Solvalla

Last updated
Solvalla
Solvalla skylt 2013.jpg
Location Bromma, Stockholm, Sweden
Coordinates 59°22′03″N17°56′23″E / 59.36750°N 17.93972°E / 59.36750; 17.93972
Date opened1927
Race type Harness
Notable races Elitloppet, Swedish Trotting Criterium, Swedish Trotting Oaks, Jubileumspokalen
Official website

Solvalla is a horse racing track located in Bromma, Stockholm, Sweden. [1] It opened in 1927 and is the largest harness racing venue in the Nordic countries. [2] [3] The racecourse has a capacity of 35,000 spectators. The last Sunday in May, Solvalla annually hosts Elitloppet, one of the most prestigious international trotting events in the world. [4] [5]

Contents

Major events

Elitloppet

Elitloppet is always in the last Sunday in may. During the same weekend there are also the Group II races Sweden Cup and the stayer race Harper Hanovers Race, as well as Elitkampen for coldblood trotters.

Swedish Trotting Criterium

Swedish Trotting Oaks

Jubileumspokalen

Scandinavian Touring Cars

Since 2012 the venue has been used as a motor racing venue and hosts a round of the Scandinavian Touring Car Championship.

Driver champions

Since the track's opening in 1927, there have been only 14 different driver champions at Solvalla. From 1934 until 1976, one of the three Nordin brothers won every year, with the exception of 1949 and 1975. Oldest brother Gösta won ten times, as did middle brother Gunnar. Youngest brother Sören Nordin was track champion 21 times. Their father Ernst J. Nordin was champion 1928 and 1929. After the dominance of the Nordins, Stig H. Johansson took over and claimed the champion title no less than 29 times between 1975 and 2005, his last year as a driver. 27 these titles were consecutive, from 1979 to 2005. Jorma Kontio is the reigning driver champion. [16]

Driver champions ranked by number of titles [16]

RankDriverNumber of titlesYears
1 Stig H. Johansson 291975, 1977, 1979–2005
2 Sören Nordin 211942, 1944–1946, 1948, 1954, 1956–1959, 1961, 1963–1964, 1966, 1969–1974, 1976
3Gunnar Nordin101947, 1950–1951, 1953, 1955, 1960, 1962, 1965, 1967–1968
Gösta Nordin101934–1941, 1943, 1952
5Sixten Lundgren31931–1933
Björn Goop 32007–2009
7Ernst J. Nordin21928–1929
Erik Adielsson22006, 2011
Jorma Kontio 22012, 2013
10Alfred Johansson11927
Carl A. Schoug11930
Erik Larsson11949
Berndt Lindstedt 11978
Örjan Kihlström 12010

Most wins in one year

Related Research Articles

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Elitloppet or Solvallas Internationella Elitlopp is an annual, invitational Group One harness event that has taken place at Solvalla Racetrack in Stockholm, Sweden, since 1952. The competition is regarded as one of the most prestigious international events in trotting. The winner is decided through two qualifying rounds and a subsequent final later the same day. Both the eliminations and the final are raced over the mile. The overall purse for the 2022 event was SEK11,350,000, equalling approximately US$1,073,000. In 2002 the Italian champion Varenne,, took it in a world record time of 1:10.4 in the elimination and then bested that mark by winning the final in 1:10.2 – the fastest mile ever trotted around three turns. The fastest winning time in a final is 1:08.0, run by the French Horsy Dream in 2024. Elitloppet was part of the European Grand Circuit and is part of that circuit's successor, the UET Masters Series.

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The Swedish Trotting Oaks is an annual national Group One harness event for trotters that is held at Solvalla in Stockholm, Sweden. It is the biggest race for 3-year-old fillies in Sweden. The purse in the 2008 final was ≈US$286,000, of which the winner Annicka won half.

Konung Gustaf V:s Pokal or, in shorter form, Kungapokalen, is an annual international Group One harness event for trotters. It is held at Åby Racetrack in Mölndal, 10 km south of Gothenburg, Sweden. It is a stakes race for 4-year-old stallions and geldings. The purse in the 2009 final was ≈US$273,000 (€200,000), of which the winner Knockout Rose won half.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jubileumspokalen</span> Horse race

Jubileumspokalen or Solvallas Jubileumspokal is an annual Group One harness event for trotters that is held at Solvalla in Stockholm, Sweden. Jubileumspokalen has taken place since 1977. In 2008, the purse of the event was approximately US$281,000 (SEK1,750,000).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sprintermästaren</span> Horse race

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References

  1. ↑ "Här finns vi". solvalla.se (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 2009-02-28. Retrieved 2009-03-31.
  2. ↑ "Solvallas historia". solvalla.se (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 2009-02-22. Retrieved 2009-03-31.
  3. ↑ "Besök Solvalla". solvalla.se (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 2009-04-12. Retrieved 2009-03-31.
  4. 1 2 Berg, Leif (2007-05-27). "Fransk smygare vann Elitloppet". dn.se (in Swedish). Dagens Nyheter. Retrieved 2009-03-31.
  5. ↑ Kentell, Mark (2008-05-24). "'Elitlopp' most prestigious race in the World". harnesslink.com. Retrieved 2009-03-31.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "Grupplöpningar 2009" (PDF). travsport.se (in Swedish). STC. Retrieved 2009-03-31.
  7. 1 2 "Travsport - Resultat". travsport.se (in Swedish). STC. Retrieved 2009-06-05.
  8. ↑ "Resultat - Elitloppet, försök 1". travsport.se (in Swedish). STC. Retrieved 2009-06-05.
  9. ↑ In the conversion to USD, the rates of 2009-05-31, the date of the 2009 Elitloppet, have been used.
  10. 1 2 Lindberg, Johan. "120 treåringar jagar plats i Kriteriet och Oaks" (PDF). travsidan.nu (in Swedish). Retrieved 2009-03-31.
  11. 1 2 3 "Resultat - Svenskt Travkriterium 2008". travsport.se (in Swedish). STC. Retrieved 2009-03-31.
  12. 1 2 In the conversion to USD, the rates of 2008-10-05, the date of the 2008 final, have been used.
  13. 1 2 3 "Resultat - Svenskt Trav-Oaks 2008". travsport.se (in Swedish). STC. Retrieved 2009-03-31.
  14. 1 2 "Resultat - Jublieumspokalen". travsport.se (in Swedish). STC. Retrieved 2009-03-31.
  15. ↑ In the conversion to USD, the rates of 2008-08-09, the date of the 2008 race, have been used.
  16. 1 2 3 "Solvalla champions genom tiderna". solvalla.se (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 2014-07-14. Retrieved 2014-07-13.
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