page 8 2013 Tommi Ahvala Feature Interview
Were you getting much media attention back then?
A little bit, but of course back then I was just a little kid. Our family was just more in the sport. We knew that publicity would come by action not by talking so we were concentrating on getting good results and if people are interested that’s better but we never pushed ourselves on the media or anything like that. They announced and had a couple of stories about me but mainly in the motorcycle magazines nothing for the general public.
A little bit, but of course back then I was just a little kid. Our family was just more in the sport. We knew that publicity would come by action not by talking so we were concentrating on getting good results and if people are interested that’s better but we never pushed ourselves on the media or anything like that. They announced and had a couple of stories about me but mainly in the motorcycle magazines nothing for the general public.
At the time of the 1989 UK World Trial at Bainbridge Tommi came and stayed a few nights at Mick Andrew's place in Derbyshire where there was a lot of land to practice on.
How were you getting on with the Aprilia at this time?
It didn’t really matter as I had a contract and this was the bike I had to ride. I did like it and everything worked. I remember I didn’t have any problems with it. It wasn’t like wow this is an awesome bike. It was yes, it worked good. It was just a middle step as we were developing the new climber you know the first water cooled bike, so we didn’t think too much about the standard bike.
In 1989 you came 14th in Poland despite having much better results usually. Can you remember what happened there?
No, I can’t remember that time at all.
It didn’t really matter as I had a contract and this was the bike I had to ride. I did like it and everything worked. I remember I didn’t have any problems with it. It wasn’t like wow this is an awesome bike. It was yes, it worked good. It was just a middle step as we were developing the new climber you know the first water cooled bike, so we didn’t think too much about the standard bike.
In 1989 you came 14th in Poland despite having much better results usually. Can you remember what happened there?
No, I can’t remember that time at all.
The bike that Tommi was shown by Aprilia when he visited. The new watercooled Aprilia Climber
Do you remember coming to the UK for the 1989 World Trial at Bainbridge?
1989 World Trial at Bainbridge photos
I kind of remember the areas and I think that year we stayed with a Millionaire, a very wealthy family that were involved with the Aprilia as well. We stayed with them in the UK. My mum would remember their name, we’ll have to ask her, but I don’t remember who he was.
In 1989 you went to the United States trial for the first time?
Yes, yes, we felt that everything just clicked in my career. We did not have the resources and money in 88 to go there so in 88 we didn’t have any World Trials out of Europe. In 89 we were factory supported so then I could afford it and they sent me over there and that worked out just fine.
Yes, yes, we felt that everything just clicked in my career. We did not have the resources and money in 88 to go there so in 88 we didn’t have any World Trials out of Europe. In 89 we were factory supported so then I could afford it and they sent me over there and that worked out just fine.
The 1989 Championship photos
You got a 4th place there which was tremendous?
It’s the same thing that I said, it’s a long trip I wanted to make it worthwhile and I didn’t want to disappoint the factory when they invest that much money into me and sent me over there. For some reasons I always did real good over at the US World Rounds. I think that’s the reason that I always because …you sent me here so I want to really do good for you.
A lot of riders buckle under the pressure?
Yes, a lot of riders when they are given a lot of pressure, a lot of them do. A lot of them, 90% of them buckle. There’s many World Champions, the day before trials when we go and practise but then when you have to do it between the tapes it narrows down to a couple of riders. I was always better at the events than at the practise. I couldn’t ride as well as a lot of people at the practise but then at the competition day I was a lot better than most of them. We didn’t really focus on what other rides were doing. We just focused on our own work. My father always pointed to me ….it’s pretty obvious that my mother and father had a really big influence on me. He was always at every practise when we went riding. They just told me ….we just have to concentrate on doing 100 per cent, as close to 100 per cent of your maximum you can then if you win that good. If you finish 10th you still have to be happy, as long as you’ve done the best you can that’s all we can ask for. So …...throughout all my riding career and still later this has been my moto. We have never at any of the events look at the points and see if I am leading, am I behind. It didn’t really matter because I still have to do my best, as long as I do my best then that’s all we can ask. We never paid attention to other rides and what they are doing. If they crack under pressure it didn’t really mater, I still have to ride as good as possible.
Would a bad result still annoy you a great deal?
Yes, even a good result would annoy me. Sometimes international media were surprised as I might have been 1st or 2nd and I might have been disappointed because I feel that I didn’t do as good but in contrast I might have got a 10th of 11th and been happy with the result as I felt that’s pretty much all I could do today. I can be disappointed for other people as the result is bad, but I couldn’t do much better, there’s nothing I could do about it.
It’s the same thing that I said, it’s a long trip I wanted to make it worthwhile and I didn’t want to disappoint the factory when they invest that much money into me and sent me over there. For some reasons I always did real good over at the US World Rounds. I think that’s the reason that I always because …you sent me here so I want to really do good for you.
A lot of riders buckle under the pressure?
Yes, a lot of riders when they are given a lot of pressure, a lot of them do. A lot of them, 90% of them buckle. There’s many World Champions, the day before trials when we go and practise but then when you have to do it between the tapes it narrows down to a couple of riders. I was always better at the events than at the practise. I couldn’t ride as well as a lot of people at the practise but then at the competition day I was a lot better than most of them. We didn’t really focus on what other rides were doing. We just focused on our own work. My father always pointed to me ….it’s pretty obvious that my mother and father had a really big influence on me. He was always at every practise when we went riding. They just told me ….we just have to concentrate on doing 100 per cent, as close to 100 per cent of your maximum you can then if you win that good. If you finish 10th you still have to be happy, as long as you’ve done the best you can that’s all we can ask for. So …...throughout all my riding career and still later this has been my moto. We have never at any of the events look at the points and see if I am leading, am I behind. It didn’t really matter because I still have to do my best, as long as I do my best then that’s all we can ask. We never paid attention to other rides and what they are doing. If they crack under pressure it didn’t really mater, I still have to ride as good as possible.
Would a bad result still annoy you a great deal?
Yes, even a good result would annoy me. Sometimes international media were surprised as I might have been 1st or 2nd and I might have been disappointed because I feel that I didn’t do as good but in contrast I might have got a 10th of 11th and been happy with the result as I felt that’s pretty much all I could do today. I can be disappointed for other people as the result is bad, but I couldn’t do much better, there’s nothing I could do about it.
What was your impression of the USA when you went over there back in 1988?
It was cool, of course, it was exciting for all of us. First time on a big airplane, a 747. I flew to Italy and I think we flew from Rome to some where there in the US probably New York. It was the first time on a big aeroplane with Diego.
It was cool, of course, it was exciting for all of us. First time on a big airplane, a 747. I flew to Italy and I think we flew from Rome to some where there in the US probably New York. It was the first time on a big aeroplane with Diego.
Of course him being a player and a funny guy you know we had a really good time having our American car and everything was new and exciting. It was a really exciting trip.
Diego Bosis
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Aprilia Team mates Tommi and Diego
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