ERKKI POUTANEN (www.keskiuusimaa.fi/enduro)
JUHA SALMINEN AND PETTERI SILVAN TOOK THE CHAMPIONSHIP IN THEIR CLASSES
Juha Salminen who secured the overall championship on Saturday, and Petteri Silvan got enough points on Sunday to secure the World Championship in their classes.
The KTM rider Salminen got the championship in the 250cc 2-stroke class and Silvan in the 125cc class. It was the third individual championship for both of them. Salminen won the 125cc class last year and the year before and Silvan won the 125cc class in 1995 and the 250cc class in 1999.
Also a third World Championship for Finland is possible this year, as Mika Ahola with his VOR won the big 4-stroke class for the fourth time this year and is only one point behind Anders Eriksson.
And this is not all about the successful Finnish team. Samuli Aro was for the first time a class winner as he won the 250cc 2-stroke class on Sunday and was also number one totally. This meant that the record of totally 18 wins in a row, by Salminen, ended.
SAMULI ARO WINS OVER BOANO
The weather was sunny in the morning on Sunday but during the third special test in Lavanko the clouds started to look black and a heavy rainfall made the circuit wet again.
The Finnish Husqvarna rider Samuli Aro was the fastest on Sunday and won over Mika Ahola with 14 seconds. This means that Samuli, now third in class, leads over Jarno Boano in the 250cc 2-stroke class with 10 points. Boano was eight on Sunday.
JUHA SALMINEN HAD CHAIN-PROBLEMS
"The chains jumped off after the start of the third cross-test". Salminen lost half a minute because of this and dropped to eight position, 45 seconds behind the leading Samuli Aro. Salminen managed to raise to third position after all. This position was enough to secure the championship.
Juha Salminen continues to Sweden next week to drive the final two races. As for next year plans Salminen was not willing to comment yet, but it might be the present one or one of the 4-stroke classes.
PETTERI SILVAN WAS LUCKY
There is a strong Finnish duo in the 125cc class where Petteri Silvan, Husqvarna, took the championship again after five years and Petri Pohjamo, GasGas, has established his position at the top during this season.
The win in this class on Sunday was taken by the French Olivier Rebufie with his KTM. This was the first class win for Olivier with 2,8 seconds difference to Petteri.
"I was a bit lucky regarding the championship as Petri Pohjamo hit a stone on cross test 2" said Petteri who also looks for 4-strokers for next year.
MIKA AHOLA WINS BOTH DAYS
The Finnish VOR rider, Mika Ahola would be very near to his first world championship without the problems in Slovakia that caused a DNF there. The water and the cold weather in Vantaa made Mika a bit serious. There is no room catching a cold now, because of the tight situation with only 1 point to Eriksson.
The final race in Sweden is considered to be the home territory of Anders Eriksson but, as he pointed out, it is not his home track, as there is 1500 km distance from his home to Luleå.
JANI LAAKSONEN HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE NEW BIKE
Jani Laaksonen did not finish on either of the two days in his home race because of technical problems with his new bike. Also Stephan Peterhansel, the French class leader, had problems as he hit his knee on a stone at the same test where Jani had his problems. Peterhansel,however, was able to continue and became second on Sunday, keeping his position as a leader of the 400cc 4-stroke class.
The Swede Peter Bergvall, Yamaha, was the winner both days.