Winter Jumps Series Rd1 – Report

The opening round of the Finnish Winter Jumps Series was held last weekend. The event was held at the Vaasa indoor track, one of four slippery tracks in the series this season while races 5 and 6 will be held on EOS type carpet tracks. Friday was the official practise day and the fastest cars on track were the buggies of last season’s double champion, Konsta Saarinen and it seemed that Konsta could challenge multiple EOS A-main driver Joona Haatanen during the weekend. The 2WD race started on Saturday in Joona’s command. Joona TQ’d all four rounds, local star Oskari Mäki was 2nd and Konsta 3rd after the qualifications. In the finals Joona continued to dominate by winning all three A-mains. Konsta came in 2nd while Oskari rounded out the overall top 3.

2WD final results:
1. Joona Haatanen – Team Associated
2. Konsta Saarinen – Xray
3. Oskari Mäki – Team Associated
4. Tuomo Otsavaara – Xray
5. Mikko Luopajärvi – Team Associated
6. Pekko Iivonen – Schumacher
7. Jamiel Gabrielsson – Team Associated
8. Ilmari Ullakko – Team Associated
9. Juha Aromaa – TLR
10.Touko Silpola – Schumacher

On Sunday it was time for the 4WD class. Joona and Konsta both had a good pace but at the end of the qualifying it was Pekko Iivonen who TQ’d with two perfect runs. In the finals however Joona took his spot and won all three A-mains. Pekko and Konsta had very tight fight for 2nd place and at the end of the day it was Konsta who took the 2nd place while Pekko completed the podium.

4WD final results:
1. Joona Haatanen – Team Associated
2. Konsta Saarinen – Xray
3. Pekko Iivonen – Schumacher
4. Mikko Luopajärvi – Team Associated
5. Tuomo Otsavaara – Xray
6. Juha Aromaa – TLR
7. Jarno Siltanen – Schumacher
8. Eeli Vieno – Xray
9. Topi Salminen – Xray
10.Toni Niinivirta – Xray

Thanks to Matti Eskelinen for the report.