Tommi Ahvala


Tommi Ahvala, is a Finnish former world champion motorcycle trials rider. He won the 1992 World Motorcycle Trials Championship and the 1993 Indoor Trials World Championship.

Biography

Born in Helsinki, Finland, 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 Finnish Championship, which he then left due to lack of time. In 1992 Ahvala won the World Motorcycle Trials Championship. 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 competitiveness, 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.

World Trials Championship Career

YearTeam12345678910111213PointsRank
1988ApriliaSPA
-		GBR
-		IRL
-		LUX
13		GER
-		AUT
11		FRA
13		BEL
11		ITA
14		SWE
11		FIN
4		POL
13		3913th
1989ApriliaGBR
7		IRL
9		ITA
13		USA
4		CAN
7		FRA
8		SWI
6		SPA
6		AUT
4		CZE
6		GER
2		LUX
7		1186th
1990ApriliaIRL
3		GBR
3		USA
3		CAN
3		BEL
4		GER
4		SWE
4		FIN
6		SPA
2		ITA
5		POL
3		SWI
3		1674th
1991ApriliaLUX
5		GBR
4		IRL
2		BEL
2		FRA
7		SPA
4		POL
2		AUT
4		ITA
2		FIN
1		SWE
4		CZE
1		1802nd
1992ApriliaSPA
1		BEL
2		GBR
3		IRL
2		FRA
1		AND
11		CZE
2		POL
2		GER
2		ITA
2		CAN
1		USA
2		1991st
1993ApriliaLUX
3		BEL
2		GER
7		CZE
3		POL
6		ITA
6		FRA
3		AND
1		SPA
7		SWE
3		FIN
4		GBR
4		1613rd
1994FanticIRL
2		GBR
6		BEL
1		GER
13		CZE
2		FRA
4		USA
3		SPA
2		ITA
5		SWI
2		1402nd
1995FanticLUX
1		GBR
3		IRL
4		BEL
7		POL
4		ITA
6		SPA
3		FRA
3		AND
9		FIN
4		1303rd
1996FanticSPA
9		GBR
9		IRL
-		USA
14		CAN
6		FRA
11		ITA
10		GER
5		CZE
6		BEL
7		678th

Honors