Race Report: Finland's Enduro Series Round 4

Video: // Video & Photo Laitinen
Photography & words: // Eero Lemmelä

For the last three years Himos in Southern Finland has been the venue for the second race of the series in the spring and has earned a nickname "mudfest" amongst the riders. This year Himos was selected as the fourth race of series. This year spring and summer have been exceptionally dry in Finland so during practice the tracks were nice and dry. The weather forecast for the race day was a bit ominous but there was still a good chance for a dry race. How did it go then?

Miikka M kel giving briefing to foreign competitors.

Miikka Mäkelä was giving briefing to foreign participants

Riders getting hydrated after the practice.

In the meanwhile some of the riders were getting hydrated.

The guys at Club Alapelti had heard that enduro backpacks are out and hip packs are in. There must be something to it since the team dominated the hardtail category by occupying all the ladders of the podium.

The roots and dirt on the off-camber would have been interesting to ride when wet.

On the first stage Henri Pellinen kept the high line on the off-camber without any problems.

Santtu Nyman came second in the men's category.

Suvi Vacker rolling down a chute. Suvi took the highest step on the podium in the women s series leaving the second behind by whopping 2 34.45

Suvi Vacker going down a roller on the first stage.

Himos offered the most technical trail sections of the season. Hanna Soinila came third in the women's category.

The liaisons in Himos were all pedalled up.

The trail crew checking out how the new section on stage 4 was riding.

The trail crew in the background was checking out how the new section on stage 4 was riding while Juuso Salo was doing his best to destroy the trail.

Johanna Havula has been upping her game throughout the season. She was riding fast and came second in the women's category.

Ville Huikuri took his first podium when he came third on Sunday.

Finally the rain came for the last two stages.

Mikko Mantere was one of the many who couldn't keep the rubber side down on the off-cambers of the eighth stage.

At the first glance the trail in the woods of the last stage seemed grippy enough.

The wet ground catched some of the riders off guard on the last stage of the day too. Lauri Hulkkonen hugged a tree when he took the line over the rocks.

However, the wet ground caught some of the riders off guard. Lauri Hulkkonen hugged a tree when he took the line over the rocks.

Going around the rocks was safer choice. Aki F rm keeps dominating the men s category and took yet another win at Himos.

Going around the rocks was safer and probably faster in these conditions. Aki Färm keeps dominating the men's category and took yet another win at Himos.

Suvi Vacker took the highest step on the podium in the women's series leaving the second behind by whopping 2:34.45!

Time to let the teddy bears, err, hip packs rest for the next race at a completely new venue, Ukkohalla.

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EnduroFinland
Member since Aug 26, 2017
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