Ermolenko Winds Up Fourth in World Motorcycle Final

Speedway motorcyclist Sam Ermolenko of Cypress finished fourth in the World Final Saturday night in Vojens, Denmark. Local favorite Erik Gundersen won his third world championship by taking a runoff.

Ermolenko won three of his five heat races, but was defeated by Gundersen and Hans Nielsen of Denmark and finished with 12 points.

Gundersen and defending champion Nielsen finished tied for first with 14 points but Gundersen earned the title by winning a four-lap runoff. Gundersen, world champion in 1984 and 1985, won a coin toss and elected to start the runoff on the outside of the track that was slick from showers.

Thirty-five thousand fans watched Gundersen get a great start off the line and Nielsen could never recover from the inside position.

Jan O. Pedersen of Denmark finished third with 13 points, giving the Danes the top three spots. It marked the first time that one nation had the top three finishers in the world championship since Sweden accomplished the feat in 1961.

Gundersen will lead the Danish team on Saturday night in its attempt to win its sixth straight World Team Cup at Long Beach Veterans Stadium. The Danes have won 13 consecutive world championship races--World Final, World Team Cup and World Best Pairs--dating back to 1984.

Gundersen has won 15 Federation International Motorcyclists gold medals in his eight-year career.

Ermolenko, 27, had become the first American to qualify for four consecutive world championship races. He finished third in the World Final in 1985 and 1987.