by Petteri Ala-Kivimäki
The F1-Champion spent the Independence Day morning in Kärme Kustaa's enduro-race.A big Audi curves to the paddock-area on a side road in Hämeenlinna at 8 a.m.
His best friend drove the street jeep and on the back bench sat Kimi Räikkönen, World Champion in F1.
It was time to take the bike and head to the forest.
Räikkönen took part in his first enduro-race. He drove Kärme Kustaa's loops in his team Mestarit Ravassa (Masters in Mud) together with champion Kari Tiainen and champion Tommi Mäkinen.
Kärme Kustaa was arranged for the 34th time and there has always been enough of spectators alongside the route but Räikkönen and the other champions electrified the traditional race.
Enduro-people started gathering in the morning to wait for the competitors. The headlights twinkled in the forest.
Spectators beside the campfire bounced up to say hello to a team of three drivers who stopped to have a chat with them in a loud voice but they didn't however drink from the offered Lonkero-cans (lonkero is an alcohol drink).
Then Masters in Mud arrived. They wore similar driving outfits and looked like knights from Ridley Scott's movie in the morning dew.
"There goes Räikkönen."
Räikkönen's helmet had the energy drink's ad on it and a camera which maybe filmed material for the Iceman-documentary that comes out next year.
The biker-trio who stopped to chat with the spectators also got excited and started to chase them.
"Räikkönen! After him!"
A couple of hours later the 40 km route was done. Masters in Mud came in 8th in the business-class.
Räikkönen's face was red from the icy wind and strain on the paddock. He was in a good mood and gave autographs but not many comments.
"The feeling is good".
A couple of years ago Räikkönen celebrated in the Castle but maybe Kärme Kustaa was a more natural way to spend the Indepence Day.
"Well, different."
Räikkönen, who had changed clothes, grabbed a green Smurf-soda from the Audi and went to his gang of buddies to go through the race events with them in an enthusiastic way:
"I took a slide and fell right in the beginning..."
Räikkönen did hit the trees slightly and the Kawasaki-bike's hand covers were left somewhere along the route. His hands went numb right in the beginning.
When they suggested that Räikkönen would participate in Päijäne race they heard a huffing from him.
"Hell no."
7-times enduro world champion Kari Tiainen did yet encourage his mate.
"Kimi drove a good first race. You have to find the rhythm and he found it. He has afterall drove motocross."
According to Tiainen the idea of the enduro-race came from the first-timer.
"Darn, the suggestion came from Kimi now that I think of it. And where else than in the sauna."
The trio was heading to the sauna next.
"First we have to get some enduro-sausage", Tommi Mäkinen said in the cold weather.
The business-class was won by a team where Mauno Hermunen, Supermoto's WC-third, was driving. Hermunen who is known for his colorful stories had said before the race that he doesn't even own a pair of long underwear.
"But I didn't drive with short undies. I had these air-conditioned Mickeys", Hermunen said and lifted up his jeans and flashed his grey Mickey Mouse -undies which had a hole in the seam.
Courtesy: Nicole
