Kalle Rovanperä’s master map reader Jonne Halttunen recalls the moment when his death was close in Urheilu’s recent podcast.
In the recent episode of Urheilu’s podcast, we talk about rallying, and the guests are two world championships Kalle Rovanperän alongside the winning map reader Jonne Halttunen. Halttunen tells Micke Suopuro and Henri Haapamäki as a guest for, among other things, the work of a map reader and a joint game with Rovanperä.
Halttunen, 38, talks in the podcast about the moment when he was close to dying. It was 2009, and his friend asked Halttu, who was hanging out in Jyväskylä, to ride in his new Volvo for rally practice.
– He had built a new Volvo 240, and the guy from us didn’t even have a helmet, but he had one to borrow. Was it the second or third pull when he pulled the karter side-first into the tree. The wood got inside the car between the legs, Halttunen recalls.
– I had such a radical concussion that I didn’t even realize what had happened. If that tree had come to the side, I’m sure you wouldn’t even be talking here, but you don’t have time to be afraid of those situations.
Back problems and weeks of preparation
Accidents and injuries rarely happen, but the basic work is also exhausting. Halttunen admits that, for example, back problems are among the “basic diseases” of a map reader.
– We fight with our back all the time just because we sit all the time. The sheet music days are insanely long, and when you fix the notes, you sit down. When there are hits with pieces, yes, they almost come back. I don’t know how healthy this is in the long run, Halttunen thinks.
– Just on Saturday and Monday I went to the chiropractor for my back, it’s just such a basic retreat.
The biggest work of map readers is done before the competition, and Halttunen compares that the work itself in the competition is like playing the guitar or drums.
– Normally, preparation starts with tests, but a few weeks before the competition, we look at schedules and make plans. Now, for example, on the weekend we go around routes with other map readers.
Read more: He jumps into the wheel while Kalle Rovanperä is taking a nap – the closest colleague will forever remember what amazing happened when the possibilities of a super promise were downplayed
The kartturists correct the mistakes of the race organizers
Halttunen states that there are often conflicts with the race organizers’ schedules, and map readers have an important job in that as well.
– If there are 17 kilometers to the start of the section and you have been given 20 minutes, you may have forgotten that you need to refuel and do a tire check. It takes seven minutes. Such matters will be sent to the FIA Timo Rautiainen knowledge.
– In Chile, we were going to watch the shakedown before the race, but there was one road completely blocked. From there, they just sent the pictures to Rautiainen, that you can’t even get to that clip. Then some go to make that way, Halttunen opens.
The final race of the season will be held next week in Japan. There, Rovanperä and Halttunen get to drive for victory, serious, but relaxed.
– The team has said that it doesn’t matter if you hit a little bit – just try to go there, Halttunen laughs.
You can listen to the entire podcast on Areena. The World Rally Championship in Japan will be held on November 16-19, and the events can be followed moment by moment on Urheilu’s website.