Vladimir Trofimov

Trofimov 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]