f-s-p

Aakko was in a hurry but said that things just didn't work out for him this weekend. He was glad he got that point yesterday that enabled him to win the D-final which he did today too. He will ride in Assen on the saturday which is good news. Serenius suffers from high blood pressure and is on medication for that, and it is written in his license as a somesort of special clause. They had no other options but not to let him ride.

I stayed online yesterday after the broadcast. They had news and other stuff and then sports again. They interviewed one english speaking spectator too, an older gentleman with white mustache telling how they came via Moscow. So they have international viewers on site too. Just checked that Aakko had 19 GP points last year after 2/4. This time he might come up with probably 12 after 2/6. But who knows about his rides in Assen and Berlin...

Really looking forward to seeing this on www-tv...

Videos from a 2005 league meeting at Seinäjoki are now online here.

Ice racing Finnish final will be held in Oulu, 31st of March. Riders seeded straight in to the final are: Antti Aakko, Aki Ala-Riihimäki, Tommy Flyktman, Jussi Hytönen, Kai Lehtinen, Jouni Seppänen, Raimo Henriksson, Tomi Kirilov, Mika Kastren A qualifier will take place on 3rd of March in Forssa with 7+2 getting through. Riders in the qualifier: Johan Ahponen, Kai Ilkka, Timo Kankkunen, Rauli Launonen, Joni Kontoniemi, Janne Leskelä, Jarmo Malinen, Jukka Mantere, Ari Nevala, Jussi Nyrönen, Sakari Piirainen, Tommi Suolammi, Ari Tuomisto, Janne Vilponen, Christer Biskop, Jani Ahola Reserves: Esko Rantanen, Harri Saari There are a few new names in the list, thats good. I expect more than 7 going to the final, since it seems likely Lehtinen and Henriksson will not ride in the final. I'll confirm that later.

It took a long time for Aakko to get lined up, the heat might have come unexpected for him and his motor was maybe cold and slowed down after 2 laps. I've heard that might happen. I'll try and find it out by tomorrow evening.

Nice save by #1 in the final. How did Antti do in the D-final. I missed that...

I think I just sold my soul to Microsoft and made a mess of all my media settings on the computer just to see Antti give away a heat win.

Point taken. I guess this GP is more about TV then. Big stadium with bright lights. Not about the speedway traveller who likes to see (some) sights as well. Opposite to the Polish GP's which I think have both. Enjoy Dusseldorf! I'll scout Bremen for you during my easter holiday.

How very politically correctly put. Hope I spelled that right. I've been thinking about going to this one, since I could fly to Bremen with Ryanair practically from my backyard (10 km to the airport). DB would take me to Gelsenkirchen but if there's nothing else to do why bother... I wondered if you are just too picky...

So how did you rate Daugavpils then...

Dont know about that one...

You might say he's one of our "old guard". I think he's 32 and been around the sport since aged 10. He's ridden in all the Swedish leagues and was in Elitserien in the late 90's. Valsarna was his club? Been in the Finnish top 5 for some years now, alltough had a break when organizing his license and was Kaj Laukkanen's mechanic when he was in the GP's and before that too. Wont ride the full season.

Jyri Palomäki signed for Fjelstedt.

Will do... The fall Kai Lehtinen had in his opening ride in Uchaly turned out to be worse than preliminary reports suggested. He was leading his first heat and racing against Kononov (or similar) when exiting a corner a chunk of ice was cut from the surface of the track. This resulted Lehtinen getting thrown of his bike and damaging his back. With the medication he got he thought he could stay for the team event, but is now coming back to Finland and going straight to a specialist from the airport. Aki Ala-Riihimäki turned down a place in the team, so Jouni Seppänen is now trying to sort out a visa and turn up at the track.

Kalle Katajisto and Niko Siltaniemi have both stepped up from 80cc to ride the big bikes next season. Both have also found a riding berth in the Finnish Ekstaleague.

Thats 24 heats of Heat by heat details and another 40 to go along for the GP's... Nice to see that Seppänen got a place, he wasn't sure about it a week ago. His season really has been a disaster with the Golden Spike turning out to be what it is with the weather. Heard he bought new leathers, now he might have a chance to show them!

It would be great if someone could do the translating for the German version of the letters in the scorechart??? Here are the polish ones I got earlier, think it was Leliwa? Thanks anyway.. w = excluded d = engine failure u = fall t = excluded for touching tapes for example: u/4 means fall while 4th, w/2 usually means excluded for exceeding 2 min. time

They do have a policy about it, saw it in 80cc junior speedway myself. Dont know about their ice racing policy... What happened to Lehtinen??? An engine blow..? This is a tactical (much but not THAT much) move by the Finnish authorities to put Aakko straight in to the finals. We are looking for a medal. Last year plenty of people were saying that Aakko was robbed from a podium finish. By giving him a chance to prove himself again and hoping for a better result, Finland is after to organize this competion in the near future.

Went to see and chat with the Lahti brothers today. Timo starts his last season in the 80cc this summer and Teemu (current U21 champ) will be building on his last seasons success even more. Two very good prospects for Finnish speedway! Both very good riders with a very down to earth parents and other people behind them. Teemu has a contract to ride for the Gävle team in the Swedish 1st division, and I see no reason why he wouldn't be given a chance on a higher level too. Teemu has now finished college and is applying to a university (like I've said before, bright) but said he has a few years to see if speedway is worth taking a chance. And with his current rate of progressing, it is. Timo is even more into the sport, I expect big things from his as well.

Too flashy bikes? Dont remember if I posted about this already but I spoke with Aakko about the travelling in Russia. He said it's unbelievable what happens in traffic. All sorts of vehicles with or without light day and night, no respect for speed limits makes the accidents terrible looking... What ever you can think of practically. But once you get where you're going it's an OK place to visit.

Spoke with Henriksson yesterday, he's been to a magnetic scan on wednesday and has a doctors appointment early next week. The Finnish final on his home track is six weeks away and he couldn't say anything about it. In the heat where he broke his wrist Zorn and Krasnikov collided and there was only two ways for Henrikkson to react: Go through Zorn who was directly in front of him on his line or avoid the collision and go through the fence. He opted for the fence. Jouni Seppänen who was there said that Henriksson was so close to the two that he had no time to really react any other way. Also that Henriksson looked fast and had a good chance of going through. The 0 in his 3rd heat came because his front end was too soft and the suspension "bottomed" and he could not attack.

I'd be very happy if someone could point me to the place/.pdf/.doc where it states that there is this rule about max three riders from one FMR to go through in ice racing. It doesn't say that in the rule book, and it doesn't mention any wild cards either.

(unless they score well and finish so far up the field it makes a mockery of the racing.) You are kidding, right? If Aakko scores 10 on sunday and finishes 13 after the first two GP's, will he start in the 3rd as a regular?

The Kauhajoki meeting is now fully online. Jari is to be eliminated in clips 25 & 26 and 28.