next of kin, althguogh in the 70's I am not sure if communication was that poor they could not locate any of the family by telephone quickly, even in distant Norway, which would maybe aliviate my declared perception, however the rest I am not quite so sure of......................

  Those were the days of amatuer and very dedicated enthusiastic St John's Ambulance Brigade atendees for medical back up on the track, no paramedics and supporting life support equipment in the ambulances, except perhaps an oxygen bottle. Only the track Doctor would be an authority on these issues. However my recollection is that unfortunately given the very extensive time taken to remove the unlucky and unfortunate Mr Kassa, it was more than plain to all present that this was not a routine or simple accident, and was in fact very, very serious indeed.

  I am sure that the riders must surely have had some notion of the seriousness and doubts whilst watching the progress of the operation on the track. Just considering the ammount of people who were surrounding the area, and as mentioned the time taken to remove Sven from the track, unfortunately does not perhaps coincide with your understanding or memory of the events, independentaly with whom you may have or not discussed this with recently.

  My full agreement however on your standpoint is that it was horrific to witness, and without doubt nobody who loves speedway, as I still do, would remotely like to even think of such a tragedy such as this. My original ending statement I still think reveals my particular thoughts of the very sad, and as I still think, cynical end to the evening's events. It is most certainly not my intention to either offend, pricipally so long after such a horrific and difficult situation, it was very tragic and, as mentioned, none of these opinions will alter the tragic history unraveled during the evening.

  I was quite a bit older than your declared age at the time, and although maybe a bit naieve, although most definitely not overly so. When reflecting on this ocurrence unfortunately the taste of biterness still remains surrounding the events commented in my previous corespondence!

  The show must go on! Hope maybe to see you around Ashfield, if I can manage next year - still love the sport and try to catch up every year, visiting the UK and other European countries where the sport is showcased, and British Sppedway should have a look at where its going to survive. Poland for example is thriving, perhaps the most popular sport in the country, and it's a pleasure to see enthusiastic and very large crowds packing the stadia in that country. "

   

• Bill Elliot:

  "Disappointed to see that Mr Lewis continues to rake over the details and aftermath of the tragic death of Svein Kaasa in 1972 at Hampden Park. Knowing some of the people involved behind the scenes at that time I'm in no doubt at all that everything possible was done both to try and save him and, ultimately, let spectators know as soon as was possible rather than, as he seems to be alluding to, get the meeting completed before giving the awful news, as if, 41 years later, that has any significance. All that matters is that Svein was killed, a lot of folk to this day remember what they saw that night(to this day, every time I see a rider go down I hold my breath until I see him moving, a direct result of my own experience that night), and I don't really want to read about folk suggesting that ulterior motives got in the way of showing due respect to what happened at the time."

   

• Jim Henry:

  "Minor nit pick BUT in Scotland we don't have St Johns Ambulance Brigade. The Scottish equivalent is St Andrews Ambulance Brigade."

   

• Andrew Gallon:

  "Andrew Gallon on Svein Kaasa: Howard Jones shed a fair amount of light on this tragic incident in issue 11 - Glasgow, Hampden Park - of his Pocket Size History of Defunct Speedway Tracks. Howard quotes Jim McMillan, Svein's partner in the ill-fated race: "I saw someone down but returned to the pits. At the time I didn't think much about it. We were told later that he (Svein) died in the dressing room but that was kept from us. As far as we were concerned, he was rushed to hospital." Howard also spoke to Dick Barrie, the track announcer. Dick refers to Svein being "catapulted into the fence" and adds: "He (Svein) was rushed to the dressing rooms and then to the nearby Victoria Infirmary but Dr Collier (the long-time Tigers track doctor) later admitted he was dead on the track." I visited the 'new' Hampden several years ago, to watch a football match, and was surprised and very pleased to see the memorial to Svein just inside the main entrance. "

   

• Thomas Lewis:

  "Good day Mr Elliot, Not raking over in the slightest, as I in fact did mention in my first contribution "all of this is now totally irrelevant" given that nothing will turn back the page of time and the events of that oh so tragic evening. Also in my own defence please kindly note that I have never in any way even remotely suggested that everything possible was not done, or tried, to save Sven, only observations about how things were at that period in time. My last "raking over" was in fact an answer to a Mr Crawford's comments directed towards my initial correspondence and myself, and I would in fact understand I do have a right to reply, as I am also now doing to your contribution to the debate which seems to have been unfortunately installed. Like yourselves I have the right to view the past from a different perspective, although not perhaps through rose tinted glasses.

  Not everything was in fact rosy from the promoters in those days, as may be seen from some of the severely scathing comments now revealed in various books from both riders and promoters of the age. Also completely like yourself whenever I see any accident on the track I also am very concerned until such times as the rider is seen to be OK. I am not out to see either accidents or horrific crashes when I go to watch speedway, which as mentioned is all too infrequent these days given that I do live overseas, but racing. I will have no further comments to make on this particular subject matter, as I am sure will relieve you from your declared "disappointed" standpoint.

  On a lighter note I do avidly follow most of the comments from veteran Glasgow supporters mto this site (which is excellent), some who I do remember from the past, and who do in fact seem to contribute quite a few of the articles and comments in the readers columns. You, in particular, I do note are a very regular contributor to the various topics which appear on the site. Regards "

   

• Ben:

  "My wife and I were sitting in the South Stand at Hampden that fateful night, and 41 years later, we can still recall the terrible crash which took the life of our young Norwegian Rider Svein Kaasa. Speedway can be so wonderful, yet also heartbreaking, and that night was truly heartbreaking. We will never forget young Svein Kaasa. "

   

• Thomas Lewis:

  "Sorry Jim, Absolutely correct, my faux pas"

   

• Anonymous:

  "Hvil i fred. Know you're missed."

   

• Gunhild Kaasa:

  "So many beautiful words <3 I missed my brother very much, so this was a good reading... Svein Harald, you will always be with us. "

   

• Ian (Tich) McLean:

  "Nice to hear from Gunhild Kassa, brother of Svein. I don't think any rider was held with such great affection as Svein, given the short time that he rode for the Tigers. I hear that some of Svein's relatives may be making a visit to Glasgow."

   

• Carolyn:

  "I was a regular Visitor at Hampden every Friday and followed the Glasgow Tigers for years in my teenage years. I used to sit down at the Pits with the Blantyre group that came in on one of Beaton's coaches. I remember the awful night of the crash well, it was right in front us all. We had been having a laugh with Sven just before he went out to race, he signed my autograph book and put on what he said was his nickname from home. From memory it was ' Kopi or Topi', so long ago I have forgotten exactly. He was such a lovely friendly person . We ranged from 9 to about 14 and he always had time for us and shared a laugh from the Pits. I never have forgotten that night, so tragic . So glad to hear there is a plaque in his name at Hampden. Still makes me sad even after all these years."

   

• Ian Graham:

  "Great article. Obviously a few differing opinions here on the "show must go on" theme which I won't go into. Carolyn's reply resonates with me. I was present the night Denny Pyeatt was killed at Hackney in 1982 (I was aged 18 then). It's 33 years ago but I remember it in absolute detail just as you obviously do Svein's crash Carolyn. I don't think those memories ever leave us. I remember vividly having to duck out of the way of parts of his bike which disintegrated after hitting the 4th bend lamp standard at the pit exit. That meeting (Hackney v Reading) was abandoned immediately by a devastated Len Silver, the difference between that and Svein's crash being it was very obvious to everyone just how serious Denny's crash was."

   

• Terry Craddock:

  "Great read, thank you."

   

• Gro Merete Eilefsen:

  "Thank you for this great article. Even though I never met my uncle, he is not forgotten."

   

  [ Use Mobile Version ]

   

   

   

  Submit a Comment on this Article

  Email us: speedwayplus@hotmail.com

  X/Twitter: @_speedwayplus_

  Go Back to Main Menu

   

   

   Please leave your comments on this article (email address will not be published)

Name:  Email Address: 

Your Comment