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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.
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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.
| 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!
|
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I really enjoy seeing real 4WD
vehicles in real situations where they are needed. There
are so many highway bound posers that never go off the
pavement here that seeing life or death 4 wheeling in
Iceland is really refreshing.
-Craig
It is fun to read about other people's
Offroading adventures and also learning from the up and downs of
their adventure!
-Nathan
The whole 4x4 thing is new to me so i have a lot
to catch up on, i am going to get involved in a 4x4 club here in
Varna as there are vast amounts of tracks and mountains to explore
the news letter is boss:) and i especially like to look at readers
rigs
-Mike
Not all people know how to go offroad,prepare
vehicles to go offroad, or know how to get themselfs prepared to go
offroad. this website is a wonderful way for people to learn how.I
even learn some new tricks.thanks
-Matthew
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