Robert Karlsson, Samu Kemppainen and Björn Friström clinch the 2015 EDRS Pro Nordic MC titles in a historic Scandinavian Internationals

Published 2015-08-28 | By Remco Scheelings

Scandinavian Internationals, Tierp Arena

With the Scandinavian Internationals, the 2015 EDRS Pro Nordic Motorcycle Championship got the final it could only have dreamed of. In Pro Stock Motorcycle it was a historic race with three riders breaking into the 6 second zone, and two of them even running a string of 6-second passes. In a great side-by-side final, Fredrik Fredlund defeated new crowned EDRS champion Robert Karlsson. In Super Twin Motorcycle Samu Kemppainen was not as dominant as earlier this season, but still the Finn won his third consecutive EDRS Pro Nordic MC race, and with it the title. In Super Street Bike, Richard Stubbins from England was in a class of his own and took the win, but with a semi-final finish, Björn Friström extended his EDRS title.

The Scandinavian Internationals at Tierp Arena was the fourth and final round of the 2015 EDRS Pro Nordic Motorcycle Championship. Helped by the perfect weather and track conditions at the state-of-the-art drag race facility, a record crowd of 37,000 spectators were offered an action packed and exciting race weekend, with in Pro Stock Motorcycle, a record setting best ever race seen in Europe.

Elvira and Robert Karlsson

Pro Stock Motorcycle

With only one point between leader Elvira Karlsson and number two Robert Karlsson, the outcome of the championship in Pro Stock Motorcycle promised to be exciting. But just before the race Elvira announced that she is pregnant, and for safety reasons, wouldn’t start. That increased the title chances of Robert Karlsson dramatically, as he now only had to deal with his other daughter, Ellsa, who was 21 points behind.

Fredrik Fredlund

Qualifying

In qualifying it was already loud and clear how good the conditions were, how strong the Pro Stock Motorcycle competition at Tierp Arena was, and what a race it was going to be. Reigning FIM European champion Fredrik Fredlund was the first one to break the 7-second barrier with a stunning 6.977 seconds, the Finn’s first 6-second run in Europe and at that moment the quickest ever Pro Stock Motorcycle run in Europe. It was not his last one, either. Fredlund made three 6-second runs in qualifying and two in eliminations! In one of the qualifying runs his top speed was 312.68 kmh, the fastest ever in Europe for a Pro Stock Motorcycle.

Robert Karlsson

The next one to break into the 6-second zone was Robert Karlsson. For the number two in the championship it was his first (but by far not the last one of the weekend) 6-second run, and with 6.982 seconds Karlsson claimed the second qualifying position. Kalle Lyrén was extremely consistent, and although he could not break the 7-second barrier, the 2014 EDRS champion was happy with the way the Veidec Lyrén Motorsport bike performed.

Kalle Lyrén

Ellsa Karlsson had a scary moment when she hit the wall at the top end on Friday, but bounced back with a great 7.066 seconds to end qualifying in fourth position. Including Anders Larsson’s 7.08 seconds, no less than five riders stayed under 7.1 seconds. Kenneth Holmberg reset his personal best with 7.11 seconds and was sixth in qualifying, while Timo Savolainen and Thomas Olsen completed the eight bike elimination ladder.

Kenneth Holmberg

Thomas Olsen

Eliminations

Quarter finals

In the first round Fredlund continued his 6.9 second string to defeat Olsen, who was still happy as he reset his personal best with 7.37 seconds. Also Robert Karlsson dived into the 6.9 seconds again, but had already won his race at the start line when Savolainen pulled a red light. Lyrén proved his consistency again with another 7.04 second pass to defeat Holmberg.

Ellsa Karlsson

But a very special run was the one between Ellsa Karlsson and Larsson. In a stunning run, 17-year old Ellsa stormed to an unbelievable 6.960 seconds, the quickest ever Pro Stock Motorcycle run in Europe! But still the win went to Larsson, as Ellsa’s reaction time was so slow, Larsson’s 7.06 seconds was enough to cross the finish line first.

Semi-final, Robert Karlsson and Kalle Lyrén

Semi-finals

In the semi-final Robert Karlsson had to face Lyrén. As if it was pretty normal now, Karlsson ran another 6.98 seconds, his third consecutive 6.9! As expected Lyrén couldn’t match that, although the Veidec rider proved his consistency again with 7.09 seconds. The other semi-final was already decided at the start line when Larsson pulled a red light, while with 7.02 seconds Fredlund was close to his next 6-second run.

The final

Final

With Fredlund and Robert Karlsson, the number one and two qualifiers, both running a string of 6.9-second passes, and the reigning FIM European champions against the 2015 EDRS Pro Nordic MC champion, the Scandinavian Internationals got the final it could only have dreamed of. But where the Finn stepped up to 6.99 seconds, Karlsson ‘slowed down’ to 7.05 seconds and so Fredlund took the win.

Fredrik Fredlund and Robert Karlsson

Championship

With the early exit of Ellsa Karlsson and his runner-up finish, Robert Karlsson clinched the 2015 EDRS Pro Nordic MC title. With his 17-year old daughter Ellsa in second and Elvira in third position, the podium in the 2015 championship is a real Karlsson family affair. Lyrén, the 2014 champion, ended this year’s championship in fourth position.

Runner-up in the championship, Ellsa Karlsson

Hans Olav Olstad

Super Twin Motorcycle

Qualifying

2014 EDRS champion Hans Olav Olstad proved in qualifying he is always a force to be reckoned with. In Friday qualifying the Norwegian rider stormed to 6.53 seconds, and after four runs that was good enough to be in the number one qualifying position.

Per Bengtsson

But the gap to Per Bengtsson was marginal, as ‘The Beast’, still in the race for the runner-up position in the championship, scored a second position with 6.54 seconds. For championship leader Samu Kemppainen qualifying was enough to clinch the title and as expected the Finn did that on Friday with 6.58 seconds, good enough to claim the number three qualifying position.

Samu Kemppainen

Vidar Ravnsborg from Norway had a good set-up and stormed to 6.87 seconds and was fourth in qualifying. The first rider in the 7 seconds was Ismo Mäenpää, just ahead of Greger Johansson, a surprising Roman Sixta from the Czech Republic, while Vesa Lipponen was the number eight and last qualifier in the record 15 bike field.

Roman Sixta

Eliminations

Quarter finals

A major upset in the first round as Bengtsson was defeated by Sixta. The Swede had traction problems at the start line and although he recovered quickly and recorded 7.10 seconds, it was exactly in that first round that Sixta had a trouble free run and reset his personal best to 6.72 seconds. Like in qualifying, Olstad, Kemppainen and Ravnsborg dived into the 6 second zone again and defeated Lipponen, Johansson and Mäenpää.

Vidar Ravnsborg

Semi-finals

In the semi-final Kemppainen continued his winning streak of this season with a win over Sixta, who had problems keeping his bike away from the wall. In the other semi-final Ravnsborg proved his great form by running another 6 second pass (6.99) to defeat a slowing Olstad.

The final

Final

In the final it was all Kemppainen again. In 6.61 seconds the newly crowned EDRS champion stormed to a well-deserved victory, his third consecutive win in this year’s championship. Ravnsberg did his very best, but his 7.34 seconds was not enough.

Samu Kemppainen and Vidar Ravnsborg

Championship

As already mentioned, Kemppainen is the 2015 EDRS Pro Nordic MC Super Twin Motorcycle champion and with three wins, he proved he was in a class of his own this season. Last year’s champion Olstad ended the championship in second position, with Bengtsson in third.

Richard Stubbins

Super Street Bike

Qualifying

As they already proved in June, the two British Super Street Bike riders Richard Stubbins and Alex Hope belong at the top of the European SSB scene. Again Stubbins claimed the number one qualifying position (7.15 seconds), with Hope (7.29 seconds) in second position.

Alex Hope

Championship leader Björn Friström was best of the rest with 7.41 seconds, although the reigning champion lost an engine in qualifying. Number two in the championship, Nils-Ola Andersson, was not that far behind in fourth (7.54), with Anders Blanck in fifth position. Alastaro winner and number three in the championship, Dag Wagenius had problems and the Norwegian rider was only tenth qualifier in the 14 bike field.

Björn Friström

Eliminations

First round

Wagenius was back to form in the first round and defeated Blanck to stay in the championship race. As all other top qualifiers advanced to the quarter finals too, the championship was still not decided. But title candidates Friström, Andersson and Wagenius also knew the moment was close they had to face Hope or Stubbins, and that their championship dream could come to an end.

Dag Wagenius

Quarter finals

Wagenius was the first one who could forget a championship as he lost his race against Andersson. Hope defeated Pelle Lakmaker and Friström defeated Jani Kumpulainen, while Stubbins had a bye run into the semi-finals.

Nils-Ola Andersson

Semi-finals

In the semi-finals Friström had to face Hope and Andersson Stubbins. As expected Hope was too quick for Friström, not least because the 2014 champion had engine problems again. But as Stubbins stepped up to 7.14 seconds, the quickest ET of the weekend, and defeated Andersson, both championship contenders were out in the same round. And so nothing changed and Friström extended his title with another year.

The final

Final

In the all British final it was Stubbins who proved he was the only one who deserved the win. Although Hope stepped up to 7.26 seconds, it was not enough to beat the 7.20 seconds Stubbins put on the score board.

Richard Stubbins and Alex Hope

Championship

As already mentioned, Friström, after his 2014 title, also is the 2015 EDRS Pro Nordic MC champion, with Andersson in second position, Wagenius third and Blanck fourth.

Jan Sturla Hegre, picture Gardermoen

Top Fuel Motorcycle

Jan Sturla Hegre was the only entry in Top Fuel Motorcycle at Tierp Arena. In his first run a heavy engine explosion made an early end to the Scandinavian Internationals for the young Norwegian rider. As there was no elimination, in the championship everything stayed as it was before Tierp. And so Hegre is the champion, with Sverre Dahl in second position and Peter Andersson-Ström third.

Scandinavian Internationals statistics

Super Twin Motorcycle

Low ET: Hans Olav Olstad, 6,531 seconds

Top speed:

Pro Stock Motorcycle

Low ET: Ellsa Karlsson, 6.960 seconds

Top speed: Fredrik Fredlund, 312.68 kmh

Super Street Bike

Low ET: Richard Stubbins, 7.146 seconds

Top speed:

Results

Link to final qualifying list for Super Twin Motorcycle, Pro Stock Motorcycle, Super Street Bike (and Top Fuel Motorcycle)