Vesa Ylinen
{{Short description|Finnish speedway rider}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2024}}
{{Infobox Speedway rider
| name = Vesa Ylinen
| image =
| nationality = Finnish
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1965|7|23|df=y}}
| birth_place = Seinäjoki, Finland
| death_date =
| death_place =
| career1 = Great Britain
| career2 = Edinburgh Monarchs
| years2 = 1993–1994, 1996
| career3 = Poland
| career4 = Torun
| years4 = 1991
| career5 = Sweden
| career6 = Griparna
| years6 = 1988–1991
| career7 = Rospiggarna
| years7 = 1992–1993
| career8 = Smederna
| years8 = 1995
| indivyear1 = 1991, 1992, 1995
1996, 1998
| indivhonour1 = Finnish national Champion
| indivyear2 =
| indivhonour2 =
}}
Vesa Ylinen (born 23 July 1965) is a Finnish former motorcycle speedway rider.{{cite web |url=https://wwosbackup.proboards.com/thread/946/vesa-ylinen |title=Vesa Ylinen |website=WWOS backup |access-date=12 January 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://www.edinburghmonarchs.co.uk/news-centre/article/2007-09-25/history-will-be-made-on-friday |title=HISTORY WILL BE MADE ON FRIDAY |website=Edinburgh Speedway |access-date=12 January 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://speedway.com.pl/riders/vesa-ylinen/ |title=Vesa Ylinen Finlandia |website=Polish Speedway Database |access-date=12 January 2023}} He earned 14 caps for the Finland national speedway team.{{cite web |url=https://britishspeedway.co.uk/docs/Ultimate_Index_1929-2022.pdf |title=Ultimate rider index, 1929-2022 |website=British Speedway |access-date=5 September 2024}}
Career
In 1991, Ylinen became the national champion of Finland after winning the Finnish Individual Speedway Championship and the following year he successfully defended his title by winning it again.{{cite web |url=http://www.historyspeedway.nstrefa.pl/indmfinlandii.php |title=Individual Finnish Championship |website=Historia Sportu Zuzlowego |access-date=12 January 2023}} He toured the UK with Rospiggarna in 1992.{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0004841/19920328/027/0027 |title=A home debut for Falcons Swedish star |website=Torbay Express and South Devon Echo |date=28 March 1992 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription |access-date=8 September 2024}}
He came to the attention of the Edinburgh Monarchs who signed him for the 1993 British League season,{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000740/19930126/408/0018 |title=Finnish champ on way |website=Edinburgh Evening News |date=26 January 1993 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=25 August 2024}} where he would stay for two seasons.{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000740/19940305/292/0031 |title=Vesa's bikeless blunder |website=Edinburgh Evening News |date=5 March 1994 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=25 August 2024}} A third and fourth Finnish national title was secured in 1995 and 1996 respectively{{cite web|url=http://speedwayfansite.com/champs/finim.html |title=Individual Championship of Finland |website=Speedway Fansite |access-date=12 January 2023}} and he would return to the Edinburgh club in 1996, when they were called the Scottish Monarchs.
He won a fifth and final national title in 1998 and then returned to his native Finland to complete his career with Kotkat Seinajoki.