Ice‑hockey champion Konsta Helenius rides test rally with Sami Pajari

Twenty‑year‑old Finnish ice‑hockey world champion Konsta Helenius accepted an invitation to join rally driver Sami Pajari for a test‑run during the Finnish World Rally Championship in Jyväskylä. Helenius said the rally experience was “crazy fast,” adding that rally drivers seem tougher than hockey players. He compared the speed to a recent roller‑coaster ride in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Helenius had turned down many other event requests, including one from the Buffalo Sabres, but found this rally ride impossible to refuse. He also recalled his father’s promise to buy him an ATV if he reached 150 points in the season, which he later declined. The test event gave the young hockey star a unique glimpse into motorsport culture.