By The Ring Djursland (in Pederstrup, Denmark), first opened sixty years ago back in 1965.
This 1.089 miles (1752 metres) long track hosted last week rounds 3 and 4 of this season’s ‘DM Road Race’ (Danish Championship), after the first two series rounds at Padborg Park in May (17th-18th).
There was a trio of Danish riders, competing, who we recognise from pure road racing appearances.
Fourth x2 in Superbike contests, Thomas Stripp was in 2023, an IRRC Horice, Supersport races wildcard while Kare Rormand Jensen (P6 x2) within the same class, tackled IRRC Superbike races at Hengelo in 2024 and, also last year, sampled BeNeLux Trophy Superbike races at Circuit De Chimay (Open Trophy meeting).
Sylvester Kristensen (P7/P6) in Rookie 1000 class races, additionally was 2023 IRRC Superbike wildcard at Horice.
If we investigate road racers from Denmark, lets’ firstly focus on former 125cc Grand Prix, World Supersport/BSB rider Robbin Harms, still Denmark’s quickest TT Races exponent (116.219 mph lap-speed), via his only TT racing visit in 2015.
The fastest Danish Southern 100, Hengelo (Varsselring), Imatranajo, Chimay, Horice and Frohburger Dreieck racer is IRRC Supersport stalwart, 250cc specialist, Anders Blacha from Blommenslyst (near Odense) whilst Carsten Svendsen from 2016-2018 was a Manx Grand Prix/Classic TT exponent.
Road racing is extremely popular in the North of Europe, as it is in all corners of the World. It is a real shame that the proposed Isle of Samsoe Road Races project, failed to get off the ground for certain reasons, first event edition, inspired by the TT Races, planned to launch in 2019.
Whilst this is disappointing, Nordic nations roads scene superfans, have enterprising events coming up soon, for example, traditional road racer’s adventure ‘Norwegian Classic TT’ at Valerbanen Circuit, (taking place this weekend). Last year participants included Norway, Lithuania’s fastest Imatranajo pilots, Erik Kjuus, Osvaldas Lazdauskas.
Early next month it is of course, the pearl of Nordic pure road racing, IRRC Round Two host Imatranajo (59th edition, Jarno Saarinen Circuit, fourth-sixth of July).
Permanent 2025 IRRC Superbike riders from northern countries, ready to race include Sweden’s Pontus Roestlinger and Finnish ‘Three Kings’ Erno Kostamo, Lasse Karki and Anssi Koski.
Photo credit: Michael Wincott
Words by Jan Vavra
