A total of 50,000 racegoers are expected during the weekend for the legendary track motorcycling event. On the opening day of the Games, a parade was organized for the first time in the center of Imatra.
There’s no mistaking the buzz: there are plenty of two-wheelers on the road. Thirty motorbikes curve in a line towards Imatra’s pedestrian street. Despite the hot weather, the pedestrian street is swollen with the number of people.
And it’s no wonder, because the hose doesn’t have just any flat wheels. These motorcycles and especially the riders are in front of the real thing this weekend when they compete in the legendary Imatranaj.
– It’s always a really good feeling here when there are rides and a lot of people, says someone who came to admire the bikes Jukka Peltonen.
Peltonen has been watching the games since the 1960s.
– You can’t find a bike anymore, it used to be. I expect from the weekend that the weather will be good and people will enjoy themselves. It doesn’t need anything more than that.
“Can’t Miss”
The track motorcycle event will take place in Imatra in full force after a couple of corona years. As a new element, a parade was organized on the opening day of the Games, where all the townspeople could chat with the drivers and admire the bikes before the actual Games.
– Words can’t even describe that feeling when the wheels start running. I have scooters, but they are small things next to this. When you get to the pits and talk to people, it’s an amazing whole, Ulla Järnstedt sigh.
Järnstedt has been watching the Olympic Games since they started again in 2016.
– You can’t miss such a global competition for the sake of it, he laughs.
Mika Suikkanen agrees.
– There was a break of a couple of years, before that I went to watch almost all the competitions. The speed and everything, it’s just such a great sport that it keeps you interested.
60th anniversary celebration
Imatranajo celebrates its 60th anniversary this summer. It is the largest public event in South Karelia. A total of 50,000 race visitors are expected at Imatra during the weekend.
The International Road Racing Championship IRRC is an international track motorcycle series run on European street tracks, where bikes from the Superbike and Supersport classes compete. Imatranajo is the Finnish part of the IRRC series.
The races are held in Imatra on Saturday and Sunday. Friday is reserved for training. The classes run on Imatra are IRRC SBK, IRRC SSP, Open 1000, Open 600, Sidecars, ICGP and Kolme Salamaa eSuperbike.
Imatranajo will be honored by track motorcyclists this summer Jarno Saarinen the first world championship, since 50 years have passed. The street circuit has been named Jarno Saarinen Circuit Imatra in his honor.
In addition, a legendary Italian track motorcyclist will be the guest of honor at Imatranajo Giacomo Agostini. Between 1965 and 1975, Agostini drove a total of 16 victories at Imatra.
An essential part of the Imatra race is also the assembly runs. Motorists from all over Finland camp in Imatra for several days to meet friends and enjoy the races. Below you can see the atmosphere from the start of the meeting times on Thursday.