Tommi Ahvala (born November 13, 1971) is a Finnish former world champion motorcycle trials rider. He won the 1992 World Motorcycle Trials Championship and the 1993 Indoor Trials World Championship.
Biography Born in Helsinki, Finland, Ahvala began practicing trial as a hobby at the age of six in his backyard.CycleConnections, Interview with Tommi Ahvala, year 2005 He participated in the first competition at the age of 10. When he was 15 he began to compete internationally and he participated in the World Trial Championship for the first time in 1988. He was not yet an adult, so when competing in Finland he had to use a 125-cc motorcycle, and when abroad a 250 cc one. He was granted a special driving permission at the age of 17.
In 1989 Ahvala finished in sixth place at the World Championship, 4th in 1990, and 2nd in 1991. He also won the gold medal in 1990 and 1991 in the Finnish Championship, which he then left due to lack of time. In 1992 Ahvala won the World Motorcycle Trials Championship. The following year he won the indoor title.
In 1995 he was the first foreigner to win the Italian Trials Championship.
In 1998, he was hired by the Spanish motorcycle manufacturer Gas Gas to compete in the United States. He competed in the A.M.A. National Championship in 1998 and 1999, winning the 1999 title. Afterwards, he began teaching in a series of trials schools, in an effort to raise the level of competitiveness, as well as the level of public awareness of the sport in the United States.
Finland printed a postage stamp in Ahvala's honor in 1995.
International Trials Championship career
Year Class Machine Rd1 Rd2 Rd3 Rd4 Rd5 Rd6 Rd7 Rd8 Rd9 Rd10 Rd11 Rd12 Points Pos Notes 1988 FIM World Championship Aprilia SPA-GBR-IRL- LUX13GER- AUT11 FRA13 BEL11 ITA14 SWE11 FIN4 POL13 39 13th 1989 FIM World Championship Aprilia GBR7 IRL9 ITA13 USA4 CAN7 FRA8 SWI6 SPA6 AUT4 CZE6 GER2 LUX7 118 6th 1990 FIM World Championship Aprilia IRL3 GBR3 USA3 CAN3 BEL4 GER4 SWE4 FIN6 SPA2 ITA5 POL3 SWI3 167 4th 1991 FIM World Championship Aprilia LUX5 GBR4 IRL2 BEL2 FRA7 SPA4 POL2 AUT4 ITA2 FIN1 SWE4 CZE1 180 2nd 1992 FIM World Championship Aprilia SPA1 BEL2 GBR3 IRL2 FRA1 AND11 CZE2 POL2 GER2 ITA2 CAN1 USA2 199 1st World Champion 1993 FIM World Championship Aprilia LUX3 BEL2 GER7 CZE3 POL6 ITA6 FRA3 AND1 SPA7 SWE3 FIN4 GBR4 161 3rd 1994 FIM World Championship Fantic IRL2 GBR6 BEL1 GER13 CZE2 FRA4 USA3 SPA2 ITA5 SWI2 140 2nd 1995 FIM World Championship Fantic LUX1 GBR3 IRL4 BEL7 POL4 ITA6 SPA3 FRA3 AND9 FIN4 130 3rd 1996 FIM World Championship Fantic SPA9 GBR9 IRL- USA14 CAN6 FRA11 ITA10 GER5 CZE6 BEL7 67 8th
Honors FIM World Trials Champion 1992 Finnish Trials Champion 1989,1990,1991,2005 Italian Trials Champion 1995 US NATC Trials Champion 1999 Best sportsman in the metropolitan area in 1991 (elected by the sportswriters of Helsinki)List of awards Driver Badges awarded by Finnish Motorcycling Federation : Bronze driver badge in 1986 Silver driver badge in 1986 Masterdriver badge in 1990 Masterdriver badge with grandmaster symbols in 1991 Honorary Member of Canzo, Italy, in 1992
References
External links Tommi Ahvala Supertrial site