Sami Hyypiä is one of the all-time great football players in Finland. During his career that ended 10 years ago, he achieved a Champions League title with Liverpool in 2005 and he was also the captain of the team in the early 2000´s. Nowadays, as a football retiree, Sami has focused more on his other passion, motorsports. In winter, the best therapy for him is snowmobiling in Finnish Lapland.

YOU RETIRED AS A PLAYER 2011. YOU HAVE BEEN A TEAM MANAGER THEREAFTER. WHAT ARE YOU DOING NOWADAYS?

Sami: During my long player career I was able to do what I really loved. Coaching still interests me, but right now I focus on enjoying my life and spending time with my family. I take full advantage of the fact that no one makes my schedules and I am able to do things that were not possible to do before. Sports and training are still a big part of my life. I ride motocross, snowmobile and I spend time in our cabin in Levi during the winters. My latest passion is motorcycle racing, which I got excited about after a few tries. For this summer I bought my own bike for the track. People always say that they will do things when they are retired. I think for myself that you have to do things when it’s possible to do them and when your physical ability still allows it.

I maintain my connection with my old club Liverpool by taking part in different PR events where you meet fans and partners of the club. I have played exhibition games with my old team mates and visited in training camps to meet their current first-team.

YOU ARE A MOTOSPORT ENTHUSIAST. HOW DID THAT BEGIN?

Sami: I have been a motorsport fan since I was a kid and I have always wanted to try every possible machine with loud noise and speed. During my playing career, I obviously had to avoid all risky sports, but already at the time I rode a bit of motocross secretly in remote places in Central Europe. After my career, I ran a junior motocross team for 8 years and then I got more excited about riding myself, too. During the summer I ride in veteran class of motocross Finnish Cup. Last year I placed 10th in overall points – even though the ranking is not what's important for me in that sport. I focus on riding against riders of similar skill level as me and finish the races safe and healthy.

I got familiar with snowmobiling originally through motocross and I have ridden for several years at my cabin in Lapland. Riding motcross bike or snowmobile is also good training. When riding, you have to be fully focused and then you forget all worries. Being behind the bars of a bike or a sled is like therapy for me.

WHAT KIND OF SNOWMOBILING DO YOU DO?

Sami: I enjoy trail riding the most, which I have been able to do in Lapland. I like when trails are variable and changing landscapes. Experience has brought more speed to my riding on trail and I have learned to trust the sled more.

Through increased speed riding has become more of training aspect. I get a good sweat on trail and the day after riding my muscles are tight. However, I always try to ride safe and avoid unnecessary risks – it is important to get back home healthy. I also don’t speed because I don’t want to lose my drivers license. I would like to ride longer safaris, like to the Arctic Ocean. I have tried deep snow riding as well, and it would be nice to learn more in some good locations. Snowcross looks like a wild sport and trying that on a track some day could also be on my to-do list.

HAVE YOU FOUND ANYTHING IN COMMON BETWEEN MOTORSPORTS AND PLAYING FOOTBALL?

Sami: They both require concentration. Football games last 90 minutes and if player is not 100 percent concentrated in every situation, it leads to errors on field. The same goes for motorsports: if you lose your focus, it could lead to unfortunate consequences. You can practice for concentration and I have also emphasized this to players that I have coached.

I always experienced great enjoyment while playing and for same reason I ride bike and sled. I enjoy riding with every cell of my body!

WHAT ABOUT MOTOCROSS AND SNOWMOBILING – IS THERE ANY CONNECTION BETWEEN THEM?

Sami: There is a lot in common, even though you don’t tilt a sled in corners like with a bike. Riding over bumps and moving on the vehicle has many similarities and thanks to my experience on motocross bike, I have learned to ride a sled in bumps. In both sports, you have to learn how to read the terrain. After a riding day with sled I have pain in same muscles as I do after motocross. I have noticed, that riding a sled is good practice for motocross. Just like in my football career, also in riding I think a lot about how my riding can be more efficient with simple moves. I watch and learn from more experienced riders and I often ask them, what would be the best way to ride particular spots on track or on trail.

LAST SPRING YOU HAD CHANGE TO RIDE MODEL YEAR 2022 RAVE RE 850 E-ETEC. HOW WOULD YOU CHARECTERIZE THAT SLED?

Sami: I rode few hundred kilometers with the new Rave RE and I am very satisfied with the sled. The suspension works great and the ergonomics of the sled shares a lot of similarities with motocross bike. The 850 engine has massive power and riding that asks more precision from a rider than a 600 engine does. Less powerful engines could be faster on demanding trails but crisp engine and responsiveness makes riding somehow more attractive.

WHAT IS THE BEST SNOWMOBILING MEMORY SO FAR?

Sami: Last spring we had an awesome 2-day riding adventure in Lapland with great weather. We rode very various trails in the middle of beautiful highland scenery. I will remember that journey for a long time. One of my favorite locations near Levi for a sled ride is Kumputunturi. I remember one afternoon when we arrived on the top of the hill just in time for really beautiful sunset.

Sami Hyypiä je eden najboljših nogometašev vseh časov na Finskem. V svoji karieri, ki se je končala pred 10 leti, je z Liverpoolom leta 2005 dosegel naslov prvaka, v začetku leta 2000 pa je bil tudi kapetan ekipe. Dandanes se je Sami kot nogometni upokojenec bolj osredotočil na svojo drugo strast, motošport. Pozimi je zanj najboljša terapija vožnja z motornimi sanmi na finski Laponskem.

Kot igralec ste se upokojili leta 2011. Nato ste bili vodja ekipe. kaj počnete danes?

Sami: V svoji dolgi igralski karieri sem lahko počel tisto, kar sem resnično ljubil. Coaching me še vedno zanima, a trenutno se osredotočam na uživanje v življenju in preživljanje časa z družino. Popolnoma izkoriščam dejstvo, da mi nihče ne sestavlja urnikov in zmorem delati stvari, ki jih prej ni bilo mogoče. Šport in treningi so še vedno velik del mojega življenja. Vozim motokros, motorne sani in se pozimi preživljam v naši koči v Leviju. Moja zadnja strast so motociklistične dirke, nad katerimi sem se že po nekaj poskusih navdušil. Za letošnje poletje sem si kupil svoje kolo za stezo. Ljudje vedno pravijo, da bodo nekaj počeli, ko bodo upokojili. Sam menim, da moraš stvari početi, ko je to mogoče in ko ti fizične sposobnosti to še dopuščajo.

Povezavo s svojim starim klubom Liverpool ohranjam tako, da se udeležujem različnih PR dogodkov, kjer srečaš navijače in partnerje kluba. Igral sem razstavne tekme s svojimi starimi soigralci in obiskoval trening kampe, da bi spoznal njihovo trenutno prvo ekipo.

Ste ljubitelj motošporta. Kako se je to začelo? 

Sami: Že od malih nog sem ljubitelj motošporta in vedno sem si želel preizkusiti vse možne stroje z glasnim hrupom in hitrostjo. V času svoje igralske kariere sem se očitno moral izogibati vsem tveganim športom, a sem se že takrat malo na skrivaj vozil v motokrosu po odročnih krajih srednje Evrope. Po svoji karieri sem 8 let vodil mladinsko ekipo v motokrosu, nato pa sem se bolj navdušil nad vožnjo tudi sam. Poleti vozim v veteranskem razredu finskega pokala v motokrosu. Lani sem dosegel 10. mesto v skupnem seštevku – čeprav mi v tem športu uvrstitev ni pomembna. Osredotočam se na vožnjo proti kolesarjem podobnega nivoja spretnosti kot jaz in dirke končam varno in zdravo.

Z motornimi sanmi sem se seznanil prvotno prek motokrosa in že nekaj let se vozim v svoji koči na Laponskem. Dobra vadba je tudi vožnja mokros kolesa ali motornih sani. Pri vožnji moraš biti popolnoma osredotočen in potem pozabiš na vse skrbi. Biti za zapahi kolesa ali sani je zame kot terapija.

S kakšnimi motornimi sanmi se ukvarjaš?

Sami: Najbolj uživam v trail jahanju, kar sem lahko naredil na Laponskem. Všeč mi je, ko so poti spremenljive in spremenljive pokrajine. Izkušnje so prinesle večjo hitrost v mojo vožnjo po poti in naučil sem se bolj zaupati sankam.

S povečano hitrostjo je vožnja postala bolj vadbeni vidik. Na poti se dobro potim in dan po vožnji so mi mišice napete. Vedno pa se trudim voziti varno in se izogibati nepotrebnim tveganjem – pomembno je, da se domov vrneš zdrav. Prav tako ne prehitrim, ker nočem izgubiti vozniškega dovoljenja. Rad bi se vozil na daljše safarije, na primer na Arktični ocean. Preizkusil sem tudi vožnjo po globokem snegu in bi bilo lepo izvedeti več na dobrih lokacijah. Snowcross je videti kot divji šport in poskusiti to na stezi nekega dne bi lahko bil tudi na mojem seznamu opravil.

Ste našli kaj skupnega med motošportom in igranjem nogometa?

Sami: Oba zahtevata koncentracijo. Nogometne tekme trajajo 90 minut in če igralec v vsaki situaciji ni 100-odstotno skoncentriran, vodi do napak na igrišču. Enako velja za motošport: če izgubite osredotočenost, lahko to privede do neprijetnih posledic. Lahko vadite za koncentracijo in to sem poudaril tudi igralcem, ki sem jih treniral.

Med igro sem vedno doživljal velik užitek in iz istega razloga se vozim s kolesom in sankami. Uživam v vožnji z vsako celico svojega telesa! 

Kaj pa motokros in motorne sani – ali je med njima kakšna povezava?

Sami: Veliko je skupnega, čeprav sani v ovinkih ne nagibaš kot pri kolesu. Vožnja po neravninah in premikanje na vozilu imata veliko podobnosti in zahvaljujoč mojim izkušnjam z motokros kolesom sem se naučil voziti sani po neravninah. V obeh športih se morate naučiti brati teren. Po dnevu vožnje s sanmi imam bolečine v istih mišicah kot po motokrosu. Opazil sem, da je vožnja sani dobra praksa za motokros. Tako kot v svoji nogometni karieri, tudi pri jahanju veliko razmišljam o tem, kako je lahko moje jahanje učinkovitejše s preprostimi gibi. Gledam in se učim od bolj izkušenih voznikov in jih pogosto sprašujem, kako bi bilo najbolje voziti določene točke na stezi ali na stezi.

Lansko pomlad ste imeli zamenjavo za vožnjo modelnega leta 2022 rave re 850 e-etec. Kako bi opisali te sani?

Sami: Z novim Rave RE sem prevozil nekaj sto kilometrov in s sankami sem zelo zadovoljen. Vzmetenje deluje odlično, ergonomija sani pa ima veliko podobnosti z motokros kolesom. Motor 850 ima ogromno moč in vožnjo, ki od voznika zahteva večjo natančnost kot motor 600. Manj zmogljivi motorji bi lahko bili hitrejši na zahtevnih poteh, a jasen motor in odzivnost naredita vožnjo nekako bolj privlačno.

Kateri je najboljši spomin na motorne sani doslej?

Sami: Laponsko pomlad smo imeli izjemno 2-dnevno vozno avanturo na Laponskem ob čudovitem vremenu. Vozili smo se po zelo raznolikih poteh sredi čudovite visokogorske pokrajine. To pot si bom še dolgo spominjal. Ena mojih najljubših lokacij v bližini mesta Levi za vožnjo s sanmi je Kumputunturi. Spomnim se nekega popoldneva, ko smo prispeli na vrh hriba ravno v času za res čudovit sončni zahod.