Climb the highest mountain

There has never been an event like the 2006 EMMA Eurofinals. With a total amount of 255 participants and around 40 000 visitors the annual highlight of the season was breaking all records. During the Auto emotionen, swiss most exclusive tuning exhibition, the EMMA team was organising a three days challenge. Competitors from 28 Nations showed an objective mirror of all kinds of modifications possible on vehicles.

After trips from up to 7000 Kilometers, a russian competitor did, the cars arrived on Thursday and have been brought to their judging areas. These have been partly inside the Hall and for ESPL and Rookie outside along the Hall. Even on this day without the competition it was to feel the great spirit brought to Bern by all the people.

With great weather conditions the judging started on Friday morning like usual with the Pro and Expert categories. The head judges did use the Thursday to brief their teams intensivly and also trained them again so that an immediate start was possible at 9:30. It was neccessary out of the reason that a couple of classes have been filled with 20 cars. The judges had a hard job to do and were happy to finish in time even if one class had to be rejudged because a competitor felt not correct judged.

One of the most impressive pictures was to see the Hall in the morning filled with great team areas and competition cars. Of course Pioneer did the most spectacular booth with a lounge and areas for presentation, Plasma Monitors etc. The second main Sponsor DLS was more focused on showing new vehicles and their concepts. In addition to these sponsors also Alpine, Ground Zero, JBL, Audison and Focal were at the place to support their competitors. Like in Sinsheim we marked some Multi Media Cars with Dolby advertisment to light up that increasing field.

On together 6000 sqaure meters the show went on on Saturday with ESPL, Rookies and Amateurs. Also on this day anything did work out well except the fact that the head Judges and the event director discovered a problem happened on Friday in the Expert Sound Only. Also this was solved together with the competitors and then everybody was invited to the EMMA Party which offered the guests a traditional cheese fondue and even if the guiness book of records didn´t respond to the registrtaion it was the biggest of its own with around 700 guests.

Leo Bergamini from EMMA swiss organised a Party zone direct inside the Expo and it was after 4:00 when the last left this hall. EMMA and the Bea Expo arranged an extra Trophy for the best car of the show and different to the prior years an independent judge team was used assembled out of the participants of the Miss Auto emotionen election. The 12 beautiful women decided that Andreas Geibelers "Porno Bus" should get the price and he was very happy to receive it during the Party as well as Igor Shevtsov who did the trophy for the longest trip from Novokuznetsk/Russia.

The sunday started with the ESPL FInal. The best two of each category were asked to bring their cars on stage for a real final. The audience was following this very interessted and when a swiss competitior were not able to start the engine the emotions were cooking. After some discussions the Belgium challenger offered to share the first place even if he would have won. The rulebook in that point is clear and says that any car has to be driven in the measurment area. Real sportsmen!!!

Later on everybody was getting nervous in expectation of the ceremony. In the hall which is used for concerts a enormous stage was available for announcing the winners and of course it was like everytime filled with lots of emotions. No real surprise happend when the announcements were done but the national teams did encourage their members. Especially the nothern europeans, team Russia, Italy and Germay, but as always the best team orange made real noise and circus around the ceremony

A couple of new Nations did particpate this year such as Portugal, San Marino, Romania and France.. It seems that also in the last edges in Europe the acceptance of EMMA as the leading network in Europe is finished. Especially the french performed very well and took one vize champion back home. We hope to get an arrangement with the Iasca France to open the doors for the internationl community.

In the end some personal words from my side. Looking back on this event i believe that everybody who is connected to EMMA on competitiors side and also on the organisation side has to be proud like hell. This Eurofinals have been the greatest car audio competition the world has seen so far and it was realised in only six years from starting EMMA to reach a level other organisations can dream of. Thanks to all who have made the event that special and hope to see you next year again.

Alex Klett

Pictures click >> here
Pictures from EMMA Netherlands >> here
Pictures from Austria >> here
Pictures from France >> here
Pictures from Germany >> here
Funny Pictures under Bagnuts >> here