Image: Foremost Media.

Erki Kahro emerged as a surprise contender at Wonthaggi’s second round of the 2019 Pirelli MX Nationals, with the visiting European landing on the MX1 podium while making his debut in the series.

At 25 years of age and hailing from Estonia, Kahro made a stunning appearance in the opening moto, controlling the final stages of the 17-lap affair before being overcome by Luke Clout (CDR Yamaha Monster Energy) with just a matter of corners of left, however a penalty for Clout ultimately granted Kahro the win.

Piloting a KTM 450 SX-F, the privateer put on another charge in the challenging conditions for race two, rebounding from an earlier mistake to finish in sixth, crediting him the final spot on the podium alongside new points leader Hayden Mellross (Raceline KTM Thor) and overall victor Clout.

“I am really happy, it still hasn’t sunk in yet,” Kahro told MotoOnline.com.au. “It’s just unreal – I came over here because I was really struggling with getting a bike and everything in Europe, my friends organised a bike here and it’s just a nice privateer effort.

“I really enjoyed it, and it’s all about fun – there’s no pressure from my friends, and I just happened to do well. I’ve been putting in the work during the [European] winter, and it’s just paid off right now. I think the pace was a little slower in the first moto with the mud, ruts and everything, but that suited me better, because in Europe we have a little bit deeper sand that is slower.

“Here it’s as rough or a little less, but it’s a faster pace. So the second moto I found it really fast-paced, and there’s nowhere like that where I train in Belgium, which is really slow-paced tracks that are really rough. I found that hard in the second moto and fought a little with my bike set-up – I didn’t get it right in the second moto.”

Kahro is set to line-up at Broadford’s third round in Victoria on 14 April, however his plans beyond that are yet to be determined.