Haarahiltunen races to his fourth consecutive FIM Ice Speedway World Championship

Superstar Swede Martin Haarahiltunen raced to his fourth consecutive FIM Ice Speedway World Championship powered by Anlas, Kineo and HKC Koopmann with a cool and collected pair of second-placed finishes as the series came to a climax at Heerenveen in the Netherlands at the weekend.

• FIM Ice Speedway World Championship powered by Anlas, Kineo and HKC Koopmann goes down to the wire in Heerenveen
• Every second counts for four-time champion Martin Haarahiltunen
• Niclas Svensson narrowly misses crown after scoring a Dutch double

Holding a four-point advantage over Finland’s Heikki Huusko following the opening two points-scoring days in Inzell in Germany last month, Haarahiltunen knew consistency would be key and the ice-cool thirty-four-year-old held his nerve despite intense pressure from compatriot Niclas Svensson who emerged as his main opposition in the immaculate Thialf Ice Stadium with back-to-back victories.

Starting the weekend carrying momentum from his victory on day two in Inzell, Haarahiltunen looked every bit the reigning champion as he dominated Saturday’s early stages. However, his unbeaten run came to a dramatic end in the fourth block of Heats when, while pushing for the lead, he clipped Czech racer Lukas Hutla and was forced to make two incredible saves to regain control, although he was disqualified for the initial contact.

Victory in his final Heat assured Haarahiltunen of a place in the Grand Final where he lined up against Svensson – who had dropped just two points to progress to the programme’s main race on the same score as fast Finn Max Koivula – with Hutla also taking three Heat victories to book his place behind the tapes.

In only his second-ever Grand Final – his first was on the opening day in Inzell – Svensson timed his start to perfection, racing into an early lead he refused to relinquish as Haarahiltunen was forced to come from behind to pass Koivula for second with Hutla failing to finish.

Heading into Sunday’s programme with his lead still standing at four points, this time ahead of Svensson instead of Huusko who was carrying an injury, Haarahiltunen won his opening Heat, dropped a point to Koivula in his second and then booked his place in the Grand Final with three further victories.

Koivula dropped a point to Svensson in his fourth Heat to also make the cut along with Svensson who survived a crash and subsequent disqualification while leading Haarahiltunen in their fifth and final Heat. Home hero Jasper Iwema, who was fifth the previous day, completed the line-up for the Grand Final with a Heat win and four second-placed finishes.

When the tapes went up on the championship’s deciding Grand Final it was Svensson who reacted fastest from Koivula as Haarahiltunen started third. If the positions remained unchanged it would mean a winner-takes-all run-off for the title between the two swift Swedes, but as he chased Svensson around the final corner to start the last lap Koivula slid out.

With the race stopped the victory went to Svensson, whose father Stefan won the final round in Heerenveen last year at the age of sixty-five, but second place ensured that Haarahiltunen retained his crown by just two points and in doing so became only the third rider in the sport’s history to claim four consecutive FIM Ice Speedway World Championship titles.

Iwema’s hugely popular podium finish elevated him to fourth in the championship behind Koivula who despite his Grand Final fall still ended the campaign in a comfortable third.