1971
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2007
In English there is no real translation for it. Sisu roughly translates as if you were multiplying by ten the meaning of guts.
"I have always been a sportsman, and if I hadn't become involved in motocross at the right time, I guess I might have ended up with pesapallo (a Finnish version of baseball)," claims Hessu. Sportsmanship is in the family, since his wife Kaija is a former Finnish women's snowscooter champion. His four-year-old son Antti and ten-year-old daughter Hanna don't know if they are going to follow their parents' example. They are free to make their own decisions - which is the way in the Mikkola family. They may even start racing motocross, if they desire.
Hessu was 18 when he took part in his first motocross event in Turku, Finland. The start of a 16-year career garnished by four World Championships, 11 Finnish National Championships and several Nordic Championships was not very glorious, since he hit the ground in the first turn, but got up to place sixth at the checkered flag.
"People ask me often if I think motocross is a dangerous sport, since I've been injured a few times during my career. Not at all! There is a danger in almost every sport, and I feel much comfortable on the motocross track than in everyday traffic," says Hessu, and he laughs at the stories in some Brittish and Belgian magazines which have suggested that he wants to retire before a wheelchair beckons. One rumor last season had it that he is going to change to the 125cc class in 1980, and another one that he had decided upon his reirement in Carlsbad after losing to Brad Lackey in the second moto. These stories don't bother Hessu, who is used to them.
Journalists are going to be in Heikki's mind even more in the future because of his new assignment with Yamaha. He is going to be a Yamaha team manager for 500cc riders this season, and will be traveling with Yamaha's caravan to the MX circus (excluding the U.S. round). In the future, Heikki will continue to develop Yamaha's motocross bikes, a task at which he has always been especially successful.
One of the things he will arrange for his team riders is the scheduling of press meetings so that the riders will be able to concentrate fully on their racing. This was one of the things which bothered Hessu during his career. He always tried to be friendly and talkative with fans, friends
"I have always been a sportsman, and if I hadn't become involved in motocross at the right time, I guess I might have ended up with pesapallo (a Finnish version of baseball)," claims Hessu. Sportsmanship is in the family, since his wife Kaija is a former Finnish women's snowscooter champion. His four-year-old son Antti and ten-year-old daughter Hanna don't know if they are going to follow their parents' example. They are free to make their own decisions - which is the way in the Mikkola family. They may even start racing motocross, if they desire.
Hessu was 18 when he took part in his first motocross event in Turku, Finland. The start of a 16-year career garnished by four World Championships, 11 Finnish National Championships and several Nordic Championships was not very glorious, since he hit the ground in the first turn, but got up to place sixth at the checkered flag.
"People ask me often if I think motocross is a dangerous sport, since I've been injured a few times during my career. Not at all! There is a danger in almost every sport, and I feel much comfortable on the motocross track than in everyday traffic," says Hessu, and he laughs at the stories in some Brittish and Belgian magazines which have suggested that he wants to retire before a wheelchair beckons. One rumor last season had it that he is going to change to the 125cc class in 1980, and another one that he had decided upon his reirement in Carlsbad after losing to Brad Lackey in the second moto. These stories don't bother Hessu, who is used to them.
Journalists are going to be in Heikki's mind even more in the future because of his new assignment with Yamaha. He is going to be a Yamaha team manager for 500cc riders this season, and will be traveling with Yamaha's caravan to the MX circus (excluding the U.S. round). In the future, Heikki will continue to develop Yamaha's motocross bikes, a task at which he has always been especially successful.
One of the things he will arrange for his team riders is the scheduling of press meetings so that the riders will be able to concentrate fully on their racing. This was one of the things which bothered Hessu during his career. He always tried to be friendly and talkative with fans, friends
and journalists, but he also knows that if a racer has any kind of problems, those shoulder-tappers can cause unnecesarry distraction even without meaning to.
Many of his fans have asked why Heikki Mikkola chose not to compete in America's Trans-AMA Series, which is begun after the final World Championship race. With laughing eyes, he says that fall is the hunting season in Finland, and hunting is too fine a hobby to be spoiled by motocross. The statement is only a part of the truth.
Hessu is a family man, and he did not wish to be a full-time motocross rider all year 'round. He wanted to relax at home without thinking about or seeing a motorcycle for two or three Finnish winter months. There was also the fear of injuries in the Trans-AMA that might have spoiled his other hunting hobby: stalking the World Championship.
Last year Hessu's luck was good, and bad. He lost his 500cc World Motocross Championship, but the smile in his eyes returned soon after he traveled back to his beloved Finland. On one of the first hunting trips to the snow-covered forests he made a good catch: a 600-pound moose. Even the great hunter was satisfied.
YAMAHA TEAM
Heikki's Finnish mechanic, Heikki Penttila, will continue his job with the same bikes as before, since in 1980 he will work with Yamaha's new 500cc hope, Hakan Carlqvist. Hakan seems to be following Heikki's path of success, since he, like Hessu, moved to the 500 class after winning the 250 World Championship with his Husqvarna. The other Yamaha 500 rider is going to be Belgian André Vromans.
In the 125 class, Yamaha's riders are Swede Jeff Nilsson (son of former World Champion Bill Nilsson), and Marc Velkeneers. Neil Hudson, former Maico rider and runner-up in the 250 class, will probably be Yamaha's 250 star.
For Yamaha, 1980 is a year of hope, but without Heikki Mikkola, 1974, 1976, 1977 and 1978 World Champion, it will never be the same.
Many of his fans have asked why Heikki Mikkola chose not to compete in America's Trans-AMA Series, which is begun after the final World Championship race. With laughing eyes, he says that fall is the hunting season in Finland, and hunting is too fine a hobby to be spoiled by motocross. The statement is only a part of the truth.
Hessu is a family man, and he did not wish to be a full-time motocross rider all year 'round. He wanted to relax at home without thinking about or seeing a motorcycle for two or three Finnish winter months. There was also the fear of injuries in the Trans-AMA that might have spoiled his other hunting hobby: stalking the World Championship.
Last year Hessu's luck was good, and bad. He lost his 500cc World Motocross Championship, but the smile in his eyes returned soon after he traveled back to his beloved Finland. On one of the first hunting trips to the snow-covered forests he made a good catch: a 600-pound moose. Even the great hunter was satisfied.
YAMAHA TEAM
Heikki's Finnish mechanic, Heikki Penttila, will continue his job with the same bikes as before, since in 1980 he will work with Yamaha's new 500cc hope, Hakan Carlqvist. Hakan seems to be following Heikki's path of success, since he, like Hessu, moved to the 500 class after winning the 250 World Championship with his Husqvarna. The other Yamaha 500 rider is going to be Belgian André Vromans.
In the 125 class, Yamaha's riders are Swede Jeff Nilsson (son of former World Champion Bill Nilsson), and Marc Velkeneers. Neil Hudson, former Maico rider and runner-up in the 250 class, will probably be Yamaha's 250 star.
For Yamaha, 1980 is a year of hope, but without Heikki Mikkola, 1974, 1976, 1977 and 1978 World Champion, it will never be the same.
In English there is no real translation for it. Sisu roughly translates as if you were multiplying by ten the meaning of guts.
"I have always been a sportsman, and if I hadn't become involved in motocross at the right time, I guess I might have ended up with pesapallo (a Finnish version of baseball)," claims Hessu. Sportsmanship is in the family, since his wife Kaija is a former Finnish women's snowscooter champion. His four-year-old son Antti and ten-year-old daughter Hanna don't know if they are going to follow their parents' example. They are free to make their own decisions - which is the way in the Mikkola family. They may even start racing motocross, if they desire.
Hessu was 18 when he took part in his first motocross event in Turku, Finland. The start of a 16-year career garnished by four World Championships, 11 Finnish National Championships and several Nordic Championships was not very glorious, since he hit the ground in the first turn, but got up to place sixth at the checkered flag.
"People ask me often if I think motocross is a dangerous sport, since I've been injured a few times during my career. Not at all! There is a danger in almost every sport, and I feel much comfortable on the motocross track than in everyday traffic," says Hessu, and he laughs at the stories in some Brittish and Belgian magazines which have suggested that he wants to retire before a wheelchair beckons. One rumor last season had it that he is going to change to the 125cc class in 1980, and another one that he had decided upon his reirement in Carlsbad after losing to Brad Lackey in the second moto. These stories don't bother Hessu, who is used to them.
Journalists are going to be in Heikki's mind even more in the future because of his new assignment with Yamaha. He is going to be a Yamaha team manager for 500cc riders this season, and will be traveling with Yamaha's caravan to the MX circus (excluding the U.S. round). In the future, Heikki will continue to develop Yamaha's motocross bikes, a task at which he has always been especially successful.
One of the things he will arrange for his team riders is the scheduling of press meetings so that the riders will be able to concentrate fully on their racing. This was one of the things which bothered Hessu during his career. He always tried to be friendly and talkative with fans, friends
"I have always been a sportsman, and if I hadn't become involved in motocross at the right time, I guess I might have ended up with pesapallo (a Finnish version of baseball)," claims Hessu. Sportsmanship is in the family, since his wife Kaija is a former Finnish women's snowscooter champion. His four-year-old son Antti and ten-year-old daughter Hanna don't know if they are going to follow their parents' example. They are free to make their own decisions - which is the way in the Mikkola family. They may even start racing motocross, if they desire.
Hessu was 18 when he took part in his first motocross event in Turku, Finland. The start of a 16-year career garnished by four World Championships, 11 Finnish National Championships and several Nordic Championships was not very glorious, since he hit the ground in the first turn, but got up to place sixth at the checkered flag.
"People ask me often if I think motocross is a dangerous sport, since I've been injured a few times during my career. Not at all! There is a danger in almost every sport, and I feel much comfortable on the motocross track than in everyday traffic," says Hessu, and he laughs at the stories in some Brittish and Belgian magazines which have suggested that he wants to retire before a wheelchair beckons. One rumor last season had it that he is going to change to the 125cc class in 1980, and another one that he had decided upon his reirement in Carlsbad after losing to Brad Lackey in the second moto. These stories don't bother Hessu, who is used to them.
Journalists are going to be in Heikki's mind even more in the future because of his new assignment with Yamaha. He is going to be a Yamaha team manager for 500cc riders this season, and will be traveling with Yamaha's caravan to the MX circus (excluding the U.S. round). In the future, Heikki will continue to develop Yamaha's motocross bikes, a task at which he has always been especially successful.
One of the things he will arrange for his team riders is the scheduling of press meetings so that the riders will be able to concentrate fully on their racing. This was one of the things which bothered Hessu during his career. He always tried to be friendly and talkative with fans, friends
and journalists, but he also knows that if a racer has any kind of problems, those shoulder-tappers can cause unnecesarry distraction even without meaning to.
Many of his fans have asked why Heikki Mikkola chose not to compete in America's Trans-AMA Series, which is begun after the final World Championship race. With laughing eyes, he says that fall is the hunting season in Finland, and hunting is too fine a hobby to be spoiled by motocross. The statement is only a part of the truth.
Hessu is a family man, and he did not wish to be a full-time motocross rider all year 'round. He wanted to relax at home without thinking about or seeing a motorcycle for two or three Finnish winter months. There was also the fear of injuries in the Trans-AMA that might have spoiled his other hunting hobby: stalking the World Championship.
Last year Hessu's luck was good, and bad. He lost his 500cc World Motocross Championship, but the smile in his eyes returned soon after he
Many of his fans have asked why Heikki Mikkola chose not to compete in America's Trans-AMA Series, which is begun after the final World Championship race. With laughing eyes, he says that fall is the hunting season in Finland, and hunting is too fine a hobby to be spoiled by motocross. The statement is only a part of the truth.
Hessu is a family man, and he did not wish to be a full-time motocross rider all year 'round. He wanted to relax at home without thinking about or seeing a motorcycle for two or three Finnish winter months. There was also the fear of injuries in the Trans-AMA that might have spoiled his other hunting hobby: stalking the World Championship.
Last year Hessu's luck was good, and bad. He lost his 500cc World Motocross Championship, but the smile in his eyes returned soon after he
traveled back to his beloved Finland. On one of the first hunting trips to the snow-covered forests he made a good catch: a 600-pound moose. Even the great hunter was satisfied.
YAMAHA TEAM
Heikki's Finnish mechanic, Heikki Penttila, will continue his job with the same bikes as before, since in 1980 he will work with Yamaha's new 500cc hope, Hakan Carlqvist. Hakan seems to be following Heikki's path of success, since he, like Hessu, moved to the 500 class after winning the 250 World Championship with his Husqvarna. The other Yamaha 500 rider is going to be Belgian André Vromans.
In the 125 class, Yamaha's riders are Swede Jeff Nilsson (son of former World Champion Bill Nilsson), and Marc Velkeneers. Neil Hudson, former Maico rider and runner-up in the 250 class, will probably be Yamaha's 250 star.
For Yamaha, 1980 is a year of hope, but without Heikki Mikkola, 1974, 1976, 1977 and 1978 World Champion, it will never be the same.
YAMAHA TEAM
Heikki's Finnish mechanic, Heikki Penttila, will continue his job with the same bikes as before, since in 1980 he will work with Yamaha's new 500cc hope, Hakan Carlqvist. Hakan seems to be following Heikki's path of success, since he, like Hessu, moved to the 500 class after winning the 250 World Championship with his Husqvarna. The other Yamaha 500 rider is going to be Belgian André Vromans.
In the 125 class, Yamaha's riders are Swede Jeff Nilsson (son of former World Champion Bill Nilsson), and Marc Velkeneers. Neil Hudson, former Maico rider and runner-up in the 250 class, will probably be Yamaha's 250 star.
For Yamaha, 1980 is a year of hope, but without Heikki Mikkola, 1974, 1976, 1977 and 1978 World Champion, it will never be the same.