Finnish News

[f-s-p 832]

Tero Aarnio is now taking the anticipated step back. He is selling some of his equipment in order to get new one's and also changing carburettors. You can go and check out www.teroaarnio.net from his gallery, there is a video clip from Sweden from 2005 when he beats Juha Hautamäki easily. After that it's been hard for Aarnio, he has struggled badly and both 2006 and 2007 seasons have started very expensively with 2-3 blown engines in the first weeks of the season.

 

Hope he gets things sorted.

[f-s-p 832]

Jari Mäkinen crashed heavily in Målilla, Sweden at a training session last sunday. He lost control of his bike as it lifted, and was thrown back first in to the fence. His right hand got between the fence and the bikes handlebar, which caused a bad fracture of his thumb and another finger. His hand is now in plaster, and he will nurse himself back from a concussion as well, which he got himself at the same incident. He plans to return on the 28th of April at Seinäjoki.

 

Let's all hope for a speedy recovery for Jari!

[Anders 0]

Jari Mäkinen crashed heavily in Målilla, Sweden at a training session last sunday. He lost control of his bike as it lifted, and was thrown back first in to the fence. His right hand got between the fence and the bikes handlebar, which caused a bad fracture of his thumb and another finger. His hand is now in plaster, and he will nurse himself back from a concussion as well, which he got himself at the same incident. He plans to return on the 28th of April at Seinäjoki.

 

Let's all hope for a speedy recovery for Jari!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Oh no, such a shame. I had been looking forward to see him in Vetlanda (the annual 4TT) this weekend, but obviously it wasn't meant to be. Speedy recovery!

[pugwash 3,208]

No worries.

I am sure that Jari will make a swift recovery.

[f-s-p 832]

In case Anders wants he can go and have a chat with Jari in Vetlanda, since he'll be there with Örnarna. Today for sure I think, dont know about tomorrow. Jari has also commented his crash in his blog on his website.

 

On another note he told that the guys at this class (at the speedway gymnasium) have been wrecking bikes this week like there's no tomorrow! Few crashes here and there!

 

I dont really know how much that is but Jari for example has ridden so much this spring already that they have to change the piston to his engine. Some say that makes 60-70 heats, some say 100.

[f-s-p 832]

Jari Mäkinen will stay out of the action for at least one week more, hopefully two. Normal time for his fingers to heal is around 4 weeks, thats about exactly the time between the crash and the U21 qualifier.

 

Teemu Lahti is in Sweden today riding in Rospiggarna's press and practise session. The current Finnish U21 Champion has been thrown head first in to the deep end lining up with the likes of Janusz Kolodziej against Greg Hancock and co.

 

We'll see tomorrow how it went!

[f-s-p 832]

Teemu Lahti was happy with his performance at the P&P and will make the trip to Sweden again next week, when Gävle's season start's in the Swedish 1st division. At the P&P he rode alongside Kolodziej and admitted he was fast! He also crashed once into the fences in practise, didn't hurt himself though. He also had some mechanical gremlins in his #1 bike.

 

Jari Mäkinen has taken the cast of his hand and is healing well, I just hope he has the head to keep away from the bike as long as possible. His season would have started this coming weekend here in Finland, but he's not coming over.

 

I have been asking this from him for around 2 months now, but it's still not sure how he will be treated in the Swedish speedway system. When a rider is riding on a Swedish license, he'll be able to ride in all the leagues. For example Tomas H. Jonasson, who rides tuesdays in Elitserien, wednesdays in the 1st division and Thursday's in the Allsvenskan. All this is possible if the partner club contracts are there. Now Jari is a part of the MSF club that has a team in both the Allsvenskan and the 1st division. If he had a Swedish license he'd ride both leagues (if good enough of course), but he's on a Finnish license, so it's unclear if it's possible. It would be great if he could do it. His dad has been doing his bikes over here for a week or two now and heads to Sweden this friday. He's gonna be there for 2 weeks, over the U21 qualifier and the league meeting after that. But read more about him from his own site!

 

A training camp was finally held here at Seinäjoki. Candidates for the SWC team and the U19 qualifier were invited to take part, but decisions were made only about the SWC team. Some time ago there was a press release about the squad from which the team would be picked with Laukkanen, Nieminen and Kylmäkorpi all certain of their places in the team.

 

Only eight riders were present, some protesting, some just unable to take part. For the record this day had been moved around, too many times if you ask me. By a series of heats four riders took part in a final deciding the last two places in the team that will ride in Abensberg. Hautamäki and Aarnio (he was not in the squad) took the slots with Lehtinen getting the reserve place.

 

1. Laukkanen, Aarnio, Lehtinen, Petteri Koivunen 61.69

2. Hautamäki, Lahti, Joni Keskinen, Markku Autio 63.20

Final: Hautamäki, Aarnio, Lehtinen, Lahti 64.78

 

Note that the time by Laukkanen in the first one is actually very good. His track record is 61,23 from 2004 when the track was an absolute disaster in the Finnish final. From the top of my head I'd say no one has been that close to it since then.

The local club has done a lot of work with the track during the winter. 25 loads of new material have been driven to the track, and it was packed hard last week. How hard it actually is, I'll see that next sunday.

 

The track at Lahti has also been receiving some treatment, they've had a few soft spots appearing every time it rains, so they have improved the plumbing (??) a lot. Pori has also received new material as the people there have been re-doing the banking. All in all I'd say I'm hopefull/worried/excited how all the tracks will cope this season.

 

The Finnish season kicks of with the Kaupunki Cup next weekend. Rounds are staged at Hyvinkää on saturday and Seinäjoki on sunday. This "league" will be ridden by 4 teams with Elite league format of seven riders and 15 heats? The teams will consist mostly of the same riders that are in the Extraleague. For what I've seen about the teams listed, all riders are able to take part. So this summer we'll have two leagues with the same riders with different formats.

 

Jan-Erik Korkeamäki will replace Ilmo Suutari in one of the longtrack qualifiers and Juha Hautamäki will travel to the EC pairs qualifier with Laukkanen and Kylmäkorpi.

Edited May 1, 2007 by f-s-p

[Crazy Munchie 0]

is there any news on appe mustonnen?

 

haven't heard much of him since the end of 2005?

[f-s-p 832]

is there any news on appe mustonnen? haven't heard much of him since the end of 2005?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Here's some! This was his first time on a speedway bike this season. He did some "ice road racing", a bit like motoGP but on ice during the winter, and last summer he did some some road racing too. He had a very clear goal what he wanted to achieve in speedway before the end 2004, but since then he's been splitting his effort's (stands for finances too) between the ice, road and speedway. That doesn't add up too well I'm afraid.

 

ForssaLahti 48

Kalle Kivistö 3211 7

Markku Weckman 2120 5

Aarni Heikkilä 33232 13

Ari Tuomisto 011M 2

Janne Nyman N332 8

Esa Yrjölä 32022R 9

Heikki Tapani 21100 4

 

Pori 45

Marko Suojanen 1N6^RR 7

Mika Suojanen 00NN 0

Appe Mustonen 22223 12

Roope Mattsson 12131 8

Petri Koskela 33333 15

Mika Vuoristo N001 1

Johan Ahponen 1RR1N 2

 

Heat by heat:

1. Kivistö, Weckman, Suojanen, M.Suojanen 73,01

2. Yrjölä, Tapani, Ahponen, Vuoristo R 73,53

3. Heikkilä, Mustonen, Mattsson, Tuomisto 69,53

4. Koskela, Yrjölä, Tapani, Ahponen R 68,09

5. Heikkilä, Mattsson, Tuomisto, M.Suojanen 69,44

6. Koskela, Kivistö, Weckman, Vuoristo 68,53

7. Nyman, Mustonen, Mattsson, Yrjölä 70,56

8. Suojanen, Weckman, Tapani, Ahponen R 72,81

9. Koskela, Heikkilä, Tuomisto, Vuoristo 67,39

10. Mattsson, Mustonen, Kivistö, Weckman 71,90

11. Nyman, Yrjölä, Ahponen, Suojanen R 70,44

12. Heikkilä, Mustonen, Vuoristo, Tapani 69,08

13. Koskela, Nyman, Kivistö, Suojanen R 79,49

14. Mustonen, Yrjölä, Mattsson, Tapani 73,62

15. Koskela, Heikkilä, Mustonen, Yrjölä R 68,86

[f-s-p 832]

Seinäjoki 58 team pic!

Juha Mäkelä 3332 11

Joni Keskinen F222 6

Rene Lehtinen 33333 15

Aarni Heikkilä 1012 4

Tero Aarnio 3333R 12

Petteri Koivunen 3101 5

Niko Siltaniemi 1112 5

jj. Tarja Koivunen

 

Kauhajoki 31 team pic!

Markku Autio 1111 4

Jani Eerikäinen 2232R 9

Tero Villanen R010 1

Kalle Katajisto 22032 9

Timo Villanen 2120 5

J-E Korkeamäki 2001 3

Juho Ruuska 0000 0

jj. Anssi Hautala

 

Heat by heat:

1. Mäkelä, Eerikäinen, Autio, Keskinen F.rem 66,61

2. Koivunen, KOrkeamäki, Siltaniemi, Ruuska 69,19

3. Lehtinen, Katajisto, Heikkilä, Villanen R

4. Aarnio, Villanen, Siltaniemi, Ruuska 65,89

5. Lehtinen, Eerikäinen, Autio, Heikkilä 64,85

6. Mäkelä, Keskinen, Villanen, Korkeamäki 66,96

7. Aarnio, Katajisto, Koivunen, Villanen 68,50

8. Eerikäinen, Keskinen, Siltaniemi, Ruuska 66,16

9. Lehtinen, Villanen, Heikkilä, Korkeamäki 66,26

10. Mäkelä, Keskinen, Villanen, Katajisto 67,34

11. Aarnio, Eerikäinen, Autio, Koivunen 64,94

12. Lehtinen, Siltaniemi, Korkeamäki, Villanen 65,45

13. Aarnio, Mäkelä, Autio, Villanen 65,63

14. Katajisto, Heikkilä, Koivunen, Ruuska 67,68

15. Lehtinen, Katajisto, Eerikäinen R, Aarnio R 65,45

 

I didn't count bonus points, because I dont think they pay for them... Might keep track of them anyway...

 

EDIT: Video clips from the meeting here, last 6 heats.

 

A pretty good meeting at Seinäjoki today, well worth the 5 € it was to get in. Track prep was either a disaster or a perfect success, depends how you look at it. The new material put on the track is between 0-12 mm crushed granite, awful stuff! Track was very soft and it showed as the meeting progressed. But it suited the homeboys, since they had 3 members of the Finnish SWC squad and Joni Keskinen who will ride in the U21 qualifier in Sweden next week... Which brings up the question why they were taking part in a meeting, that is supposed to be organized to let the riders have a chance that cant cut it in the Extraleague.

 

Lehtinen, Mäkelä, Aarnio did as they should, rode well. Keskinen lost twice to Eerikäinen, BIG surprise as Eerikäinen (rode better than I've seen him ever!) passed him in the first one. I hurt my jaw quite badly as it hit my chest when I saw it happen... He was about to pass Mäkelä on the same lap too, but Mäkelä saw it coming and blocked it well.

 

Katajisto was fantastic. Think about K. Bjerre and take half of him off and you get the idea how KK looked on the bike! But he kept it on and attacked the track. He did admit that his arms werent quite strong enough, but he managed to hold on. Went afterwards and had a chat with him as he was changing his gear. His right thigh was deep blue all around... Siltaniemi rode less aggressively but managed also well. Autio didn't impress and Korkeamäki who is supposed to be in the Longtrack qualifier next weekend only stood out because of a new white MX- racing shirt.

 

Awful pic's I know, I'm off to the store this week!

Edited May 7, 2007 by f-s-p

[f-s-p 832]

Juha Mäkelä broke his collarbone yesterday in a crash in Sweden. His team Filbyterna met Gävle and Mäkelä collided with a fellow Finn Teemu Lahti. Apparently Lahti was on the inside as the track caught him and he hit Mäkelä as he was unable to put the bike down. Both bike's were wrecked if not 100% then not much less. More bad news since Lahti had fell earlier and was already on his 2nd bike and is supposed to ride in the U21 qualifier tomorrow. Mäkelä also was on a spare bike in that heat, using Tomi Reima's 2nd bike. Thats now wrecked too!

 

That's speedway. Mäkelä is expected to be out for 3-5 weeks.

 

EDIT: Pictures from the meeting here.. Click on fler bilder

Edited May 23, 2007 by f-s-p

[f-s-p 832]

Here's the results from last weekend.

 

Pori-LahtiForssa Kaupunki Cup 12.5.2007

Pori 54

Marko Suojanen 33212 11

Jouni Viljanen 1010 2

Appe Mustonen 3222 9

Tomi Kauppi 1313 8

Petri Koskela 33333 15

Mika Vuoristo 2011 4

Roope Mattsson 31F1 5

 

LahtiForssa 37

Kalle Kivistö 2032M 7

Markku Weckman 020 2

Aarni Heikkilä 222331 13

Ari Tuomisto 0112 4

Janne Nyman 2232R 9

Esa Yrjölä T100 1

Johan Ahponen 10F 1

 

Erä erältä:

1. Suojanen, Kivistö, Viljanen, Weckman 68,56

2. Mattsson, Vuoristo, Ahponen, Yrjölä T 70,58

3. Mustonen, Heikkilä, Kauppi, Tuomisto 66,52

4. Koskela, Nyman, Mattsson, Ahponen 65,49

5. Kauppi, Mustonen, Heikkilä, Kivistö 68,95

6. Suojanen, Nyman, Yrjölä, Viljanen 67,31

7. Koskela, Heikkilä, Tuomisto, Vuoristo 67,00

8. Kivistö, Weckman, Viljanen, Mattsson F 69,60

9. Nyman, Mustonen, Kauppi, Yrjölä 69,60

10. Heikkilä, Suojanen, Tuomisto, Viljanen 67,60

11. Koskela, Kivistö, Vuoristo, Weckman 66,00

12. Heikkilä, Mustonen, Mattsson, Yrjölä 67,10

13. Koskela, Nyman, Suojanen, Kivistö M 67,00

14. Kauppi, Tuomisto, Vuoristo, Ahponen F 71,00

15. Koskela, Suojanen, Heikkilä, Nyman R 67,50

 

 

Kauhajoki-Seinäjoki Kaupunki Cup 13.5.2007

 

Kauhajoki 55

Jani Eerikäinen 3321 9

Kalle Katajisto 223333 16

Markku Autio 2333d 11

Juho Ruuska 0211 4

Timo Villanen 2223 9

Jonne Perälä 300 3

Olli Heikkilä 1101 3

 

Seinäjoki 36

Tero Aarnio 11322 9

Toni Stenberg 0011 2

Petteri Koivunen 111 3

Niko Siltaniemi 334^2F 12

Appe Mustonen 3120 6

Jouni Viljanen 20002 4

Pasi Mattila 0000 0

 

Erä erältä:

1. Eerikäinen, Katajisto, Aarnio, Stenberg 63,59

2. Perälä, Viljanen, Heikkilä, Mattila 69,40

3. Siltaniemi, Autio, Koivunen, Ruuska 63,71

4. Mustonen, Villanen, Heikkilä, Mattila 65,40

5. Eerikäinen, Ruuska, Aarnio, Stenberg 63,50

6. Autio, Katajisto, Mustonen, Viljanen 63,39

7. Siltaniemi, Villanen, Koivunen, Perälä 64,95

8. Katajisto, Siltaniemi^, Stenberg, Heikkilä 63,26

9. Autio, Mustonen, Ruuska, Viljanen 63,55

10. Katajisto, Eerikäinen, Koivunen, Viljanen 63,76

11. Aarnio, Villanen, Stenberg, Perälä 64,77

12. Autio, Viljanen, Heikkilä, Mattila 66,15

13. Villanen, Aarnio, Eerikäinen, Mustonen 64,00

14. Katajisto, Siltaniemi, Ruuska, Mattila 65,00

15. Katajisto, Aarnio, Autio d, Siltaniemi F 63,67

 

The Extraleague starts tomorrow at Pori and then Kauhajoki on sunday. Time to update my info on the Finnish riders! Your's too when I get the time.

[f-s-p 832]

Extraleague opener today at Pori.

 

Paholaiset 31

Jari Mäkinen 32133 12

Appe Mustonen 1221 6

Marko Suojanen F 0

Petri Koskela 222^322R 13

 

Jokerit 22

Jani Eerikäinen 12222 9

Markku Autio 2101 4

Juho Ruuska 1000 1

Kalle Katajisto 11222 8

 

Kotkat 46

Rene Lehtinen 23333 14

Benny Johansson 33331 13

Joni Keskinen 331R 7

Kaj Laukkanen 3333 12

 

Haukat 10

Janne Nyman 00110 2

Kalle Kivistö 0101 2

Niko Siltaniemi 20001 3

Aarni Heikkilä 0012 3

 

Erä erältä:

1. Mäkinen, Lehtinen, Eerikäinen, Nyman **

2. Johansson, Autio, Mustonen, Kivistö **

3. Keskinen, Siltaniemi, Ruuska, Suojanen F 67,91

4. Laukkanen, Koskela, Katajisto, Heikkilä 64,40

5. Lehtinen, Koskela, Autio, Siltaniemi 66,97

6. Keskinen, Mustonen, Katajisto, Nyman 68,02

7. Laukkanen, Mäkinen, Kivistö. Ruuska 63,83

8. Johansson, Eerikäinen, Koskela^, Heikkilä **

9. JOhansson, Katajisto, Mäkinen, Siltaniemi 66,13

10. Koskela, Eerikäinen, Keskinen, Kivistö 66,67

11. Lehtinen, Mustonen, Heikkilä, Ruuska **

12. Laukkanen, Koskela, Nyman, Autio 64,71

13. Lehtinen, Katajisto, Kivistö 66,95

14. Johansson, Koskela, Nyman, Ruuska 66,75

15. Mäkinen, Heikkilä, Autio, Keskinen R 66,08

16. Laukkanen, Eerikäinen, Mustonen, Siltaniemi 64,04

17. Lehtinen, Katajisto, Siltaniemi, Koskela R 68,45

18. Mäkinen, Eerikäinen, Johansson, Nyman 68,86

** = they had problems with the timer, some heats were left without a time.

 

EDIT:

The track at Pori was packed so hard that the 12 Finnish U21 riders from the 16 riders present all were able to really ride and not just worry if the next rut would take them through the fence. I think the local people did very well in making the track as it was. I feel very encouraged by what I saw today, but I've heard that the track tomorrow at Kauhajoki is from the different end of the scale and I'll wait until monday evening until I'll start praising that Finnish speedway has been saved.

 

I will say now that when Katajisto outgated Mäkinen and Benny Johansson and kept them behind him for three laps I was very surprised. As must have Johansson been also, since he made the move to pass him as a simple "This will just not go to the record books like this" burst from the outside in turn 2 on the last lap.

Edited May 19, 2007 by f-s-p

[f-s-p 832]

2nd round at Kauhajoki today.

 

Keittiöpiste 39

Tero Aarnio R6^13R2 12

Teemu Lahti 1123 7

Toni Stenberg 0 0

Juha Hautamäki 2333333 20

Kopparberg 32

Mikko Rahko 110 2

Timo Villanen 210 3

Jyri Palomäki 3212R 8

Tomi Reima 332224^3 19

 

Jokerit 23

Jani Eerikäinen 20F 2

Markku Autio 30201 6

Juho Ruuska 1001 2

Kalle Katajisto 02334^1 13

 

Paholaiset 20

Jouni Viljanen 00 0

Petri Koskela 02R12 5

Appe Mustonen 22110 6

Jari Mäkinen 3131d1 9

 

Erä erältä:

1. Mäkinen, Eerikäinen, Rahko, Aarnio 63,34

2. Autio, Villanen, Lahti, Koskela 62,78

3. Palomäki, Mustonen, Ruuska, Stenberg 62,91

4. Reima, Hautamäki, Mäkinen, Katajisto 61,80

5. Aarnio^, Katajisto, Villanen, Viljanen 63,44

6. Reima, Mustonen, Aarnio, Autio 61,88

7. Mäkinen, Palomäki, Lahti, Eerikäinen 63,08

8. Hautamäki, Koskela, Rahko, Ruuska 61,60

9. Hautamäki, Reima, Eerikäinen F, Koskela R 60,37

10. Katajisto, Lahti, Mustonen, Rahko 63,03

11. Hautamäki, Autio, Palomäki, Viljanen 60,65

12. Aarnio, Reima, Mäkinen, Ruuska 63,09

13. Lahti, Reima, Katajisto, Mäkinen d 63,43

14. Katajisto, Palomäki, Koskela, Aarnio R 64,40

15. Hautamäki, Katajisto, Koskela, Villanen 61,86

16. Hautamäki, Reima^, Mäkinen, Autio 61,22

17. Hautamäki, Koskela, Autio, Palomäki R 61,76

18. Reima, Aarnio, Katajisto, Mustonen 62,28

Katsojia 198

 

PAHOLAISET......2...51...6

JOKERIT............2...45...6

KOTKAT............1...46...5

KEITTIÖPISTE...1...39...5

KOPPARBERG....1...32...4

HAUKAT............1...10...2

Edited May 20, 2007 by f-s-p

[f-s-p 832]

As it turned out the track at Kauhajoki pulled me down from the cloud's and returned to the real world. It looked great for the first set of heats, but the crushed granite that it's made of has not binded and holes appeared after heat 4. They had put salt and water in it, plenty, and it looked great and hard, but it just didn't hold up.

 

The younger riders did still attack it pretty well, which led to some close calls. Katajisto is still riding pretty well, but he does look a bit dangerous. Especially on a track like this, but it's a good thing he has the confidence to do it. But when his first crash come's (and it is coming), I just hope it's not a big one and not caused by a crap track. Reima was the rider to show most effort with Palomäki collecting the points with a slightly less aggressive style.

 

Eerikäinen fell on his own and hurt his knee a little and withdrew himself of the meeting. Mäkinen lifted between turns 3-4 and fell off but was OK. Hautamäki was pretty fast but was unable to win from gate 4 as Mäkinen and Reima both gated in front. Nobody won from gate 4.

 

Next meeting for me is the Kauniskangas Open on the 2nd of June (70% certain) and then the U19 qualifier at Seinäjoki on the 9th of June. Finnish riders in it are Mäkinen, Lahti and Katajisto with Mustonen (17) and Autio (18) as the reserves.

 

But I am making my last bash as s carefree student to Estonia on thursday to see Gerd Riss and co in the Alexeia2007 Longtrack meeting at the Tallinna hippodrome. Then hopefully after my medical check today is cleared I will start in my first "real" job next week after my studies finished 8 months ago.