Geoff Mardon
{{Short description|New Zealand motorcycle speedway rider}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=December 2023}}
{{Infobox Speedway rider
| image =
| name= Geoff Mardon
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1927|11|24|df=yes}}
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2015|08|06|1927|11|24|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Christchurch, New Zealand
| death_place = Christchurch, New Zealand
| years1 = 1951
| career1 = Aldershot Shots
| years2 = 1952–1954
| career2 = Wimbledon Dons
| years3 = 1959
| career3 = Southampton Saints
| indivyear1 = 1954
| indivhonour1 = Brandonapolis
| indivyear2 = 1964
| indivhonour2 = New Zealand Champion
| teamyear1 = 1954
| teamhonour1 = National League Champions
| teamyear2 = 1953
| teamhonour2 = National Trophy
| teamyear3 = 1954
| teamhonour3 = RAC Cup Winner
}}
Geoffrey Cyril Mardon (24 November 1927 – 6 August 2015) was a New Zealand motorcycle speedway rider.{{cite web | url=http://www.speedwayplus.com/GeoffMardon.shtml | title=Riders to Remember....Geoff Mardon | date=13 August 2009 | accessdate=13 August 2015 | author=Holmes, Tracy | url-status=dead| archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150914015936/http://www.speedwayplus.com/GeoffMardon.shtml | archivedate=14 September 2015 | df= }}Crozier, I. "The first of the kiwi greats" in Ivan Mauger's Speedway Spectacular. London: Pelham. {{ISBN|0-7207-0725-0}} He earned 10 caps for the New Zealand national speedway team.{{cite web |url=https://britishspeedway.co.uk/docs/Ultimate_Index_1929-2022.pdf |title=Ultimate rider index, 1929-2022 |website=British Speedway |access-date=27 August 2024}}
Career
Mardon began riding at the Aranui Speedway in Christchurch in 1949, the same track that would later start the careers of World Champions and fellow Christchurch natives Barry Briggs and Ivan Mauger. He moved to England in 1951 and joined the third division team, Aldershot Shots.{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001746/19510223/001/0001 |title=Walthamstow rider joins Aldershot speedway team |website=Aldershot News |date=23 February 1951 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription |access-date=27 August 2024}} He qualified as second reserve for the 1951 World Final. The following year he moved up the first division to ride for the Wimbledon Dons. He rode in the 1953 World Final and finished in 3rd place.Bamford, R. & Shailes, G. (2002). A History of the World Speedway Championship. Stroud: Tempus Publishing. {{ISBN|0-7524-2402-5}} In 1954 Mardon was the third highest individual points scorer in the National League. 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.
At the beginning of 1955 he decided to retire and live in New Zealand. After a four-year break 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.
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 race.{{cite book|last=Vercoe|first=Graham|title=The Golden Era of New Zealand Motor Racing|publisher=Reed|date=1993|page=84|isbn=0790003023}} 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 and the New Zealand Gold Star Championship.{{cite news|title= Obituary: Trail-blazer for three Canty World champions|newspaper=The Press|location=Christchurch| date=24 October 2015|page=44}}
He died on 6 August 2015 in Christchurch.{{cite web|title=RIP - Geoff Mardon |url=http://www.mnz.co.nz/news/news-detail/2015/08/12/rip---geoff-mardon |publisher=Motorcycling New Zealand |accessdate=15 August 2015 |url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150823110017/http://www.mnz.co.nz/news/news-detail/2015/08/12/rip---geoff-mardon |archivedate=23 August 2015 |df= }}
World final appearances
Mardon had four appearances in world championship finals:Jones, M. (1979). World Speedway Final : a history from 1929. London: MacDonald & Jane's. {{ISBN|0-354-08551-4}}
- 1951 - {{flagicon|ENG}} London, Wembley Stadium - Reserve - Did Not Ride
- 1953 - {{flagicon|ENG}} London, Wembley Stadium - 3rd - 12pts
- 1954 - {{flagicon|ENG}} London, Wembley Stadium - 11th - 5pts
- 1959 - {{flagicon|ENG}} London, Wembley Stadium - 10th - 6pts