ROVANIEMI (Finland) 10 April 2021 – The 2021 FIM Snowcross World Championship and the FIM Women’s Snowcross World Cup have concluded in Rovaniemi, Finland.
Petter Nårsa and Hilda Arnesson were crowned as this year’s Champions, along with Gustav Sahlsten who was victorious in the FIM Europe Snowcross Championship!
FIM Snowcross World Championship
Friday’s qualifying practice saw Peter Nårsa top the charts, just 0.001 ahead of Elias Ishoel and John Stenberg who clocked the third best time in the session.
The opening heat race saw drama on the start which involved quite a few riders, including Ishoel and local rider Aki Pihlaja, two of the title favourites. Though it was Nårsa who took the early lead. He then controlled much of the race before Ishoel was able to catch-up and pass him on lap 14 with the Norwegian taking the race win, 6.438 ahead of Nårsa and Marcus Ogerman-Hellgren, who was third.
The final run saw Ishoel take an early lead in the race, followed by Lucas Johansson, John Stenberg and Nårsa. Though a costly mistake for the race one winner, took him out of the race, following a crash which resulted in a technical issue, putting an end to his title bid. Meanwhile Peter Nårsa was able to eventually make a move on Johansson, becoming the new race leader. He then controlled the race until the chequered flag to secure his place on the top step of the podium, with Stenberg second and Johansson finishing third.
With two solid results of a second and a win in the final race, Peter Nårsa was crowned the 2021 Snowcross World Champion with fellow Swede’s John Stenberg and Emil Hansson occupying second and third place spots on the podium.
Petter Nårsa: “I’m happy to be here. Elias was fast and I knew that. He passed me in the first heat, and I settled for second. Second and first I knew I would be World Champion, all of the sudden I was in the lead and I could see that he had a technical or crashed, so I crossed the finish line, and I was like YES! It was good to settle for second and save some energy, so I could push hard in the second one”.
“I said in an interview when I was 12-year’s old that I wanted to be World Champion and I’m good now, I’ll keep going!” he added.
FIM Snowcross World Championship Overall Classification Top 3:
1. Petter Nårsa (47 points)
2. John Stenberg (36 points)
3. Emil Hansson (34 points)
FIM Women’s Snowcross World Cup
The action in the Women’s Snowcross World Cup saw a true sibling rivalry between the two Arnesson sisters, Hilda and Thea.
The opening heat saw Taru Kylmälä, local rider and a favourite for the title, crash out in the first corner, with the Finnish rider then struggling to find her pace. While, at the front of the field all eyes were Hilda Öhman who led the way with the Arnesson sisters closely behind. Öhman rode a strong race, though with just 2 laps to go came under immense pressure from Thea Arnesson, with #14 able to make a pass and take the win. Öhman was forced to settle for second, while Thea’s 16-year-old sister Hilda secured third.
The second final saw Hilda Arnesson take the lead out of the start. The 16-year-old Swedish rider was able to hold on to first place for the entire race, despite coming under fire from Öhman who was keen to pick up the extra points needed for the title chase. The last couple of laps also saw Thea pushing to get around Öhman, though was unable to do so, which handed the race win to Hilda Arnesson.
In terms of the overall classification, the Arnesson sisters tied on points for the title, with Hilda crowned the 2021 Women’s Snowcross World Cup Champion, thanks to her win in the second heat, as Thea took to the second step of the podium and Hilda Öhman finishing third.
Hilda Arnesson: “I’m very happy! I was absolutely not dreaming about this. Everybody thought my sister would win but I did it. In heat one I started pretty good, and the race felt good. I really didn’t think I would be on the top of the podium, but in the second race I took a good start and then just rode and I won!”
FIM Women’s Snowcross World Cup Overall Classification Top 3:
1. Hilda Arnesson (45 points)
2. Thea Arnesson (45 points)
3. Hilda Öhman (44 points)
FIM Europe Snowcross Championship
The FIM Europe Snowcross Championship races were dominated by Swedish rider Gustav Sahlsten, who was unbeatable in final 1 and final 2 races, leading every lap of both heats.
In the first race, while Sahlsten took the early lead, he was followed by Sami Huttunen and Emil Mikaelsen, while Gustav Salomonsson was making quick moves through the field to get himself into second by lap three. Pontus Lundström was able to follow Salomonsson to get into third and that’s how the race concluded.
In the second heat, Sahlsten led the way from the beginning once again, with Salomonsson and Topi Posti, a young talent from Rovaniemi, right behind. After keeping close to Salomonsson for the entire race, on the final lap of the heat, Posti was able to make a move on the Swedish rider to secure second, while Sahlsten won the race by 5.248 seconds.
With two heat wins, there was no doubt who the European Champion was, as Gustav Sahlsten secured the crown in style, while joining him on the podium were Gustav Salomonsson and Topi Posti.
FIM Europe Snowcross Championship Overall Classification Top 3:
1. Gustav Sahlsten (50 points)
2. Gustav Salomonsson (42 points)
3. Topi Posti (36 points)
