Final two rounds of the Formula Off Road World Cup events in 2006 are held in Skien in Norway. Skien is a beautiful small town around 200 km south-west of Oslo. Today is the fifth World Cup event and also serves as part of the Norwegian competition as well as the Nordic countries competition.
I arrive in Oslo airport early Friday the day before the competition. Driving down to Skien took the best part of the day. Most of the Icelandic competitors are on the same flight. They have to begin with unloading the trucks from the containers that are just coming in from Finland. Naturally there were customs delays - but now they are in.
Slopes in Finland were high but here in Skien they are even higher. A total of 95 meters (about 300 feet). You can see the height from this picture. Rolling over and all the way down will no be easy on the trucks.
This sweet Willys Overland is used by the staff.
Throughout the evening competitors and their teams are getting the trucks ready and taking them through technical inspection.
Just like in Finland the Unlimited Class and Modified Street Class are run separately. Here the Unlimited Class starts in all tracks but the Modified Street Class drive the same route later.
Tuukka Laasonen from Finland starts in the first track. Like most of the others he finishes it easily and gets the full 350 points.
For the most tracks he does well on the Black Moose but in the timing track he gets stuck and ends up in fourth place.
Ole Graversen from Norway is next up. He ends up in fifth place.
Ole Kristian Rustan from Norway.
Leo Vidar Bjornsson from Iceland.
Per Anders Nordstedt from Norway.
Arne Johannesen from Norway. He rolls over in the second track but is able to floor it at just the right time to avoid going all the way down.
Miikka Kaskinen from Finland shows his talents as driver and receives the bronze price.
Ulf Drakenheim from Sweden.
Daniel G. Ingimundarson from Iceland.
At the challenging second track Daniel looses control at the very top and starts to roll down hill...
... no injury for him! Even after this total roll he is able to get his truck ready for the next track.
Fredrik Sipuri from Norway.
Morten Løvskogen from Norway.
4x4 Off Roads!
Gisli G. Jonsson from Iceland drives with nerves of steel...
... he is the clear winner of the day.
Gunnar Gunnarsson from Iceland does his best to beat Gisli but after a close race he ends up in second place.
Roar Johansen from Norway. Similar to his fellow Torshov team member Arne he rolls over once and is able to drive out of it.
Sigurdur Thor Jonsson from Iceland.
Finn Erik Løberg from Norway.
Olafur B. Jonsson from Iceland.
Modified Street Class drive the same route as the Unlimited do. Only exception is the fourth track where nobody from the Unlimited Class can finish the course.
Kjetil Håkonsen from Norway is first in line for the first track. He gets up without a problem and gets 350 points.
Sofia Scholin-Borg from Sweden drives even better than she did in Finland and ends up in third place.
Bjarki Reynisson from Iceland.
Tomas Nyholm from Finland.
Erik Selbekk and Roger Hovdal from Norway share this 4x4. I am sure if they had chosen aluminum instead of iron in the sheeting they might have made the truck lighter and gotten a bit further in the tracks.
Christian Austad from Norway. Just like Daniel in the Unlimited Class Christian has trouble in the second track...
...the speed at the bottom is pretty high and the damage is severe. Christian's vehicle is out of the action for the rest of the day anyway.
Strange how peeling of the outer layer changes the color from white to red!
Anssi Oyvanen from Finland.
Ragnar Robertsson from Iceland. This should give you an idea about the height of the slopes!
Ragnar drives with security and gets the silver price. This is enough to secure the World Cup title for the Modified Street Class in 2006.
Results
Winners in the Modified Street Class. Gold winner Jare Salonen from Finland in the center, Ragnar Robertsson silver medal winner to the left and Sofia Scholin-Borg to the right. Sofia also won the best stunt of the day award.
Winners in the Unlimited Class. Gisli G. Jonsson gold winner from Iceland in the center, Gunnar Gunnarsson also from Iceland on the left and Miikka Kaskinen from Finland to the right.
At this time Ragnar Robertsson and Gisli G. Jonsson have secured the Formula Off Road World Cup titles in Modified Street Class and Unlimited Class.
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1. Jare Salonen Willyster 
1885
2. Ragnar Róbertsson 4x4.is Willys 
1810
3. Sofia Scholin-Borg Affe 
1723
4. Anssi Oivanen Linda 1514
5. Tomas Nyholm Suzuki 1430
6. Bjarki Reynisson The Animal 1225
7. Kjetil Håkonsen Sandy 
1150
8. Geir Haug 1040
9. Erik Selbekk 775
10. Roger Hovdal 602
11. Christian Austad 520
12. Øyvind Bråthen 210
1. Gísli G. Jónsson The Steroid 1730
2. Gunnar Gunnarsson The Clown 1610
3. Miikka Kaskinen Big Willys 1599
4. Tuukka Laasonen Black Moose 1530
5. Ole Graversen The Eagle 1508
6. Finn Erik Løberg RaceRunner 1485
7. Roar Johansen Thunderbolt 1350
8. Ólafur Bragi Jónsson The Fox 1340
9. Sigurður Þór Jónsson The Troll 1325
10. Morten Løvskogen Gladiator 1310
11. Ulf Drakenheim Dragon Wagon 1230
12. Leo Viðar Björnsson Iron Maiden 1200
13. Per Anders Nordstedt T-Rex 1190
14. Arne Johannesen Lightfoot 1179
15. Daníel G. Ingimundarson Green Thunder 1115
16. Fredrik Sipuri Predator 1113
17. Ole Kristian Rustan 1055
Thanks for all that took part and organized the event!
Formula Off Road - Off Road motor sport at its best. Most powerful specially modified 4x4 vehicles taken to the extreme with full throttle and nitro. Hundreds upon hundreds of horses under the hood.
