Solvalla

Solvalla
Interactive map of Solvalla
LocationBromma, Stockholm, Sweden
Coordinates59°22′03″N 17°56′23″E / 59.36750°N 17.93972°E / 59.36750; 17.93972
Date opened1927
Race typeHarness
Notable racesElitloppet, Swedish Trotting Criterium, Swedish Trotting Oaks, Jubileumspokalen
Official website

Solvalla is a horse racing track located in Bromma, Stockholm, Sweden. It opened in 1927 and is the largest harness racing venue in the Nordic countries. 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.

Major events

Elitloppet

  • International Group I race.
  • Setup: Sixteen invited horses are divided into two elimination heats. Four horses from each heat progress to the final, raced later the same day. All races are of 1,609 meters, i.e. one mile.
  • Date: Is always raced on the last Sunday of May.
  • Purse (2009, the final and the elimination heats included): ≈US$803,000 (SEK 6,100,000).

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

  • National Group I stakes race for Swedish three-year-olds.
  • Setup (2008): Six elimination races from which the first two horses progressed to the final eleven days later. All races 2,640 meters long.
  • Date (2008, the final): 5 October.
  • Purse (2008, the final only): ≈US$458,000 (SEK 3,200,000).

Swedish Trotting Oaks

  • National Group I stakes race for Swedish three-year-old fillies.
  • Setup (2008): Six elimination races from which the first two horses progressed to the final eleven days later. All races 2,140 meters long.
  • Date (2008, the final): 5 October.
  • Purse (2008, the final only): ≈US$286,000 (SEK 2,000,000).

Jubileumspokalen

  • International Group I race.
  • Setup (2008): 2,140 meters. Ten horses competed in the event. Some were invited, some qualified through qualification races.
  • Date (2008): 9 August.
  • Purse (2008): ≈US$281,000 (SEK 1,750,000).

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.

Driver champions ranked by number of titles

Rank Driver Number of titles Years
1Stig H. Johansson291975, 1977, 1979–2005
2Sören Nordin211942, 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 Goop32007–2009
7Ernst J. Nordin21928–1929
Erik Adielsson22006, 2011
Jorma Kontio22012, 2013
10Alfred Johansson11927
Carl A. Schoug11930
Erik Larsson11949
Berndt Lindstedt11978
Örjan Kihlström12010

Most wins in one year

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". Dagens Nyheter (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.