.. The riders I am referring to are not the same ones  who we find in the championship´s  top positions. While Nate Gagnon and Samu Kemppainen are the riders that will be entering the podium to collect championship trophies, the  record diploma will be handed to Svein Olav Rolfstad and the quickest run of them all was performed by Finland´s Jaska Salakari! A little bit confusing maybe but even more exciting and the Scandinavian Internationals truly showed what Super Twin Bike racing at the world´s highest level is all about..

QUALIFICATIONS:

Jaska Salakari managed to get close to Karlings old ET record already during qualifications. Jaska (6.452 sec.) was quickest of the 20 riders who entered at Tierp. Followed by Nate Gagnon (6.58) and Samu Kemppainen (6.64), none of that was very unexpected. What was great and somewhat suprising was to find Svein Olav Rolfstad as 4th quickest (6.67). Rolfstad and team mate Hegré have not had a great season and are not in the points battle for the championship top rankings this season. 

Also great to see Swede Ulf Nylén on his home track setting a new personal best of 6.68 sec, good for the 5th spot and even quicker that Per Bengtsson (6.69).  Heezen 7th with 6.96 and Mäenpää 8th at 7.02.. and that was it! The rest of the many great and competitive teams left outside the 8 bike elimination ladder. Then again, this is THE most competitive class in the UEM European Drag Bike Championship and not surprisingly refered to as the world´s most competitive series for super twin bikes. And we have the pleasure of following the competition closely.. and at Tierp it was just awesome.. 


Samu Kemppainen

Jaska Salakari

ELIMINATIONS:

For Jaska Salakari the competition started well and 6.27 sec by Jaska against Ismo Mäenpää was the quickest by a Super Twin Bike in Europe. And he had a record in his possesion for a while as his 6.452 run was good to be backed up by the 6.27 (not the other way round unfortunately). But that was before Svein Olav Rolfstad took it away in round two of eliminations.. and at that time Salakari was a no show.. against.. Rolfstad. What a thriller!

Rolfstad who had defeated Ulf Nylén while running a spectacular 6.409 (the first leg of a record), was handed an unexpected bye run when Salakari did not show up due to damage in round one. Rolfstad managed the run well and the 6.455 (finally!) backed up and established a new European ET record of 6.409 sec. After 8 long years Anders Karlings record is no longer valid. And Anders himself was on site (and prepared) to watch it being replaced!

On the other side of the ladder Nate Gagnon took out Job Heezen (Heezen disqualified after crossing the centerline), while Samu Kemppainen made sure Per Bengtsson´s competetion ended earlier than Per and the team would have wanted. Bengtssons 6.90 did not stand against Kemppainens 6.71.

The semi-final Gagnon vs Kemppainen was a spectacular and clean side by side run won by Gagnon (6.60) against Kemppainens 6.64 sec. Good job team Skull Racing and Big Kids Racing!

The final Rolfstad against Gagnon was like the other finals unfortunately cancelled due to rain.

For the full results follow the link:
Link to Elimination ladder

In championship points lead with 297 points and winning the title 2012 is Nate Gagnon. Samu Kemppainen, team mate to Gagnon and whose bike is also very similar is 2nd in the points rankings (209) and 3rd place Christian Jäger from Germany with 165 points. 4th placed Job Heezen still has a good chance to advance to take a place on the championship podium, he is currently only 3 points behind Jäger.

Don´t miss to read the European Finals class by class Preview in a separate article!