Tommi Ahvala
Encyclopedia
Tommi Ahvala, is a former world champion motorcycle trials rider. He won the 1992 World Motorcycle Trials Championship and the 1993 Indoor Trials World Championship.
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 Finish Championship, which he then left due to lack of time. In 1992 Ahvala managed to win the World Motorcycle Trials Championchip. 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 competiveness, 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.
Biography
Ahvala began practicing trial as a hobby at the age of six in his backyard. 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 Finish Championship, which he then left due to lack of time. In 1992 Ahvala managed to win the World Motorcycle Trials Championchip. 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
Gas Gas
Gas Gas is a Spanish motorcycle manufacturer, specialising in off-road motorbikes. Gas Gas are best known for their extremely popular trials bikes, although they also make successful enduro and quad bikes....
to compete in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He competed in the A.M.A.
American Motorcyclist Association
The American Motorcyclist Association is an American not-for-profit organization of more than 300,000 motorcyclists that organizes numerous motorcycling activities and campaigns for motorcyclists' legal rights...
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 competiveness, as well as the level of public awareness of the sport in the United States.
Finland printed a postage stamp
Postage stamp
A postage stamp is a small piece of paper that is purchased and displayed on an item of mail as evidence of payment of postage. Typically, stamps are made from special paper, with a national designation and denomination on the face, and a gum adhesive on the reverse side...
in Ahvala's honor in 1995.
Awards
- Best sportsman in the metropolitan area in 1991 (elected by the sportswriters of HelsinkiHelsinkiHelsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
) - 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 CanzoCanzoCanzo or Canz is a town and comune in the province of Como, in Lombardy. It has 5,192 citizens and an area of 11.8 km², with a density of 445 humans/km²...
, ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, in 1992