SEMIGORJE (Russia), 25 February 2012 – Russia has successfully hosted for the first time in the history of the sport the FIM Snowcross World Championship, where American Tucker Hibbert obtained his second FIM World Title. Petter Narsa was second and Adam Renheim completed the top three. The 12.000 spectators present at Semigorje Technical Centre had the great opportunity to see the best Snowcross racing in the world and they gave an unconditional support to their home rider Dmitry Sklyarov who obtained a solid 13th overall position.

Arctic Cat’s Tucker Hibbert was proclaimed the 2012 FIM Snowcross World Champion in Semigorje, Russia, and he took the FIM Gold Medal back home after his maiden Title in 2010. The American went 2-1-1 and he finished first overall just five points ahead second classified Petter Narsa. In the first race Hibbert made an excellent start and took the holeshot, but then he stalled the snowmobile and had to fight from the back of the pack until the second final position. In the second heat he dominated it from the beginning until the chequered flag, and in the final race he succeeded to take the lead when there were still five laps to go.

Hibbert expressed once more how important the FIM Snowcross World Championship is for him and he was very satisfied to have been able to regain the FIM World Title.

Lynx Racing Team’s Petter Narsa was on the second step of the podium after winning the first heat and being second in the following two races. The Swedish rider has obtained the same result as he did in 2011 in Tuuri, Finland, and he was very satisfied with his performance this weekend. Narsa took advantage of Hibbert’s problem in the first heat and he pulled away with the victory, but in the second race he crossed the finish line 16 seconds behind the American. In the final heat the Swedish rider took the lead and he was the virtual Champion, but Hibbert was much faster and Narsa could not keep the lead.

Adam Renheim from Lynx Racing Team had a very consistent performance today at Semigorje and he achieved the third overall position thanks to his 4-2-3 result. The Swedish rider struggled with his start in the first heat and he had to work really hard to finish fourth, as the track was getting rougher. Renheim is very satisfied with his riding at the other two heats, and he has been able to achieve his goal which was to be on the podium of the FIM Snowcross World Championship.

The fourth overall position was for Polaris’ Olof Johan Eriksson, who got two solid first motos finishing fifth and fourth, but his seventh position in the final race made him miss the podium. The Finish rider Arctic Cat’s Aki Pihlaja completed the top five with a 8-6-6 result.

Former World Champion Polaris’ Peter Eriksson did an excellent first race and he finished third, but he did not find himself so comfortable in the two final heats and he ended in the eighth overall position.

Rockstar Energy Polaris’ Ian Hayden could only finish tenth overall, as he struggled a lot in the first two heats. In the first one he ended tenth and during the second moto his snowmobile broke, so he had to pull out of the race. However, in the final heat, Hayden showed his skills and his potential by finishing fourth.

2011 FIM Snowcross World Champion Emil Öhman was second in the qualifying session, but he could not take part in the main event because he had been sick the whole day and he was not able to race anymore.

Race 1 top ten: 1. Petter Narsa (SWE, Lynx), 19:28.052; 2. Tucker Hibbert (USA, Arctic Cat), +0:03.735; 3. Peter Eriksson (SWE, Polaris), +0:08.423; 4. Adam Renheim (SWE, Lynx), +0:25.766; 5. Olof Johan Eriksson (SWE, Polaris), +0:35.425; 6. Ville Ylianttila (FIN, Ski-Doo), +0:37.269; 7. Ville Lehtisalo (FIN, Lynx), +0:39.566; 8. Aki Pihlaja (FIN, Arctic Cat), +0:48.683; 9. Viktor Herten (FIN, Lynx), +0:51.534; 10. Ian Hayden (CAN, Polaris), +1:17.369;

Race 2 top ten: 1. Tucker Hibbert (USA, Arctic Cat), 19:34.849; ; 2. Adam Renheim (SWE, Lynx), +0:12.378; 3. Petter Narsa (SWE, Lynx), +0:21.886; 4. Olof Johan Eriksson (SWE, Polaris), +0:30.036; 5. Ville Ylianttila (FIN, Ski-Doo), +0:40.477; 6. Aki Pihlaja (FIN, Arctic Cat), +0:44.072; 7. Viktor Herten (FIN, Lynx), +0:47.355; 8. Hannu Petteri Toppala (FIN, Lynx), +1:00.218; 9. Peter Eriksson (SWE, Polaris), +1:05.821; 10. Ville Lehtisalo (FIN, Lynx), +1:08.933;

Race 3 top ten: 1. Tucker Hibbert (USA, Arctic Cat), 19:42.090; ; 2. Petter Narsa (SWE, Lynx), +0:16.335; 3. Adam Renheim (SWE, Lynx), +0:51.210; 4. Ian Hayden (CAN, Polaris), +0:53.306; 5. Viktor Herten (FIN, Lynx), +1:00.194; 6. Aki Pihlaja (FIN, Arctic Cat), +1:19.432; 7. Olof Johan Eriksson (SWE, Polaris), +1:27.552; 8. Hannu Petteri Toppala (FIN, Lynx), +1:35.412; 9. Ville Ylianttila (FIN, Ski-Doo), -1 lap(s); 10. Ville Lehtisalo (FIN, Lynx), -1 lap(s);

SNX World Championship top ten: 1. Tucker Hibbert (USA, Arctic Cat), 72 points; 2. Petter Narsa (SWE, Lynx), 67 p.; 3. Adam Renheim (SWE, Lynx), 60 p.; 4. Olof Johan Eriksson (SWE, Polaris), 48 p.; 5. Aki Pihlaja (FIN, Arctic Cat), 43 p.; 6. Ville Ylianttila (FIN, Ski-Doo), 43 p.; 7. Viktor Herten (FIN, Lynx), 42 p.; 8. Peter Eriksson (SWE, Polaris), 42 p.; 9. Ville Lehtisalo (FIN, Lynx), 36 p.; 10. Ian Hayden (CAN, Polaris), 32 p.;

Complete results available here
Photos available at here

FIM SNOWCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, SEMIGORJE – QUICK FACTS
Circuit length: 1300m
Temperature: -6° C
Weather Conditions: Snowing and windy
Crowd attendance: 12.000

MX-LIFE.TV is offering for FREE exclusive content of all the action taking place in Semigorje, such as how the track is built or how the best Snowcross riders get their Snowmobiles ready for such demanding competition. To obtain the full Media Coverage of the event click here.

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Photo: From left to right: Srb, Gudkov, Hibbert, Maskarova

Read the next news: Hibbert fastest today at Semigorje (24 Feb 2012)

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