MALA (SWEDEN) – American rider Tucker Hibbert is the FIM Snowcross World Champion 2010. The 25 year old rider from Minnesota won two of three races, Swedish rider Johan Lidman is the Vice-World Champion, Cory Davis from Alaska finished third. This is the great success of the Arctic Cat manufacture.
The event has started on Friday with the opening press conference. There was a big interest for American riders and Swedish National Champion Johan Lidman of course. Already a day before the main day many spectators and journalists attended the event. Riders tried the track for the first time. In Mala there was snowing both days, what made the racing conditions more difficult. But the organizer made a good job on the track. Despite the fact it was snowing all the time, about 10.000 spectators came to see the best snowcross riders in the World on the racing day. The track was ruff, it was getting more difficult in every race.
All of three races were very exciting. In the first race Finnish rider Jussi Honka took the lead in front of Cory Davis. Tucker Hibbert did not have very successful start and he attacked from the back. Also home favorite Emil Ohman was not in front. But they were both riding very fast and risky. Hibbert won and Ohman was second. Swedish rider Viktor Stenman, who was also one of the home favorites for the podium did not finish the first race and already at the beginning he lost chances to finish on the podium.
Before the second race Snowcross World Champion 2008 Emil Ohman had still a chance to fight for the new Title. His dreams disappeared in the third lap, when a crash put him out the race. Tucker Hibbert and Johan Lidman were fighting for the win. Lidman surprised Hibbert in the middle of the race when he overtook the American. Hibbert attacked back and Lidman could not resist. It was the second win for Hibbert, who was very close to take the Title.
In the last race Emil Ohman decided to make the complete attack to take at least the win, if he was already out of fight for the Title. Hibber took the holeshot but this time was not easy to stay on the top. Ohman passed him and was riding too fast for everyone.
Tucker Hibbert is the winner of the FIM Snowcross World Championship. Swedish Champion Johan Lidman was more than happy for the second position. Cory Davis was satisfied for the third position. Emil Ohman missed the podium for three points, finished fourth and his Swedish colleague Jhan Dahlgren was fifth. Hibbert was self confident from the beginning. He said: “I came all over to Sweden and took the World Champion Title, this is great. I knew I am strong but the race was far away from my home and other riders are more used to ride on this track. Fortunately we could bring our snowmobiles with us, what was easier. You can never make other bike the same as yours and that is why it was important to have own bike. This title means a lot to me. I won so many races in United States and now I showed that I can win also here.”
Johan Lidman started the event with the fifth place. At the end he took the second position. Lidman said: “What can I say, I am so happy for this result. Many people expected a good result and I was under the pressure. I am really glad to finished second, between two American riders.”
Third rider of the FIM Snowcross World Championship Cory Davis said: “I came to Sweden to give my best but I did not know how high I can finish. Third place is very good. The whole event was fantastic. Racing conditions were quite difficult, the visibility was getting worse at the end. It was nice to compete with all these riders.”
RESULTS
Race 1: 1. Hibbert Tucker, Arctic Cat (USA), 2. Emil Ohman, Lynx (Swe), 3. Jussi Honka, Ski-Doo (Fin), 4. Cory Davis, Arctic Cat (USA), 5. Johan Lidman, Arctic Cat (Swe), 6. Markus Evensson, Polaris (Swe), 7. Johan Dahlgren, Lynx (Swe), 8. Iisko Nakkalajarvi, Polaris (Fin), 9. Janne Jurvelin, Lynx (Fin), 10. Petter Narsa, Lynx (Swe)
Race 2: 1. Tucker Hibbert, Arctic Cat (USA), 2. Johan Lidman (Swe), Arctic Cat, 3. Janne Jurvelin, Lynx (Swe), 4. Cory Davis, Arctic Cat (USA), 5. Dan Lang, Polaris (Swe), 6. Hannu Toppala, Polaris (Fin), 7. Markus Evensson, Polaris (Swe), 8. Jussi Honka, Ski-Doo (Fin), 9. Iisko Nakkalajarvi, Polaris (Fin), 10. Johan Dahlgren, Lynx (Swe)
Race 3: 1. Emil Ohman, Lynx (Swe), 2. Tucker Hibbert, Arctic Cat (USA), 3. Johan Dahlgren, Lynx (Swe), 4. Johan Lidman, Arctic Cat (Swe), 5. Cory Davis, Arctic Cat (USA), 6. Markus Evensson, Polaris (Swe), 7. Iisko Nakkalajarvi, Polaris (Fin), 8. Janne Jurvelin, Lynx (Fin), 9. Dan Lang, Polaris (Swe), 10. Jussi Honka, Ski-Doo (Fin)
Overall Championship Standings: 1. Hibbert Tucker (USA) 72 pt, 2. Johan Lidman (Swe) 56, 3. Cory Davis (USA) 52, 4. Emil Ohman (Swe) 49, 5. Johan Dahlgren (Swe) 45, 6. Janne Jurvelin (Fin) 45, 7. Jussi Honka (Fin) 44, 8. Markus Evensson (Swe) 44, 9. Iisko Nakkalajarvi (Fin) 39, 10. Dan Lang (Swe) 36