Pentinpuro impresses on international debut with Nordic Rally Championship victory in Denmark

Jarno Pentinpuro delivered an outstanding performance on his first-ever international rally appearance, securing victory in a round of the Nordic Rally Championship and finishing second overall at Rally Kjellerup in Denmark.

The event, which counted towards both the Danish Rally Championship and the Nordic Rally Championship, also marked Pentinpuro’s second asphalt rally of the season. It also was his first-ever rally competition abroad.

Rally Kjellerup featured nine special stages covering more than 85 competitive kilometres. Pentinpuro and co-driver Juho-Ville Koskela made a strong start, ending the opening loop as class leaders and second overall.

- The first stage was mainly about adapting to the conditions. There are many jumps here and we had to be careful because the car bottoms out quite easily on landings. We also suffered a broken suspension link early in the rally, but the service crew did an excellent job repairing it, Pentinpuro explained during the first service.

After the opening loop, the Finnish crew steadily increased their pace and continued to set competitive stage times throughout the day. Driving a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX, Pentinpuro ultimately secured a commanding class victory and an impressive second place overall. Only Danish driver Esben Hegelund, competing in a Hyundai i20 WRC, managed to finish ahead of the Finn in the overall standings.

- It feels fantastic. We achieved exactly what we came here for: gaining experience, developing our driving and completing a clean rally. To finish second overall behind a WRC car is a result we can be very proud of, Pentinpuro said after the finish.

Pentinpuro’s performance attracted significant attention from both local media and rally fans. The young Finn’s pace throughout the event made him one of the standout performers of the weekend and generated considerable interest among spectators and competitors alike.

Beyond the sporting success, Pentinpuro praised the organisation of the event and the warm welcome received from the Danish rally community.

- The organisers did a great job, and the ceremonial start and finish in the town square attracted plenty of spectators. Everyone was very welcoming, from the organisers to our fellow competitors. Rally Kjellerup was the first event together for Pentinpuro and co-driver Juho-Ville Koskela, making the result even more impressive. Pentinpuro concluded by thanking his co-driver, service crew, partners and supporters for helping make the successful international debut possible.

Photo: Henning Smed Madsen