Finnish News

[f-s-p]

Thank you for the comprehensive coverage of speedway in Finland, and hope Edinburgh goes well.

 

But I have one question:

 

What happened to LahtiForssa'a last two meetings in the Kapunki Cup. The league table at the end of July shows three matches outstanding, but details of only one more fixture.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Meetings between LF-Kauhajoki and Seinäjoki-LF were left out (never ridden) from the final table. These because of weather and in the end no time. more details to follow. No full results from the KC final yet. Well, it's only been a couple of weeks! How do you get yours? Everything by the minute? WOW!... rubbishe---

[f-s-p]

ATV Speedway Seinäjoki 29.9.2007 (as in AllTerrainVehicles on four wheels)

 

Tommi Niemelä 2222 8

Janne Rantala 1221 6

Jouko Pollari 2210 5

Mikko Koskinen 1d22 5

Tuomo Väli-Torala 2111 5

Jukka Pakkala 111N 3

Tuomo Mäkelä 0002 2

Ville Tammela 0101 2

Mika Katajamäki 000T 0

 

Erä erältä:

1. Väli-Torala, Pakkala, Tammela 75,81

2. Niemelä, Koskinen, Katajamäki 72,35

3. Pollari, Rantala, Mäkelä 74,76

4. Niemelä, Väli-Torala, Mäkelä 70,96

5. Pollari, Pakkala, Katajamäki 73,67

6. Rantala, Tammela, Koskinen d 73,35

7. Rantala, Väli-Torala, Katajamäki 73,04

8. Koskinen, Pakkala, Mäkelä 73,49

9. Niemelä, Pollari, Tammela 74,29

10. Koskinen, Väli-Torala, Pollari 74,29

11. Mäkelä, Tammela, Katajamäki 79,70

12. Niemelä, Rantala 70,73

Semifinaali: Pollari, Väli-Torala, Pakkala, Koskinen 73,72

Finaali: Niemelä, Rantala, Väli-Torala, Pollari 70,91

Katsojia 98

Edited October 1, 2007 by f-s-p

[f-s-p]

The oneoff final of the Kaupunki Cup was staged on the 16th of September at Haapajärvi. Today I received the scorecard and I'm now able to write the heat by heat details.

 

Seinäjoki 61

Joni Keskinen 133333 16

Niko Siltaniemi 32222 11

Rene Lehtinen 33333 15

Mikko Koskinen 22FN 4

Petteri Koivunen 23312 11

Pasi Mattila 3001 4

 

Kauhajoki 28

Markku Autio 21T2^221 10

Jere Mattila 01013 5

Juho Ruuska 12110 5

Olli Heikkilä 01002 3

Reino Koivuluoma 2N120 5

 

Erä erältä:

1. Siltaniemi, Autio, Keskinen, Mattila 65,56

2. P.Mattila, Koivuluoma 77,31 (thats 16 seconds off the track record)

3. Lehtinen, Koskinen, Ruuska, Heikkilä 64,48

4. Keskinen, Koivunen, Autio 64,71

5. Lehtinen, Koskinen, Mattila, Autio T 64,63

6. Keskinen, Siltaniemi, Koivuluoma 66,16

7. Koivunen, Ruuska, Heikkilä, P.Mattila 66,61

8. Lehtinen, Siltaniemi, Autio^, Mattila 64,84

9. Lehtinen, Koivuluoma, Koskinen F 65,93

10. Keskinen, Siltaniemi, Ruuska, Heikkilä 65,12

11. Koivunen, Autio, Mattila, P.Mattila 68,36

12. Lehtinen, Siltaniemi, Ruuska, Heikkilä 65,66

13. Keskinen, Autio, Koivunen, Koivuluoma 64,82

14. Mattila, Heikkilä, P.Mattila 71,97

15. Keskinen, Koivunen, Autio, Ruuska 64,75

Crowd of about 90

 

Kaupunki Cup final table

Joukkue___M_____+____/_-_____P

Pori_________6_____302__-__244__16

Seinäjoki_____5_____211__-_152___13

Kauhajoki____5_____185__-__179___12

LahtiForssa___4_____155__-__211___9

 

Meetings_________________A________B_____Aggregate

LahtiForssa - Seinäjoki____31-59_____rain_____31-59

LahtiForssa - Kauhajoki____rain_____39-53_____39-53

LahtiForssa – Pori________48-45_____37-54_____85-99

Pori - Seinäjoki__________49-41_____42-51_____91-92

Pori - Kauhajoki__________53-33_____59-34_____112-67

Seinäjoki - Kauhajoki_____58-31_____36-55_____94-86

 

No aggregate bonuses in the table and the series points system was as idiotic as 3 points for a match winner a 2 for losing

 

Averages after the season

Rider..................M...P....H.....Average

Rene Lehtinen.....4...57...20...11,40

Jari Mäkinen........5...66...24...11,00

Petri Koskela.......4...45...18...10,00

Kalle Katajisto.....3...40...18...8,89

Marko Suojanen...5...51...23...8,87

Tero Aarnio.........3...31...14...8,86

Joni Keskinen......6...64...29...8,83

Appe Mustonen...7...57...29...7,86

Markku Autio.......6...53...28...7,57

Niko Siltaniemi.....6...48...26...7,38

Timo Villanen.......5...35...21...6,67

Janne Nyman.......4...30...18...6,67

Aarni Heikkilä.......4...38...23...6,61

Petteri Koivunen...7...41...28...5,86

Kalle Kivistö.........3...19...13...5,85

Alexander Edberg...4...36...25...5,76

Tomi Kauppi.........5...18...13...5,54

Roope Mattsson...3...15...12...5,00

Jonne Perälä.......3...12...12...4,00

Juho Ruuska.......4...17...18...3,78

Jouni Viljanen......6...24...27...3,56

Tero Villanen.......4...13...15...3,47

Esa Yrjölä............4...14...17...3,29

J-E Korkeamäki...4...9...12...3,00

Toni Stenberg......3...9...12...3,00

Ari Tuomisto.........4...11...16...2,75

Jere Mattila..........3...8...13...2,46

Mika Vuoristo.......3...6...11...2,18

Olli Heikkilä..........4...9...18...2,00

Johan Ahponen....3...3...10...1,20

Pasi Mattila..........3...4...15...1,07

 

Juha Mäkelä........2...16...8...8,00

Jani Eerikäinen....2...18...9...8,00

Joni Kitala............2...11...8...5,50

Markku Weckman...2...7...7...4,00

Jonny Korpela......2...3...7...1,71

Benny Johansson.1...14...5...11,20

Teemu Lahti..........1...11...6...7,33

Dennis Dahlborg...1...10...6...6,67

Mikko Koskinen....1...4...3...5,33

Reino Koivuluoma...1...5...4...5,00

Heikki Tapani........1...4...5...3,20

Mika Suojanen......1...0...2...0,00

Jukka Nieminen....1...0...3...0,00

Jani Mäkelä..........1...0...0...0,00

Three meetings to qualify

 

Combined 1207 people paid to see the Kaupunki Cup and that gives an average of 121/meeting. Same figures for the Extraliiga was 2189 giving an average of 182 for the 12 matches.

 

The Finnish season has now finished then.

 

This thread is also close to it's last post's which will include the final reviews of Finnis riders.

Edited October 4, 2007 by f-s-p

[f-s-p]

Here's the Champioship table form the 80cc Cup.

Rider....................Club...........................................Total

Jarkko Palmi.........SeMK...16...(-)...20...25...25...25...111

Timo Lahti.............KMMK...20...25...25...(-)...16...20...106

Vili Hautala............KauhjMK...13...10...(9)...16...20...16...75

Tomi Lahti.............KMMK...(11)...16...16...13...13...13...71

Jiri Nieminen..........SsMK...-...-...13...20...11...11...55

Vikke Kuhanen......SsMK...(6)...13...10...11...10...9...53

Mika Loppi.............SeMK...25...20...-...-...-...-...45

Vili Mattila.............KauhjMK...7...-...11...10...7...10...45

Eetu Neuvonen......SsMK...9...9...8...9...6...-...41

Toni Hemmila........SsMK...8...11...-...-...8...-...27

Miikka Hyyryläinen.SsMK...10...-...-...-...-...8...18

Jari Tapani............FMS...-...-...-...-...9...-...9

 

These are the final averages from the 80 cc meetings in 2007. Seven meetings in total after the team final was crapped because not enough teams wanted to do it.

Rider.................M...P......H....average

Jarkko Palmi.......5...69...25...2,76

Timo Lahti...........6...82...30...2,73

Mika Loppi...........3...39...15...2,60

Tomi Lahti...........7...66...33...2,00

Vili Hautala..........7...60...33...1,82

Jiri Nieminen........5...39...22...1,77

Toni Hemmilä.......4...25...17...1,47

Jari Tapani...........2...11...8...1,38

Eetu Neuvonen.....5...24...18...1,33

Vikke Kuhanen.....7...38...29...1,31

Vili Mattila............5...25...20...1,25

Reima Heikkilä.....1...5...4...1,25

Miikka Hyyryläinen...2...10...8...1,25

Edited October 4, 2007 by f-s-p

[f-s-p]

Here's the review of the finnish riders from 2007. I tried to be as objective as I can (isn't always the case )... The riders are in the order in which they finished in the Extraliiga.

 

Juha Hautamäki KEITTIÖPISTE/8/133/47/11,32

The current Finnish Champion and the #1 in averages. Rides in the Swedish Allsvenskan too. Really hard to say how good he would be in the UK but he can challenge anyone here on the Finnish track. Has said that he wont start racing in Britain until he thinks he’s good enough to just go and start scoring straight away. Will that ever happen, who knows. He’s not old yet and has improved a lot in the past few years. Has very good machinery

 

Tero Aarnio KEITTIÖPISTE/7/75/31/9,68

Has talked about becoming a pro for ten years now. He’s good but not that good as someone said to me earlier this year. Has suffered a lot from mechanical problems and that’s about 60-40 his own fault. Got his engines sorted this summer and did well after disappointing start to the season. Will he ever really make it, who knows?

 

Rene Lehtinen KOTKAT/6/67/28/9,57

There something lacking in his performances, since I never see him do anything spectacular. If anything he folds under pressure/is a bit soft as history shows. BUT he finished the Extraliiga as the 3rd in the averages so he has to do something right! His bikes are a bit iffy but he rarely has to stop a heat due to engine failures or other reasons. I think he has bigger plans for himself in longtrack rather than speedway.

 

Tomi Reima KOPPARBERG/7/79/37/8,54

One of our old guard. Good bikes and a solid scorer. Isn’t afraid to ride man-to-man if necessary but I do believe that in the future there will be gaps he will not try to take the advantage of.

 

Jyri Palomäki KOPPARBERG/7/68/33/8,24

See Reima

 

Juha Mäkelä KEITTIÖPISTE/6/41/20/8,20

See Palomäki

 

Teemu Lahti KEITTIÖPISTE/6/44/22/8,00

#2 Prospect for Finnish speedway. Decent bikes, a good gater and has improved his racing. Disappointing season in terms of number of meetings both In Finland and abroad but three national level podium finishes speaks of his talent and level of racing.

 

Jari Mäkinen PAHOLAISET/8/88/48/7,33

#1 Finnish prospect. Has had a very busy season and plans for a busier next season. Dominated the U21 final but missed due to other commitments the other national finals. Good bikes that are only getting better for next season.

 

Joni Keskinen KOTKAT/7/53/34/6,24

Rides well on certain tracks and worse if the conditions arent that good. Is a bit soft if things get tight and that can be seen on first bends regularly. His bikes are ok, if not better.

 

Marko Suojanen PAHOLAISET/7/34/24/5,67

Fast today and 30RRR tomorrow. Has some problems with his machinery and that keeps him at his current level.

 

Kalle Katajisto JOKERIT/3/21/16/5,25

#3 at the prospect list. Havent seen him enough to comment, especially since he’s ridden in the UK after the U21 final here. Good bikes, cant gate (still, I hear but isn't afraid to race)

 

Aki-Pekka Mustonen PAHOLAISET/6/30/23/5,22

#4 prospect. Took big steps this season and started to take points instead of getting them on a silver platter. Bikes are if not crap not far from it but if he wants to he could move up on the prospect list next year. If he only would concentrate his efforts on one motorcycle discipline he could become good in that.

 

Petri Koskela PAHOLAISET/8/47/37/5,08

Rides well at his hometrack. He’s fast when it’s hard and slick and hard to pass, but rarely makes a move himself no matter what the conditions.

 

Jani Eerikäinen JOKERIT/4/19/16/4,75

Improved a lot this season but still isn’t all that good. Suffered a few injuries too. His machinery isn’t that great, but I believe his ambitions are not in speedway either.

 

Timo Villanen KOPPARBERG/4/15/13/4,62

Younger of the brothers. His riding looks like speedway but he’s doing it on a moped.

 

Petteri Koivunen KOTKAT/4/15/14/4,29

1st division standard

 

Joni Kitala HAUKAT/3/16/15/4,27

Don’t know what will become of him. Had a wrist injury in 2005 and stayed away last year. Came back this season and started racing again. Rarely uses full throttle. 1st division standard

 

Markku Autio JOKERIT/6/31/30/4,13

Better than his average shows, rides a factory standard JRM. Under the right training could improve a lot.

 

Mikko Rahko KOPPARBERG/5/14/14/4,00

1st division standard

 

Niko Siltaniemi HAUKAT/8/37/39/3,79

Improved his performance a lot during the season. Is currently on the same straight as Mustonen-Lahti pairing when the chequered flag is wawed.

 

Mikko Koskinen KOTKAT/3/7/8/3,50

1st division standard

 

Aarni Heikkilä HAUKAT/6/21/28/3,00

Has been trying hard but something hasn’t quite clicked yet, that’s why his average is so low. Bikes are OK. 1st division standard

 

Kalle Kivistö HAUKAT/8/16/31/2,06

Looked great in 2006 but then faded as the season was ending. This season wasn’t able to challenge at all, instead kept fading… His bikes are fading too…1st division standard

 

Janne Nyman HAUKAT/5/9/23/1,57

He can race but there’s something lacking. We’ll see next year. 1st division standard

 

Juho Ruuska JOKERIT/6/6/28/0,86

1st division standard.

 

Jan-Eric Korkeamäki JOKERIT/4/3/17/0,71

Gets lapped by Laukkanen at Seinäjoki.

 

Olli Heikkilä JOKERIT/3/1/12/0,33

Gets lapped by Laukkanen at Seinäjoki.

 

Kaj Laukkanen KOTKAT/2/27/9/12,00

you all know him.

 

Vesa Hyyryläinen JOKERIT/1/2/2/4,00

No comment, 1st division rider

 

Markku Weckman HAUKAT/2/4/7/2,29

No comment, 1st division rider

 

Jukka Nieminen JOKERIT/1/2/4/2,00

No comment, 1st division rider

 

Jonny Korpela JOKERIT/1/1/4/1,00

I think he just started speedway this season.

 

Tero Villanen KOPPARBERG/2/1/5/0,80

1st division standard

 

Jouni Viljanen PAHOLAISET/1/0/2/0,00

1st division standard

 

Toni Stenberg KEITTIÖPISTE/1/0/1/0,00

1st division standard

 

Jonne Perälä JOKERIT/1/0/4/0,00

1st division standard

 

Questions could be answered...

[Puma23]

Was 1 Divisioona this year ?

 

If it was please let me know final table 2007 and riders who rode.

[f-s-p]

Go back for a few pages and check for Kaupunki Cup. Thats our 1st division. The reason why it's called Kaupunki Cup is because Challenge matches between cities have a license that cost's nothing compared to a league or division match.

 

Riders were free to ride in any team they chose, this today and that tomorrow so I left the team names off the average list.

[Puma23]

Cheers Mate

[pugwash]

.

 

Jari Mäkinen PAHOLAISET/8/88/48/7,33

#1 Finnish prospect. Has had a very busy season and plans for a busier next season. Dominated the U21 final but missed due to other commitments the other national finals. Good bikes that are only getting better for next season.

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

"About my next season, I will ride in Allsvenskan in Sweden. Of course there is one thing which is shining in my eyes... It is a dream to be racing for some club in UK! "

 

What's the inside information on Jari for 2008?

Any chance of a UK team place?

Any chance of a Polish team place? Especially after his good showing at that practice session at Rybnik.

[f-s-p]

"About my next season, I will ride in Allsvenskan in Sweden. Of course there is one thing which is shining in my eyes... It is a dream to be racing for some club in UK! "

 

What's the inside information on Jari for 2008? Any chance of a UK team place?

Any chance of a Polish team place? Especially after his good showing at that practice session at Rybnik.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

There were people in Edinburgh to see him, shame he only showed them how to hit the fence. He will try again this weekend in Glasgow in the Ashfield Classic. I believe things look good for UK next season.

 

Polish contract is a possibility, nothing certain yet, not even an offer on the table. Equipment wise he's set for next season, unless he hits the fence again.

 

Masarna.nu has him as a certain starter for Örnarna in the Allsvenskan. This isn't news since he was lowering his average by retiring his heats late in the season this year.

 

Every team in Finland is after him... Only problem is the money, which is a joke for a rider trying to gather money to buy better parts for his bikes and trying to establish himself in other leagues and countries.

[f-s-p]

Seinäjoki Speedway in clips here.

 

Went through them quickly and have to say that Mustonen and Siltaniemi looked good.

Edited October 17, 2007 by f-s-p

[Puma23]

I try to find final table Divisioona 1 of 2002 and 2000 ?

 

Anyone can help me ?

[f-s-p]

I try to find final table Divisioona 1 of 2002 and 2000 ?

 

Anyone can help me ?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

2000

2002

[Puma23]

Thank you f-s-p

 

Maybe you have list of riders with avarages ? If you do not have avarages send me although list of riders.

[f-s-p]

Finland to follow Denmark?

 

The Finnish season was discussed last saturday at Tampere between the powers that be and the clubs that were present.

 

Extraliiga didn't get a great review, but that was the fault of the clubs that wanted it to be ridden the way it was. This was well known even before the meeting.

 

Updating this year's league format with the knowledge gathered wasn't an option however for next year. Yrjö Laukkanen as our #1 decleared that the Danish format is the way forward, teams have until December 15th to tell whether they take part or not. If not enough teams come forward (minimum 4) there wont be a league next year, but other competitions only. He had nothing to back his opinion, just a spreadsheet he had copied from the internet and the fact that he's been to a couple of the meetings. No feedback from Denmark on if it was good or not...

 

A few dates were given and they will all still change because FIM and UEM havent declared their calendars yet. Haapajärvi got the Individual final, Forssa U21 final (held at Hyvinkää), Forssa longtrack, Vaasa Nordic longtrack (unless the danes want to keep it) and Kauhajoki got the pairs. Ice racing final will be at Seinäjoki.

 

The U21 World's qualifier is at Pori, but the date is far from certain. I dont know how much say the SML has in it, but the people at Pori are desperate to postpone it with a week or two from the date by dutchgrasstrack on another thread.

 

Then there was talk on how to get more Finnish riders in to the foreign leagues. Joni Keskinen has apparently been offered a contract to ride in the Polish 2nd division... The challenge match between Scotland and Finland was also mentioned and that Tero Aarnio looks good for a contract in the UK next season.

 

Laukkanen has a vision for the future of Finnish speedway and the future looks great!

 

But how will we get there and who's left to enjoy it...

Edited October 22, 2007 by f-s-p

[Midnight_Lady]

The challenge match between Scotland and Finland was also mentioned and that Tero Aarnio looks good for a contract in the UK next season.

 

 

Aarnio was the rider who caught my eye in that challenge match even though he didn't score much. However his average could be a sticking point.

[f-s-p]

Aarnio was the rider who caught my eye in that challenge match even though he didn't score much. However his average could be a sticking point.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The same goes with Mäkinen apparently. For what I've heard Mäkinen didn't exactly sell himself yesterday. Track conditions were against him and the track was new too... We will see...

 

Very interesting winter ahead!

Edited November 12, 2007 by f-s-p

[f-s-p]

Nothing positive to note on the Finnish speedway front... I do know that the clubs are practically laughing at the proposition to move to the Danish league format. I've been told that two from last years six clubs wont put up a team next year if the changes take place. I know a third club that wont do it either. That leaves three of which one will do it if they need to and two that will probably enter the league but fail/fold at some point.

 

The Kopparberg team that we had last year that looked better than any continental team in Europe is apparently gone now too. I remember writing something about a fallout between the "manager" and the club and the fallout became a reality when the Vaasa club recently said through their spokesman that they wont be tracking a team in next years league. When asked about "Kopparberg" he said thats a one mans team that has nothing to do with us. So read the post's starting from last November how great it looked. Now it's all gone.

 

I've been promised a "red flag"-type of column/letter in a few weeks time to voice some of the opinions in the riders camp. That will surely turn some faces red...

 

On the ice racing front I have no dates to give out but I do know that one more new bike has been bought! (iris123 loves to know this! ) hopefully the older bike has found a new owner already and we have a new rider for next season. They havent cancelled the 2006 Individual final at Oulu yet (December 29th).

[f-s-p]

The "minutes" from the annual meeting were published yesterday and they indeed clearly state that if not more than four clubs enter the league based on the Danish format there wont be a Finnish Champion at all next year. Instead other competions will be ridden. I think it was 1953 when the first Finnish league title was decided. There was a gap in the 60's and 70's but a Finnish champion has been declared every year for the past 30+ years.

 

Next year it seems there wont be one, since the man in charge thinks that we need to do it with a new format that put's 2+2 riders in each heat. The goal is to have six teams in the league and to ride on sundays with three matches taking place simultaneously and in total giving five matches both home/away. Compared to what we had last season this would mean so much more work and finances that I just cant see it happen.