Finnish apartment offers prime sauna view of World Rally Championship

In the heart of rally country, Jyväskylä, Jesse Sormunen's apartment offers an unparalleled experience for motorsport enthusiasts. Located along the famous Harju city special stage, his home provides a front-row seat to the World Rally Championship action, complete with a sauna that doubles as a spectator's booth.

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It's quite nice to follow the rally from here.

Sormunen, 29, who has lived in the apartment for two years, describes the experience as "quite a Finnish experience" – enjoying music and watching high-speed cars whiz by. He often invites friends over during the rally, with the sauna's windows removed to enhance the view. "It's quite nice to follow the rally from here," Sormunen says, noting that his phone has been ringing frequently with inquiries from people wanting to watch from his unique vantage point.

The apartment's prime location was a significant factor in Sormunen's decision to buy it. "The view from the sauna towards Harju was the final thing that made me fall in love with this apartment," he admits with a laugh, acknowledging that the rally was indeed a major consideration. He grew up in Jyväskylä, and rally driving has been a passion since childhood.

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The view from the sauna towards Harju was the final thing that made me fall in love with this apartment.

While Sormunen immerses himself in the rally atmosphere, his partner typically stays with her parents nearby during the event. The apartment buzzes with about a dozen people during these rally evenings, enjoying dinner before the special stage begins. The Harju special stage is run twice during the rally weekend, and Sormunen's apartment is set to host guests for both evenings, embodying the unique blend of home comfort and high-octane motorsport that Jyväskylä offers.

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It's quite a Finnish experience to listen to 'Eppu Normaali' in the sauna and watch the fast cars speed by.