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Moving On...
He’s been one of the most successful, entertaining and fun loving WEC riders of all time but after 10 years of international enduro competition Samuli Aro has decided to hang up his boots
If there’s one rider who knows how to enjoy himself both during competition and away from racing it’s Samuli Aro. No matter if he’s bidding to win a World Enduro Championship title, spending time with his family at home in Finland, or at the bar enjoying a few post race drinks, there’s one thing you can be sure of - Samuli will be enjoying himself. Always has done, and despite having decided now is the time to step away from top-level enduro sport, always will do.
Samuli Aro, or Big S as he signs himself off at the bottom of an email, is one of the WEC’s most successful riders. He’s also one of the sports true characters. He’s a fun loving, tobacco chewing, mini-bike riding, five-time enduro world champion who’s personality, effortless riding style and laid back attitude to seemingly everything sets him apart from many of his rivals.
Averaging one world title for every two years of his 10-year career – not a bad average by any rider’s standards – Samuli is without question one of the all time enduro greats. Preferring coffee to sports energy drinks, Corona to Carbohydrates, and who during his career has spent about as much time in a gym as he has in a submarine, Aro has always done things his way.
Often spending little time on a bike from the end of one season to the start on the next his effortless style and hunger to succeed has seen him beat, among others, the likes of Johnny Aubert, Mika Ahola, David Knight and Stefan Merriman.
First things first Samuli, why have you decided to retire?
“I’ve been competing in the WEC for 10 years now and although that’s not the longest time I’ve seen enough and achieved enough. I feel it’s the right time for me to stop. My motivation isn’t as strong as it needs to be to commit to winning more championships. Now I want to find new goals. There are many small reasons that when I put them all together helped me reach the decision to retire - like the fact that my son, Empo, is growing up. I want to spend more time at home with my family. If I want to fight for more world titles I need to be 100 per cent focused on that. I don’t want to make that level of commitment any more. So, if I’m not 100 per cent committed then I’m not going to race in the WEC. I don’t want to go to races just to collect a salary and be happy finishing between fourth and 10th.”
Is your decision to retire one made recently, or something you’ve been thinking about for a while?
“The first time I thought about retiring was at the end of ’02, which might sound strange. I made a three-year contract with KTM then, after I left Husqvarna. I was going to stop at the end of those three years. KTM asked me to extend that contract, so I signed for another two years. Then again they wanted to extend it by another two years, which I did. In ’08 the plan was to race in the WEC, and for ’09 I was supposed to race the US GNCC series. But because of the economical problems we had to forget that. I knew this last contract with KTM was going to be my last. But it was earlier this year that I made the final decision to retire.”
This season has been a mixed one for you. Are you happy with what will be your last ever WEC season?
“I guess most riders would like to win a championship and then retire, but that’s hard to do. After winning last year I knew it would be hard to win this year. I’m fairly happy with my ’09 season. I’m happy because I tried my best, the other riders were just faster than me. I tried everything I could, I just couldn’t match their pace at all races. I certainly don’t have any regrets. My final position isn’t what I wanted because I wanted to win. My best wasn’t enough. Although I had decided that ’09 would be my last year I still gave it my best. My finger injury meant that I couldn’t finish the season but on day one in Greece, my last WEC race, without my mistakes my speed was really good. I’m pleased about that.”
Looking back over your career are you pleased with the way it’s gone?
“I made 10 years in the WEC and I finished third one year, runner-up twice, and won five titles, so it’s been a fantastic time. I broke my wrist at the second round of the championship in ’00 so that wasn’t a good year for me. From ’01 until ’08 I finished top three each year, so I couldn’t have asked for much more.”
The WEC has changed a lot during your time, have they been good changes?
“Some changes have been very good. Generally, the series is a lot better than it used to be. The paddock looks much better than it used to do. I think the image of the series is much better. I don’t like the extreme tests but mostly the changes have been good. It’s stupid and boring to put all your riding gear on to compete in the Super Test on Friday night but when you’re riding it it’s actually quite good fun. It’s just the extreme tests I don’t like.”
You’re known as a KTM rider but your time in the WEC started with Yamaha. How was your first WEC season 10 years ago?
“My first year in ’00 was a learning year, not only for me but also for the team because it was totally new. Everything was new, but it was great fun because every day was new and exciting. It was a new job to me, I went riding in new places, and got to meet new people. It was the perfect step for me because it was a gentle step to make from being a privateer to being a beginner professional rider. Joining Husqvarna was another, different step. And then joining KTM was, I guess, my third and final step. But joining Yamaha was perfect for me at the start of my career. It was a nice time. I was inexperienced, nervous, and crashing all the time. I broke my wrist at the second round of the series, which was disappointing, but I enjoyed my time with the team.”
You joined Husqvarna in ’02. Do you agree that’s where you went from being a fast young rider with a lot of promise to a bona fide world championship contender?
“It was a second new start in as many years, with a new bike and team. It was easy joining the team because Petteri Silvan (Finnish four-time World Enduro Champion) was there, and he helped me a lot. My biggest help was Tulio Provini, my mechanic. We had a very special mechanic/rider relationship. It was a difficult time because there wasn’t so much money within the team. Some times it was really hard, because of the lack of money, but I was really happy that we all had such a great time. The factory had money problems but within the team we tried to stay happy. We laughed and joked about everything. We really had a great time. In ’01 I was fast but making mistakes and crashing too much, but in ’02 I figured out my rhythm. I guess that’s when things changed for me. ’02 was one of my best seasons - I have so many great memories from that year. Winning my first world title with Husqvarna was amazing.”
You stayed with Husqvarna for two years. Was joining KTM an easy decision to make?
“Leaving Husqvarna wasn’t easy. I was really happy with the team but the problem was that both Petteri and I both got tired of the constant explanations Husqvarna were giving us about why we weren’t getting paid. They had financial problems then and I lost count of the number of times they said ‘we’ll pay you tomorrow’. Without the financial problem I might still be riding for Husqvarna. Joining KTM, the most professional team in the WEC, was the final step of my career. If you ride for KTM you have to make the results they expect of you, which means a little more pressure. But I was ready for that. From the start they worked extremely hard to ensure that I was completely happy with my equipment. With the KTM factory, Farioli team, and all of the team’s sponsors putting in 100 per cent effort you have to do the same.”
You didn’t win in your first season with KTM but back-to-back titles in ’04, ’05 and ’06 must have been more than you could have wished for?
“’03 was a bit of a learning year for me. ’04, ’05 and ’06 were great years. Winning three titles in three years is credit to everyone in the team. ’06 ad ’07 were difficult seasons because I was up against Ahola, Merriman and Aubert. There was a lot of competition to be in the top four. I didn’t win in ’07 but I did in ’06, so I’m pleased about that. Winning in ’08 was something I’m proud of because it was a hard year. I almost cut off the end of one of my fingers, which made riding really difficult, but I still won the E3 championship.”
Are there any obvious highlights to your career?
“It’s difficult to say what the one highlight of my career is. I’ve enjoyed every year. The years in which I won world championship were all very special. But there are two that really stand out – ’02 and ’08. ’02 was the year I won my first title, which is special for all riders. But in ’08 I had a knee operation before the season, then I injured my finger badly, and then my knee again. But I still managed to win the title. At the end of the season I was mentally finished. That was a really tough year. Mentally enduro riders are tough, there’s not much they can’t deal with. But I was finished.”
What has been the lowest point?
“I could say the seasons that I didn’t win the titles. But even those years I learned a lot, and generally enjoyed myself. They were learning years. School years I guess you could say. The years that made me realise I needed to be better – faster, stronger, more focused – if I was going to win the next season.”
Like many riders you came into enduro from motocross. Did you find it difficult during your first years as an enduro racer?
“Every rider has to start somewhere. In the ’90s, when I was still racing motocross, I was away from Finland for four-and-a-half months at times. So racing outside of Scandinavia wasn’t a problem for me. Basically, I’d spent all my money, my father spent all of his, so I couldn’t race GP motocross anymore. That’s when I started thinking about racing in some enduro competitions. I had some friends competing in the WEC, and I could beat them in Finland. When I didn’t have the option to race in motocross I started doing enduros, firstly in Finland and then internationally. I learned a lot during those years. I started at the bottom and worked my way up.”
Is there anything you’ll miss about the WEC?
“Nothing at the moment. But this winter will be a strange one for me. Knowing that for the first time in 10 years I won’t need to start preparing for the new season, well, I’m not sure what I’ll do.”
Finally, how do you think you’ll be remembered?
“I just hope that people have good memories of me as a person and as a rider. I know I have some great memories from my time in the WEC. I have always given my best, but have always tried to enjoy myself and have fun doing what I’m doing.”
Aro’s WEC timeline:
’00 Yamaha YZ 250
Eighth 250cc two-stroke
World Championship
’01 Husqvarna WR 250
Third 250cc two-stroke
World Championship
’02 Husqvarna WR 250
First 250cc two-stroke
World Championship
’03 KTM 250 EXC
Second 250cc two-stroke
World Championship
’04 KTM 525 EXC
First Enduro 3 World Championship
’05 KTM 450 EXC
First Enduro 2 World Championship
’06 KTM 450 EXC
First Enduro 2 World Championship
’07 KTM 450 EXC
Second Enduro 2 World Championship
’08 KTM 300 EXC
First Enduro 3 World Championship
’09 KTM 300 EXC
Fourth Enduro 3 World Championship
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