EDRS Pro Nordic Motorcycle Championship kicks off at Tierp Arena
Less than a week to go and the EDRS Pro Nordic Motorcycle Championship kicks off with the first event of the 2015 season. In four races, championships in four different categories will be decided and Tierp Arena will be a first indication of which racers are amongst the favourites. All reigning champions, Kalle Lyrén, Hans Olav Olstad and Björn Friström will start their title defence at Tierp, but competition will be tough.
After the kick off at Tierp Arena, the teams will travel to Alastaro, Finland and Gardermoen, Norway, to come back to Tierp Arena for the fourth and final race, August 20-23.
Kalle Lyrén
Pro Stock Motorcycle
To start with Pro Stock Motorcycle. Nine entries from three different counties will be at Tierp to fight for the lead in the championship. Reigning champion Kalle Lyrén is of course the favourite, but competition is so strong, almost all other eight riders have the equipment to win too. To take the lead in the championship, the Veidec Lyrén Motorsport rider will have to defeat three riders with the name Karlsson. First of all Elvira Karlsson, as the 19-year young Elvira already went into the 6 seconds this year and might even be a stronger favourite to win the title than Lyrén. Although still very young, Elvira is an experienced racer, not only in Europe but also in the American NHRA series. Her even younger sister Ellsa is racing under the Lyrén Motorsport banner this year and will learn fast in this experienced team. And third Karlsson is father Robert, who makes a welcome return to the sport and might surprise.
Elvira and Ellsa Karlsson
Among the favourites also Kenneth Holmberg. The Swecomposite Pro Stock Motorcycle rider is doing the FIM European Championship too and had his first race for that championship last week. With a 7.15-second new personal best at Santa Pod, Holmberg is not that far away from the top any more.
Kenneth Holmberg
Timo Savolainen will defend the Finnish colours again this season. From Norway there will be last year’s number five in the championship, Kenneth Vik, and the young and talented Thomas Olsen. Both are tough to beat and want to step up from their last year’s performance. Last but not least, good (but not) old Anders Larsson is back on track. Great to see this Swedish rider, who was a front runner in European Pro Stock Motorcycle for many years, back in a championship.
Hans Olav Olstad
Super Twin Motorcycle
In Super Twin Motorcycle there are twelve very strong entries. From Norway, reigning champion Hans Olav Olstad with the impressive Thunderstruck Super Twin, but also runner-up Svein Olav Rolfstad, Trond Jostein Høiberget and Vidar Ravnsborg. With last year’s number three Ismo Mäenpää, reigning FIM European champion Samu Kemppainen and Asko Määttä, Finland has three very strong riders in the championship.
Vidar Ravnsborg
But what to think of The Beast from Sweden, Per Bengtsson with the loudest and maybe most extreme Super Twin of all? Also from Sweden the only lady in the Super Twin field, Anna-Lena Asplund, plus Anders Hörnström, Stig Olof Svensson and Greger Johansson. At least seven of them are in a position to take the winner’s trophy back home.
Per Bengtsson
Jan-Sturla Hegre
Top Fuel Motorcycle
Top Fuel Motorcycle will have its first official EDRS Pro Nordic Motorcycle Championship this season. At this moment there are three riders entered. From Norway Jan-Sturla Hegre is a favourite, but that can also be said about Peter Andersson-Ström and Sverre Dahl (also from Norway). Later this season Rikard Gustafsson will debut his brand new Top Fuel Motorcycle. It will be interesting so see how long it takes before he can challenge his far more nitro-experienced competitors.
Björn Friström
Super Street Bike
There are fourteen entries in Super Street Bike at Tierp! Reigning champion Björn Friström will start his title defence, but will meet strong competition. First of all of course Anders Blanck and Leif Larsson. But from Norway Dag Wagenius is always fast and the same can be said about Svein Ove Brændhagen. One of the most experienced riders of Europe is Mogens Lund. The Danish rider is just back from the Santa Pod race and will be at almost all EDRS Pro Nordic races.
Mogens Lund
The biggest and most pleasant surprise is the entry of two British riders at Tierp; Richard Stubbins and Alex Hope. And after last weekend’s Santa Pod race, Stubbins is the favourite to win at Tierp, as he also defeated all his extremely strong British competitors and took the win at the Main Event. Hope was runner-up in Pro Stock Motorcycle at Santa Pod. The only Finnish competitor at Tierp so far is Kimmo Pulakka. Riders who can also surprise are Nils-Ola Andersson, Niclas Johansson, Pelle Lakmaker, Robert Häggblom and Emil Ȍstlund.
