international podium at canterbury snocross

Round three of the World Snowmobile Association's (WSA) Snocross Worldwide Championship (SWC), the Polaris Canterbury Snocross presented by Amsoil, Woody's, Bud Light, Castle Sales and RydeFX, had an international flair befitting the stature of this truly international championship. Canada's Blair Morgan grabbed his 50th career WSA finals win, in only three and a third seasons mind you, with a victory in the Featherlite Trailers Pro Stock final, and a new name appeared atop a WSA results sheet with Finnish sensation Tomi Ahmasalo's nail biting win in the Bud Light Pro Open final. With virtually no rideable snow in a five-state area, and 50-plus degree temps in the week leading up to the event, there was great concern about the length and quality of the course. But Canterbury Park and the WSA pulled off yet another miracle, making and stockpiling enough snow to create a track very nearly the length of the tracks of the last two years!

Morgan (Woody's/VP Fuels Ski-Doo) again was only second qualifier to Tucker Hibbert (Chevy Trucks/Speedwerx Cat) in Pro Stock, and at the start slotted into third behind Hibbert and Todd Wolff (Bud Light Ski-Doo). Tucker and Todd diced it up for a couple laps and then, unbelievably, Hibbert had a snap, violent dismount in turn one. By the time he recovered he was tenth, and Wolff assumed the lead, while Morgan started attacking, but Wolff was immaculate.

Then, Morgan changed up his line in turn one, going way wide and carrying great exit speed, and drawing alongside Wolff. Wolff stayed on the throttle just a titch too long going into turn two, Morgan sensed it, cut underneath, pulled the trigger and stole the lead. Wolff stabilized the margin, but couldn't get close enough to challenge, and took second. Meanwhile, Ahmasalo (Formula XPS Ski-Doo) scratched his way to Wolff's bumper, but there it stopped and he settled for third. Mike Island (Parts Unlimited/RydeFX Polaris) and Kurt Crapo (Dodge Trucks/Woody's Polaris) rounded out the top five.

The first big story in the Pro Open final was NO Blair Morgan! A broken suspension and resulting crash caused a DNF in a crucial qualifying heat, and then an electrical failure off the line in the LCQ ended his hopes of defending his double class sweep of last year. And, his slight points lead was sure to evaporate. Hibbert, meanwhile, was again top qualifier, never losing a heat. At the start, though, it was Brad Pitlik (Magna Vehicle Interiors Ski-Doo) with the monster holeshot, followed by Trevor John (Team Performance Solutions Polaris) and Ahmasalo, with Hibbert buried back in eighth. Soon, Pitlik bobbled and Ahmasalo assumed the point over John, and he started drawing away.

Pitlik recovered to second, but Ahmasalo was quickly disappearing.
Meanwhile, Hibbert was clawing his way forward, reaching the top five. Then, in the second to last corner, he survived a massive slush and roost mess to first pass Crapo for fourth, then a lap later John for third. He wasn't done yet. He set sail for Pitlik, caught him at the exit of that same corner, they bumped, and Hibbert started to tip over. He got his body completely off the sled to save it, yet simultaneously nailed the throttle to complete the pass! Amazing!

He righted himself and set off after the very distant Ahmasalo, with about four laps to go. He was only chipping away until Ahmasalo had a big moment at the huge finish line double, and lost half his margin, and then Hibbert smelled blood. Coming up to begin the final lap he caught Ahmasalo in that same penultimate corner, but Ahmasalo defended nicely. Attacking again coming up to the checker, in the final corner, Ahmasalo took the smooth, fast outside line, so Hibbert turned in early and simply pinned it over the rough, inside bumps. By the time they hit the straight it was a drag race, and Ahmasalo had enough momentum built to hold on to claim his first of what will surely be many WSA wins.