During the relaxed registration day we took the opportunity to catch up with Atte Hietalahh from the race organisation team who spent a few minutes discussing the finer details of what work has gone into planning what they hope has been the coolest race ever.

Atte explained that the team wanted to be able to meet the needs of all the drivers in attendance at this event, and so to do this to the best of their ability they have required the help of a huge amount of volunteers, to ensure enough people power to make things happen - there have been around 100 volunteers helping throughout the planning and running of the event.

This includes the team in the race office, track team, pit team, martketing department, cafe and catering, media, and team Jussi who has been behind everything, overseeing the organisation of the event.

Atte felt that overall things have gone well for the 2WD event, with no failings so far. The teams hope that they can continue to keep up this calibre of event organisation throughout the 4WD days to ensure a top class experience for everyone. The feedback from racers about the track has also been very positive with many saying it is a superb track, the best they have ever raced on. The track team have worked tirelessly for over 4 weeks to ensure that the course is completed to a high quality.

Matti Korvenmaa is the GOD of R/C in Finland.	Marri showed us around the race control - lots and lots and lots and lots of equipment!

Atte briefly discussed finances, a race as large as this musn't be cheap to put on, we're talking about a budget in the region of 110,000 Euros - that is a LOT of money. Fortunately the club have received help and support from local companies and even the local city. Anvia have provided the network and broadband connection which we have been lucky enough to have access to throughout the event. Support has also been receied from Wartsila, Kyosho and AKK (Finnish motorsport federation).

In addition to this the income from entry fees, tyre sales, and cafeteria profit will all contribute towards paying the hefty bills.
The greatest costs have been building the track and pitting area, and the track rain cover is worth something in the region of 9000Euros.

The event has most certainly raised the profile of R/C car racing locally, many spectators turned up on Wednesday to watch the 2WD finals - tickets had been sold to adults however children gained access for free. There has also been significant media interest, with articles featured in local newspapers and the finals day even making it onto television for the 10 o'clock news on Wednesday.

The official timing is using AMB Sparc and a program that Matti created.

I think that for us what makes this the coolest race ever is the support from the media team, we have had access to a computer for writing race reports, as well as having wi-fi internet access available to media and drivers. The pitting marquee is huge and very solid. It has its own media office, race office, cafeteria, seperate tyre glueing area, and loads of space for drivers to wrench on their cars. The tables have been set up in order of both countries and teams, so there is some flexibility for people to choose where they'd like to pit.

The track is second to none, it is clear that many hours of grafting have gone into designing and building a world-class track. And the rostrum, that really is another world. I have lost count of how many rooms are in there, but the scrutineering (technical inspection) room is downstairs, alongside a meeting room, two toilet blocks, a storage area, and a timekeepers room upstairs. There is even ample space for drivers to stand in order to race. Sadly there is limited space on the rostrum for videoing finals from, and this is restricted to pre-agreed representatives only. The camera from live-rc is about three times the size of me anyway.

Jussi took a few moments out of his 4WD car prepping to tell me about the story behind the 'coolest race ever' slogan... the planning team had spent the evening in O'Malleys bar across from the hotel with the intention of coming up with a theme. Although this event is held during the summer months, the team felt that Finland is most associated with sub-zero temperatures, polar bears, Santa, reindeer, and snow - so everyone chose 'cool' as a theme, and the overall goal was to create the greatest R/C car event ever, and to raise the general standard. So Coolest Race Ever it is :)

The track cover cost LOTS of money - but the club will sell it after the race meeting and already have some interesed buyers. The cover came from sponsors Lainapeite at a good price and the club hope to sell it for the same they paid.

When talking about what really makes this the coolest race ever, Jussi feels that the atmosphere amongst the racers has been awesome, and that everyone is the pits has been happy and relaxed even though they're driving at the world championship event.

Mike Truhe runs the new 'Big Bores' on his XXX4 - with cut diaphrams for a proper emulsion shock feel.

Jukka Steenari spanners on one of the team cars

Big bores!

Machined alloy shock towers all round

Extra bracing for the chassis / shock tower mount

Mike had some modified steering parts

Brushless XXX4!

I used this photo already - but I only got one photo, so I am sorry.

See - it really was raining!

Hupo gets to the track with his panthers and DEX410

Panthers in place - no glue required!

It was more slippery than anyone imagined

Hupo drifts round before the track organiser decides enough is enough and the 9000euro track protector is at risk and we have to stop the fun!