Superstars (1973)

Thirteen of the world's most competitive sportsmen meet in a two-day marathon contest to determine the supreme all-round athlete and take the title of World Superstars Champion and a first prize of 25,000 dollars. Staged at Freeport, in the Bahamas, the competitors have the choice of contesting seven of the selected ten events. The Contestants: the defending World Superstars Champion Bob Seagren America's 1968 Olympic Gold Medallist in the pole vault. From Great Britain: Keith Fielding double rugby international and runner-up in the 1977 European Superstars Final. From Holland, Ties Krulze, Dutch Olympic hockey star and reigning European Superstars champion. From Canada, Brian Budd, 25-year-old striker in The North American Soccer League and winner of the Canadian Superstars Championship. From France, Jean-Paul Coche, judo star and bronze medallist at the Munich Olympics. From Germany: Jochen Mass one of Europe's top Grand Prix motor-racing drivers. From New Zealand: Grant Batty, star winger from the All Blacks' rugby team and winner of the New Zealand Superstars Championship. From Australia: Graham Eadie, rugby league fullback and winner of the Australian Superstars title. From America: Wayne Grimditch, three times world water-ski champion and current USA Superstars Champion, Dwight Stones, one of the world's greatest high jumpers, Dave Casper, star player from their National Football League, Ben Davidson, winner of the American Veterans' Superstars and Greg Pruitt, fastest man in American football.

Eight of Europe's top sportsmen compete in Rotterdam for a first prize of 5,000 dollars and for the right to challenge for the World title in the Bahamas. The Contenders: Ties Kruize: the Dutch hockey star and defending European Superstars champion Brian Jacks : the Olympic medallist from judo who became Britain's Superstars champion Lynn Davies : the long jump gold medallist and Britain's Past Masters champion Paul Darragh : Ireland's dynamic rider from the international show-jumping circuit Otti Roethof : Holland's champion of the world at karate Walter Godefroot : one of the great names in Belgian cycling Jacques Rousseau : the Frenchman who won the long jump gold medal at the European championships Wil Hartog : 13 times Dutch national road-racing champion

Tonight, Europe's major challenge comes from Great Britain's Past Master Lynn Davies and Superstars boxer Dave ' Boy ' Green. Sickness has forced BRIAN JACKS , co-holder of the European title, to withdraw. Staged at Freeport in the Bahamas, the competitors choose seven of the ten selected events. The Contenders: The defending World Superstars champion Brian Budd , the Canadian soccer star who has twice won his country's Superstars championship from Great Britain Lynn Davies, the Welsh athlete who won the Olympic gold medal in the Tokyo long jump, and Dave ' Boy ' Green, the European welter-weight boxing champion from Brazil Emerson Fittipaldi, twice world Grand Prix motor racing champion from New Zealand Peter Snell, one of the world's finest-ever middle-distance runners and winner of three Olympic gold medals from Mexico Rafael Septien, the football star from Dallas Cowboys from Ireland Pat Spillane, Gaelic footballer of the year and from America Dwight Stones, one of the world's greatest high jumpers, Greg Pruitt , the footballer and current USA Superstars champion, Joe Thiesmann , star player from the Washington Redskins football club, Wayne Grimditch , three-times world water ski champion, and Jim Taylor , the star from pro football and winner of the USA Veterans Superstars.

The 1980 International for the Ferguson Trophy from the Wingate Sports Institute, Netanya, Israel Brian Jacks: This year's UK Superstars champion Ties Kruize: 1977 and joint 1978 European Superstars champion from Holland Kjell Isaksson : The Swedish pole vault champion who won the first two European series Moshe Ganzi : Israeli water-ski champion Tony Ward : From Ireland, Rugby Union's Player of the Year Joop Zoetemelk : Holland's champion cyclist Patrick Abada : The Olympic pole vaulter from France. Also European and World Cup silver medallist Kork Ballington : 250 and 350cc Motor Cycling world champion

Eleven top international sportsmen from seven countries compete in this fourth World Championship. At stake - reputations and$132,000 in prize money. From Great Britain: Brian Jacks , the undefeated British and International Superstars Champion John Sherwood , the ' Past Masters ' Champion who won every event in his heat. From Canada: Brian Budd , for two years running, the World Superstars Champion. From the USA: Charles White , the USA Men's Superstars Champion who plays football for the USC Trojans Russ Francis , runner-up in the USA finals. Plays football for the New England Patriots Joe Theismann , also a footballer with the Washington Redskins Marty Hogan , twice national champion at racquetball. From Austria: Toni Innauer , Olympic Gold Medallist at the 70m ski-jump. From Switzerland: Erich Schaerer , Olympic Gold and Silver Medallist at the bobsleigh. From Israel: Moshe Ganzi , the water-ski champion from the International Superstars Championship. From Ireland: Bernard Brogan , the 1980 Irish Superstars Champion who plays Gaelic football.

Superstars champions begin the eighth year of The Superstars at the Wycombe Sports Centre. David Hemery, Olympic Gold medallist, who won the first Superstars in 1973. John Conteh won the second UK National in 1974 and the British Heat in 1976. Malcolm MacDonald, The Superstars 100m record-holder, and winner of the Swedish heat in 1975. Tim Crooks, Olympic oarsman and UK Champion of 1977. Keith Fielding, 1977 French heat winner, who went on to Europe and the 1978 World Championship. Lynn Davies, our first Past Masters champion in 1978. John Sherwood, Olympic and Commonwealth Medallist and 1979 Past Masters champion, was runner-up in the 1980 World Championship. Brian Jacks, the Champion, unbeaten in any British or European competition and holder of the European and World Superstars gymnasium tests record.

At stake,$300 a point and for the winner an additional$25,000. Great Britain: Keith Fielding, UK Superstars Champion Andy Ripley , 1981 International Superstars Champion Ireland: Declan Burns , Irish Superstars Champion Monaco: Jody Scheckter , Formula One Motor Racing Champion and runner-up in the 1981 International Canada: Gaeton Boucher , the fastest man in the world on ice and the Canadian Superstars Champion USA: Renaldo ' Skeets ' Nehemiah. world record holder in 110m hurdles and US Superstars Champion Ed Moses , world record holder, 400m hurdles Russ Francis , US footballer with the New England Patriots Peter Mueller , 1976 Olympic gold medallist for 1000m skating Rick Barry , basketball champion with the Houston Rockets Ann Meyers, basketball player and UCLA'S Athlete of the Year.

The Superstars travels more than 7,000 miles for three days of international competition. Great Britain: Andy Ripley - defending the International title he won last year; Brian Hooper - this year's UK Superstars champion. France: Rene Arnoux - one of his country's foremost Grand Prix racing drivers. West Germany: Guido Kratschmer - world decathlon record holder and Olympic silver medallist. Austria: Georg Werthner-decath lete and double record holder, specialising in the javelin. Holland: Jan van Beveren - goal-keeper with 32 international caps. Formerly with psv Eindhoven - now in Florida with Fort Lauderdale Strikers. Ireland: Gerry Loftus-their national Superstars champion. A physical training instructor with the Irish army. Hong Kong: Chung Pak Kwong the martial arts expert from their national Superstars competition. Ken Morrison - former international athlete and rugby player. The Hong Kong Superstars champion.

The United States again plays host for the sixth year of this Championship, and at Key Biscayne, under the fierce Florida sun, 12 finalists compete for a share of the$132,000 total purse. Brian Hooper, the UK and International Superstars Champion, leads the British challenge With him, Alan Lerwill, our Past Masters Champion. Against them: Jody Scheckter (South Africa), defending Champion and the 1979 Formula 1 World Motor Racing Champion... Renaldo 'Skeets' Nehemiah (USA), world record holder in the 110m hurdles, for two years the US Superstars Champion. Gerry Loftus (Ireland), Irish Superstars Champion, a trampolinist and army PT instructor Eamonn Coghlan (Ireland), world indoor mile record holder and ranked No 1 over 5,000m. Sydney Maree (South Africa), the only man to beat Steve Ovett over 1 mile since 1975; winner of the first New York Fifth Avenue Mile. Rod Dixon (New Zealand), 1500m Olympic medallist and Internanational Marathon runner. Four American footballers all qualified through the US Final: James Lofton of the Green Bay Packers; US Superstars runner-up. Dwight Clark , wide receiver with this year's Superdome winners-the San Francisco 49ers. Chris Collingsworth , three-times All American Footballer and finalist in this year's Superbowl. Mark Gastineau , defender with New York Jets, is 6ft 5ins, weighs 19½stone and has been timed at 4.69 sees over 40 yards