STANDOUT PERFORMANCES FROM SAHLSTROM AND W.JONSSON MARK OPENING QUALIFYING DAY FOR SNX AND WSNX IN RIZE

RIZE (Türkiye) 31 January 2026 – The opening day of action at the first round of the 2026 FIM Snowcross World Championship delivered a full programme of qualifying races for both the SNX and WSNX categories, as riders tackled the Rize-Handüzü Snowcross Track in challenging winter conditions. With crucial start positions and momentum for the weekend on the line, the day produced intense battles, standout performances and minimal margins across both championships.
 

SNX

The opening qualifying action of the 2026 FIM SNX World Championship in Rize saw Group 1 deliver a tightly fought session on the Rize-Handüzü Snowcross Track in front of many fans. Finnish rider Aki Pihlaja set the pace with two controlled heat wins to secure the top spot of his group and the best gate choice within his group. Behind him, Sweden’s Nemo Fahlander and Norway’s Ingebrigt Hoelsaeter remained firmly in contention, while consistent runs from Aki Pesonen, Miika Lammi and Filip Harr ensured a competitive midfield. Despite a demanding track that punished mistakes, Pihlaja came out on top with two solid heats to go 1-1. 

In Group 2, Sweden’s Olle Sahlström emerged as the reference rider, dominating the qualifying outings with the fastest time of the day for both groups and underlining his status as a major contender for the opening round. Norway’s Robert Lunden and Finland’s Anton Lindström followed closely, while Håkon Berge and Topi Rinne completed a solid top five after consistent performances across the heats. The group featured intense battles throughout the order, with riders pushing hard on the short but technical layout, knowing that every position would be crucial for the start gate advantage later in the event.

The Last Chance Heat provided one final opportunity for riders to secure a place in the main races, with Aleksi Juntunen leading the charge after a controlled ride to victory. Norway’s Tore Gustavson, Finland’s Miika Lammi and Sweden’s Linus Åberg completed the top four, successfully claiming the remaining transfer positions and rounding out the start list for the opening SNX races of the weekend.
 

With qualifying completed, the combined results from both groups determined the start list and starting gate order for the upcoming races.Olle Sahlström heads the start list after setting the fastest overall qualifying time with two heats win, having also topped Free Practice earlier in the day to underline his strong form in Rize. He is followed by , who not only secured second overall but also claimed victory in his qualifying heats with 1-1, confirming he is firmly in the fight at the front. Robert Lunden, Nemo Fahlander and Ingebrigt Hoelsaeter complete the leading positions, while a deep field including Anton Lindström, Aki Pesonen, Håkon Berge, Miika Lammi and Topi Rinne ensures a highly competitive grid.
 
*Head Photo: Olle Sahlström

WSNX

The action in Rize continued with the opening qualifying races of the 2026 FIM Women’s Snowcross World Championship (WSNX), where consistency and outright speed proved decisive on the demanding Rize-Handüzü Snowcross Track. In the first qualifying heat, Sweden’sWilma Jonsson delivered a controlled and confident performance to take the win, edging out Elise Jonsson, who impressed with the fastest lap of the race. Tilde Karelius secured third, while Emma Laamanen and Mali Hoelsaeter completed a closely matched leading group as the riders adapted to the evolving track conditions.

The second qualifying heat confirmed Wilma Jonsson as the rider to beat, as she once again claimed victory to back up her strong opening result. Karelius followed her home in second to secure a valuable second place, with Hilda Öhman and Laamanen continuing their consistent form inside the top four. Despite a retirement in the second heat, Elise Jonsson had earlier topped Free Practice, underlining her raw pace and keeping herself firmly in contention heading into the races.
 

The combined results put Wilma Jonsson earning first gate choice after a flawless qualifying performance. She is joined on the front row by Tilde Karelius and Emma Laamanen, while Elise Jonsson, Hilda Öhman, Mali Hoelsaeter and Kelly Collier complete the grid. With tight margins and multiple riders showing winning pace, the stage is set for an exciting opening showdown as racing anticipation is building.

 
All the results can be find on the Sportity App (Event Password: SNX2026)

Timetable (Local Time / UTC+3)

Saturday – 31 January 2026

• 12:00 | Women – Free Practice
• 12:30 | Men – Free Practice
• 13:30 | Women – Qualifying Heat 1
• 13:50 | Men – Group 1 Qualifying Heat 1
• 14:10 | Men – Group 2 Qualifying Heat 1
• 14:45 | Women – Qualifying Heat 2
• 15:05 | Men – Group 1 Qualifying Heat 2
• 15:25 | Men – Group 2 Qualifying Heat 2
• 16:00 | Men – Last Chance Race

Sunday – 1 February 2026 – Race Day

• 11:30 | Women – Warm-Up
• 11:45 | Men – Warm-Up
• 12:30 | Women – Final 1 (10 minutes + 1 lap)
• 12:55 | Men – Final 1 (15 minutes + 1 lap)
• 13:40 | Women – Final 2
• 14:05 | Men – Final 2  (15 minutes + 1 lap)
• Podium Ceremony directly after races

LIVE COVERAGE ON MXGP-TV
LIVE on MXGP-TV – Sunday 1 February 2026 (Times shown in CET)

The opening round of the 2026 FIM Snowcross World Championship in Rize, Turkiye will be streamed live and free on MXGP-TV (SNX and WSNX), allowing fans around the world to follow the start of the season with no subscription required, just a simple registration.

LINKS
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