Gordon Kennett

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title: "Gordon Kennett" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1953-births", "2023-deaths", "british-speedway-riders", "english-motorcycle-racers", "speedway-world-pairs-champions", "eastbourne-eagles-riders", "exeter-falcons-riders", "king's-lynn-stars-riders", "milton-keynes-knights-riders", "oxford-cheetahs-riders", "swindon-robins-riders", "white-city-rebels-riders", "wimbledon-dons-riders", "wolverhampton-wolves-riders", "people-from-bromley", "sportspeople-from-the-london-borough-of-bromley", "20th-century-english-sportsmen"] description: "English speedway rider (1953–2023)" topic_path: "science/astronomy" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon_Kennett" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary English speedway rider (1953–2023) ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox Speedway rider"]

Field	Value
image	Gordon Kennett.jpg
name	Gordon Kennett
caption	Kennett in 1976
nationality	British (English)
birth_date
birth_place	Bromley, England
death_date
death_place	Canary Islands
years1	1970–1972, 1979–1982, 1985–1990
career1	Eastbourne Eagles
years2	1970, 1984
career2	Wimbledon Dons
years3	1971
career3	Hackney Hawks
years4	1972–1975
career4	Oxford Rebels
years5	1976–1978
career5	White City Rebels
years6	1971, 1983
career6	King's Lynn Stars
years7	1985
career7	Swindon Robins
years8	1991–1992
career8	Milton Keynes Knights
years9	1993
career9	Exeter Falcons
years10	1993–1994
career10	Wolverhampton Wolves
indivyear1	1976
indivhonour1	London Riders' Champion
indivyear2	1977
indivhonour2	Pride of the Midlands
indivyear3	1978
indivhonour3	Olympique
teamyear1	1978
teamhonour1	World Pairs Champion
teamyear2	1977
teamhonour2	League Champion (tier 1)
teamyear3	1975
teamhonour3	Midland Cup Winner
teamyear4	1971, 1986, 1987
teamhonour4	League champion (tier 2)
teamyear5	1985, 1986, 1987
teamhonour5	KO Cup (tier 2)
::

| image = Gordon Kennett.jpg | name= Gordon Kennett | caption= Kennett in 1976 | nationality = British (English) | birth_date = | birth_place = Bromley, England | death_date = | death_place = Canary Islands | years1 = 1970–1972, 1979–1982, 1985–1990 | career1 = Eastbourne Eagles | years2 = 1970, 1984 | career2 = Wimbledon Dons | years3 = 1971 | career3 = Hackney Hawks | years4 = 1972–1975 | career4 = Oxford Rebels | years5 = 1976–1978 | career5 = White City Rebels | years6 = 1971, 1983 | career6 = King's Lynn Stars | years7 = 1985 | career7 = Swindon Robins | years8 = 1991–1992 | career8 = Milton Keynes Knights | years9 = 1993 | career9 = Exeter Falcons | years10 = 1993–1994 | career10 = Wolverhampton Wolves | indivyear1 = 1976 | indivhonour1 = London Riders' Champion | indivyear2 = 1977 | indivhonour2 = Pride of the Midlands | indivyear3 = 1978 | indivhonour3 = Olympique | teamyear1 = 1978 | teamhonour1 = World Pairs Champion | teamyear2 = 1977 | teamhonour2 = League Champion (tier 1) | teamyear3 = 1975 | teamhonour3 = Midland Cup Winner | teamyear4 = 1971, 1986, 1987 | teamhonour4 = League champion (tier 2) | teamyear5 = 1985, 1986, 1987 | teamhonour5 = KO Cup (tier 2)

Gordon William Kennett (2 September 1953 – 11 September 2023) was an English motorcycle speedway rider. In 1978, he won the World Pairs Championship and finished runner-up to Ole Olsen in the 1978 Individual Speedway World Championship, at Wembley. He earned 53 international caps for the England national speedway team.

Career

Kennett began his speedway career during the 1970 British League Division Two season, after he joined the Eastbourne Eagles. He soon established himself as a heat leader and the following season in 1971, was instrumental in helping Eastbourne win the league title. Kennett, along with Malcolm Ballard and his brother Dave Kennett formed a strong trio of riders at the top of the Eastbourne averages.

In 1972, he continued to ride for Eastbourne and made his first Oxford appearance in the higher league, riding for the rebranded Oxford Rebels. Oxford paid a National League record fee of £1,500 at the time for his services. He stayed with Oxford for the next three seasons, scoring solidly but the team underperformed until 1975, when they won the Midland Cup in a dramatic competition that saw home and away draws with Swindon Robins, requiring reruns and a home and away victory over Wolverhampton Wolves to secure the trophy. On an individual basis he reached the British Speedway Championship final for the first time in 1975.

In 1976, he moved with the team known as the White City Rebels, that switched from Oxford to White City. He was captain and impressed averaging 9.69 and topping the team's averages and was now regarded as one of the sport's leading riders. In 1977, he averaged 10.41 and helped White City Rebels win the British League. He had one final season with White City, during the 1978 British League season before the team folded. However, it was during this season that Kennett recorded his greatest achievements, becoming a World Pairs champion with Malcolm Simmons and finishing second in the World Championship on 2 September 1978.

In 1979, he returned to his first club Eastbourne, topping the team averages for the next four years. He was a regular rider for England and would go on to earn 53 caps during his career.

The next couple of seasons, he rode for King's Lynn Stars and Wimbledon Dons before returning to Eastbourne again in 1985. He was now riding National League speedway and finished top of the league averages and won the Knockout Cup in the 1985 National League season. and 1987. He continued to be the number one rider at Eastbourne until the end of the 1990 season. His final season was his 25th, when he appeared for Wolverhampton Wolves in the 1994 British League.

Personal life and death

Brothers Dave Kennett and Barney Kennett also rode, as did his nephew Edward Kennett (son of Dave) and also represented Great Britain in the Speedway World Cup.

After retiring in 1995, he worked as a car mechanic. He was later a team manager for the Oxford Cheetahs, during the years that they had no home.

Kennett lived in Bexhill with his wife, Susan. He died 11 September 2023, at the age of 70, while in the Canary Islands.

World Final appearances

Individual World Championship

• 1978 - ENG - London, Wembley Stadium - 2nd - 12pts

World Pairs Championship

• 1978 - POL Chorzów, Silesian Stadium (with Malcolm Simmons) - Winner - 24pts (9)

World Team Cup

• 1978 - FRG Landshut, Ellermühle Stadium (with Malcolm Simmons / Dave Jessup / Peter Collins / Michael Lee) - 2nd - 27pts (3)
• 1981 - FRG Olching, Speedway Stadion Olching (with Dave Jessup / Chris Morton / Kenny Carter / John Davis) - 2nd - 29pts (1)

References

References

1. Oakes, P.(2004). ''British Speedway Who's Who''. {{ISBN. 0-948882-81-6
2. Bamford, R. & Shailes, G. (2002). ''A History of the World Speedway Championship''. Stroud: Tempus Publishing. {{ISBN. 0-7524-2402-5
3. "Gordon Kennett".
4. "ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022".
5. Oakes, Peter. (1978). "1978 Speedway Yearbook". Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd.
6. (4 August 1971). "Over 4,000 thrill to Louis-kennett duel".
7. Lawson, K (2018) "Rebels 1975 – The Last Season". {{ISBN. 978-0-244-99725-0
8. (27 April 1973). "Barney Fee A Record".
9. "Gordon Kennett".
10. (18 March 1976). "Gordon Kennett".
11. (23 April 1976). "Steve joins the Rebels and hopes to wow fans".
12. Lawson, K (2018) "Riders, Teams and Stadiums". {{ISBN. 978-0-244-72538-9
13. "Season 1977".
14. "1986 KO cup final".
15. (29 October 1986). "Champagne time near for Eagles".
16. (5 November 1986). "Salute the Kings of the National League". Eastbourne Gazette.
17. "Oxford Speedway legend Gordon Kennett dies aged 70".
18. (12 September 2023). "Oxford Speedway legend dies aged 70".
19. "Eastbourne Eagles speedway star Gordon Kennett dies".

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