Kivikko (in Finland)

When I was in Helsinki, I stop by at Kivikko. Super-woman, Katariina Laakkonen is running a track project there. Hopefully we are going to have track which covers international standards.

Sunday 2/2

On podium (I look pretty big. LOL)

I have been day in Finland, but lets take short view to Birmingham again. From Friday race my anckle had stop me from walking. On sunday morning I woke up without feeling any pain. In cruiser class I had the same gates than with 20" and again winner from world's 2011 next to me also. Anyway I made my way thru motos to semifinals. I can't explane how happy I was!



Before semi I hadn't been shaking at the gate, but now I did :) I'm gonna send video later, so there is no need to talk thru races. In semi I was 4th over the finish like. I'm screaming 'cos I'm so happy! I made it to World Champion finals!! My race was good, but the feeling was even better.

Before stooding up to podium I saw Abe Schneider. I gave him a hug cos I was so happy and he asked me to give autograph. LOL. How awesome is that :)


For future I have good image what I need to practice. I feel more goal-oriented. That's nice! Well, today I went to gym and drop back to earth.. walking down to basement to start to do work-out gave me clear image of everyday life. BUT When at beginning of October I made pench press test. Test is to do as many pench presses as possible with 20kilos bar. October I got 53 repetitions. Today I got 73! And I haven't practice on gym almost at all. I might have been there with my sister at xmas time or something like that..

In the picture on right; Maria, Outi and Owen. That is the main team of Finland. We forgot to take group photo with everyone, but there was also my parents. Who btw saw BMX racing for a first time :)

Cruiser

Just fast update. There was finnish rider in cruiser class finals for 17-29 years old women. So I made it to finals!! I'm number 8 in the world now! Almost number 7. That is so cool!!! I sent some better update when I get to Finland!! Awesome!

20 inch races

My first races in World's are behind. At morning I was first one to line for go to practice. I got 5 laps! Right after this I went to wait for my motos. I got last year World Champion in my class.

Somenhow I got gates 7,6 and 1, with that I mean worst gates from all. First moto I freezed. Second moto I felt down in first jump. Last moto: I was scared to start but anyway I was third in first turn. I didn't take inline, so Belgium girl was almost able to pass me. End of the last straight I thought that I made it. Right before finish line Belgium girl came with huge speed. OMG! What I'm doing! I pull my bars in front. I made it to 3^rd, but you can see from video how did that end.

I'm disapointed and satisfied :) I didn't expect anything, but I could be better. On the other hand in video the one who is riding in front of me is last year World number one!!! So not bad at all :)

Ready

Steady.. GO! I'm readyo to race. Yesterday during one hour practices I got 5 laps. It was just about getting know the track and get used to high starting hill. I didn't even get it down with pedaling yet. I was feeling pretty afraid after that.

Today, new day. Practices went well. Canadian and Brazilian team members were helping me with riding, so lovely of them. And New Zealand team manager (mum of Sarah Walker) took my eguipments to her hotel room, so I don't need to carry those back and forth everyday. Just nice of her.. Incrediable people!

Everyday we have had team manager meatings. I start to like those :)

Yes, and lovely rule of UCI; you have to tuck your shirt in pants.. Inthe picture is also kind mechanic who joined finish team today..

Official part

First day of official event behind. I got some big eyes while running team manager role. Well, that's ok, atleast I didn't look like the other ones. Almost everyone were 50+ guys.

I have got my numberplates and head is full loaded of the information today. At evening was BMX convention where every country has to sent atleast one person. There were all kind of interesting official information. Something about new rules, something about how things works in Birmingham event.

I picked up info that Birmingham track is only 302meters long. And there is 2102 racers signed in. Upcoming Worlds; 25.-27.7.2013 Auckland, 2014 Rotterdam. Also that in future World Championships the number of riders in Elite class is limited, unlike now. This day gave me really interesting and different (official) point of view about BMX.

Excellent day!

Shaking at airport

I'm at airport. Sitting on floor and disgusted by ants which are running by. It feels like few of them has gone in my pants too. My hands are shaking the way that I hardly got sandwits to reach my mouth. Did I forget something? Am I gonna miss my practices this time? How I'm able to run team manager things and racing at the same time..?

I feel kind of empty. Last half year, actually more than that, I had put all my time, thoughts, money, everything to BMX. 6 months is not much if you compare to Olympic athletics or something like that, but seriously on my way I haven't met many people who are putting BMX front of everything else in life. Everything!

Tory Nyhaug's mom, Margit was supposed to join Finnish Team. As someone might know Tory crashed on Papendal finals. His arm is broken and spleen is smashed. He is still in hospital and family is not gonna come to Birmingham. I was lucky to get secretary in Finnish Team. Right after she join the team she told me that she has read thru rulebooks (which I thought I had read, btw. There is 3 of them; UCI rulebook, BMX rulebook, and special Birmingham rules). She rocks!!

InBody

Just for fun, I went to Inbody test. That tells how much you have fat and mucles etc in your body.. Only thing I gonna tell you about results is that my 2score" for body weight and mucles were over than I'm supposed to have. And mucles were mostly in my legs.. So something has been growin in the last half year when my leg muckels had been "stuck".

I recommend that test for other people too. You get much information about your body!

Also I opened t-shirt shop; bmx overdose. Go check it out. There is only one design at the moment.. but later I gonna make it better and more designs :)

bmxod.spreadshirt.fi

One (wo)man gate

Here is all my bikes at the very moment

Wou, I guess I have updated my blog on sleep, cos I can't find here anything what I thought I have written. Never mind, today I polish my RedLines to by race-ready. At the same time I carried out all my bikes, there was a few!


I have try to be not thinking upcoming races all the time. So I forexamble made one (wo)man gate for myself. Usually in BMX there is gate for 8 riders. So this my gate where fits only 1 person is just for practice. Gates are really important skill. 80% the one to be first in the first turn, is the one who wins the race!

I have used 60e (80$) for gate structure and 170e (220$) for the mechanism which runs the gate. Now I just have to decide if I'm gonna run gate with air-ram or magnet.

Gate goes in 2 pieces, so easier to store or take in car

Finnish Jersey

World's are really coming! UCI has admit Finnish National Team jersey designed my me. I have sign-up for races. I'm also gonna be the one who represent Finland in BMX convention before races and ofcourse I'm the one who carries finnish flag in opening ceremony.

Booh, so many things to run. At the same time I'm trying to do some relaxing exercise. Sitting in saddle while riding bike is still little bit weird.

This is the jersey design I made, as you can see, I like it simple not speed-slashes or any other extras.

Theather

Coming back to Finland went ok. That was cheap and good trip. At Sunday I had totally used all me power!

Monday I spent in Helsinki. I was really excited for going to Design museum. I hadn't been there for a ling time. Only problem was that it wasn't open. I thought that ok, I can go to museum of photography. Well, that wasn't open eather. I decided stay on positive mood head to museum of architecture. But that was also closed on mondays. So only choice was shopping and now I have 6 bikes in my car :)

Several places are closed on mondays. Also teathers are usually closed on mondays. That's because times ago when they execute people that happened on mondays and there is no chace to compite with show like that. This time there was some culturel show anyhow. I went to see dance-performance directed by my sister. I never thought there could be so many jokes in dance production. Unbelievable!

Photos from Estonia:

This is just behind the track

Skatepark next to Tartto track

Photos from Latvia:

Meal like this cost around 3€

Golf  course next to track

At Dalina Stadion

In centrum of Valmiera

Lovely grandpas