This Sunday, the seventh and penultimate round of the Swedish Championship unfolded at the Göta MS circuit.
Martine Hughes (1-1) dominated the event, winning both motos of the day. In the opening race, the Norwegian took the holeshot and held her lead despite a small mistake mid-race. The second moto saw her start further back, but the Kawasaki rider was aggressive from the outset, experimenting with different lines and quickly moving into the lead. From there, she pulled away just enough to secure a double victory. While Hughes must wait until the final round in two weeks to officially be crowned, she has already clinched the Swedish Championship title.
Sara Andersen (3-2) enjoyed a strong weekend as well. Though too far behind in the standings to fight for the title after her earlier injury, the Wozniak MX Yamaha Racing Team rider is determined to finish her season on a high note. In the first moto, she crashed on the opening jump after starting with the lead pack. Rejoining in the top ten, Andersen battled her way back to an impressive third place. A stronger start in the second moto was offset by time lost behind Kane in the early laps. She then had to defend against a late charge from Bäckström, ultimately holding on for second. Rounding out the podium was Matilda Huss (2-4). The Husqvarna rider grabbed second place by lap three of the first race. In the five-rider fight for the top position during the second moto, she was eventually passed by Bäckström and settled for fourth, securing third overall on the day — another solid podium for the Swede.
Tyra Bäckström (6-3) faced difficulties off the line in the first moto but mounted an impressive comeback, eventually overtaking Jakobsen late in the race. A stronger second start put her in the lead group, and she overtook Huss on lap six for third. From there, she ramped up the pace and began pressuring Andersen all the way to the finish. With fourth overall, the GasGas rider once again showcased her speed. Natalie Kane (4-5) continued to impress in her return to the championship. Fighting for second place early in moto one, the Irish rider gradually lost ground before making a last-lap pass on Andersson Löf. In the second moto, Kane even led briefly before Hughes surged past. She held Andersen at bay for several laps but eventually slipped back to fifth. Still, another Top 5 shows her comeback is already a success heading into the final round.
Elsa Andersson Löf (5-7) delivered a solid sixth overall. She rode in second behind Hughes during much of the first moto but lost positions as the race progressed, including one on the very last lap. A poor start in the second left her in tenth after lap one, but she worked her way forward to finish just behind Jakobsen. Malou Jakobsen (7-6) placed seventh overall, though the result hardly tells the story. The Dane, sitting fourth in the championship, raced through the pain of a broken collarbone sustained three weeks ago and an ankle injury from last weekend. Still, the KTM Scandinavia / KL Racing Team rider showed determination. She battled hard against Bäckström in moto one and even took the holeshot in moto two before fading with injuries. Despite the setbacks, she held off Andersson Löf and nearly matched Kane at the line.
Eighth on the day went to Tuva Nelson (8-9). The Yamaha rider made two strong starts and briefly fought within the top five before slipping back, yet still delivered a consistent performance. She finished ahead of Jenny Engeland (9-11), who struggled with poor starts on a circuit where overtaking was notoriously difficult. Despite her pace, she lost precious time and had to settle for ninth overall — still a solid result for the Norwegian. Closing out the top ten was Barbara Aagaard Andersen (15-8). After a tough first moto, the Dane regrouped and produced a strong ride in the second, edging Nelson for the final spot in the day’s Top 10.
The championship finale will take place in two weeks at the Vimmerby circuit.
