Haakons Hall
Encyclopedia
Håkons Hall, sometimes anglicized as Håkon Hall and Haakons Hall, is an arena
located at Stampesletta
in Lillehammer
, Norway
. With a spectator capacity of 11,500 people, it is the largest handball
and ice hockey
venue in the country. Håkons Hall is regularly used for handball and ice hockey tournaments, concerts, exhibitions, conferences and banquets. The venue is owned by Lillehammer Municipality via the subsidiary Lillehammer Olympiapark, which owns all the Olympic venues in Lillehammer. The Norwegian Olympic Museum
is located in the arena, which is located next to the smaller Kristins Hall
.
The hall opened on 1 February 1993 having cost 238 million Norwegian krone
(NOK). It was built to host the ice hockey tournament
at the 1994 Winter Olympics
, and has since hosted the opening and closing ceremonies of the 1994 Winter Paralympics
, the 1999 IIHF World Championship
in ice hockey, the World Women's Handball Championship
in 1993
and 1999
, the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2004
, the 2008 European Men's Handball Championship
and the 2010 European Women's Handball Championship
. Lillehammer IK has occasionally played ice hockey matches at the arena.
. Håkons Hall is named for Haakon Haakonarson, a medieval king of Norway who as a child was transported across by mountains by skiers. Kristin and Håkon became the mascots for the Olympics, and the twin arenas at Stampesletta were named accordingly. Protests were made in Bergen, as local patriots felt it was not suitable that a sports venue had such a similar name to Håkonshallen, a medieval hall in Bergen.
In June 1989, the municipal council voted to locate most of the Lillehammer venues in the Stampesletta area, and to place Håkons Hall adjacent to Kristins Hall. This was controversial and many councilors voted for the original decentralized plan, with the venues spread out through the municipality. The application for the Olympics called for building up to five ice venues in Lillehammer. For post-Olympic use, Kristins Hall was designated as the main ice rink for Lillehammer, while it was planned that Håkons Hall would be used for larger events. On 8 December 1989, the International Olympic Committee
rejected two demands from the International Ice Hockey Federation
(IIHF) for the ability to host a minimum of 12,000 spectators in the larger ice hockey venue and for a women's ice hockey tournament.
The decision about the location of the ice hockey venues was made on 10 October 1990. Håkons Hall would be the main venue, supplemented by Gjøvik Olympic Cavern Hall in Gjøvik
. The proposal to have figure skating
at Håkons Hall was rejected, and instead it was to be held at Hamar Olympic Amphitheatre in Hamar
. In 1990, the Norwegian Cycling Federation
recommended Håkons Hall as one of several possible places to build a velodrome
for the International Cycling Union's 1993 UCI Track Cycling World Championships
. The same year, Håkons Hall was proposed to supplement Oslo Spektrum
as a venue for a proposed pan-European professional ice hockey league. Construction was approved by the Parliament of Norway in April 1990, including funding. Original design plans called for a simple hangar-like design, and original cost estimates were for NOK 191 million. However, in March 1991, the municipal council decided to increase spending on the venue to make it more aesthetic. The re-design also included telescopic stands and better acoustics
, to allow for more flexible use after the Olympics.
The main contractor was Veidekke
and construction cost NOK 238 million. Grants were given from the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate
and SINTEF
for energy economization. The work on the hall was concluded on 1 February 1993. It was the 27th indoor ice hockey rink in Norway.
, with lengths up to 85.4 metres (280.2 ft). The hall is 127 metres (416.7 ft) long and has a total surface area of 23000 square metres (27,507.8 sq yd). The main hall has a floor area of 3500 square metres (4,186 sq yd), with an activity area of 76 by. The maximum ceiling height is 40 metres (131.2 ft), and there is a direct drive-in entrance to the hall for exhibitions. The venue has a capacity for 11,500 seated spectators. The stands are flexible and telescopic, allowing for flexibility in hall use and seating capacity. The arena can be configured with a 330 square metres (394.7 sq yd) stage. The hall can be set up to serve 2,000 people at a banquet, or divided up to serve smaller groups. The venue also features a cafeteria which can seat 200 people. For trade fair
s, the venue offers 3500 square metres (4,186 sq yd), in addition to the VIP and lobby facilities. The same area can also be used for conferences, and the venue can be split up into section to create group rooms, theme rooms and banquet rooms.
Håkons Hall Sports Centre is part of the complex which supplements the main hall with a recreational training facility. It can make use of the main hall for two handball or football courts, or six volleyball
or badminton
courts. In addition, there is a permanent health club
, a climbing wall
, an aerobic
room, a golf center with two golf simulators and a putting green, and two badminton courts, all served by 13 changing rooms. The venue also features a 370 metres (1,213.9 ft) long running track. The cooling and heating systems for Håkons Hall and Kristins Hall are connected, allowing them to function as energy reserves for each other.
The Norwegian Olympic Museum
is located at Håkons Hall. The museum opened on 27 November 1997, and is the only museum in Northern Europe dedicated to the entirety of Olympic history. Since 2006, the museum has been operated as part of Maihaugen
.
along with Gjøvik Olympic Cavern Hall between 12 and 26 February. Håkons Hall hosted 390 matches, including the final which saw Sweden beat Canada on a penalty shootout
. In the 1994 Winter Paralympics, Håkons Hall was used for the opening and closing ceremonies.
The first major international tournament in the hall was some matches of the 1993 World Women's Handball Championship. Lillehammer IK plays its home matches at Kristins Hall, but in 1995 the play-off match between it and neighbor town rivals Storhamar Dragons
was played at Håkons Hall. The match saw more than 5,000 spectators, the record for Lillehammer IK. In 1995, the award ceremony for Spellemannsprisen, Norwegian music's highest award, was held at Håkons Hall.
Norway hosted the 1999 IIHF World Championship in ice hockey in Oslo, Lillehammer and Hamar. Håkons Hall featured Group D, consisting of Russia, Finland, Belarus and Kazakhstan, as well as the semi-finals, the bronze final and the final. The games were sold as twins, with two matches being staged with a one-hour interlude on the same ticket. The same year, Håkons Hall was one of seven venues used for the 1999 World Women's Handball Championship. In addition to group stage and play-off matches, it was awarded the final. Oslo Spektrum
was also considered to hold the final, but with only 8,500 seats and a higher rent, Håkons Hall was preferred.
Håkons Hall hosted the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2004 on 20 November 2004, won by María Isabel
with "Antes Muerta que Sencilla
". Norway was the host of the 2008 European Men's Handball Championship; the group stage games were played in four other Norwegian cities, while the play-off and final was played in Håkons Hall in January 2008. The final saw Denmark
beat Croatia
in front of 9,052 spectators. In 2010, Idrettsgallaen, a show to honor the past year's Norwegian sports and athletes achievements, was hosted at Håkons Hall. Norway and Denmark co-hosted the 2010 European Women's Handball Championship in December 2010, with the matches played in Norway being at Håkons Hall and Arena Larvik
. Lillehammer featured Norway's group in the first and second group stages, while the knockout stage was played in Denmark.
Arena
An arena is an enclosed area, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theater, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators. The key feature of an arena is that the event space is the...
located at Stampesletta
Stampesletta
Stampesletta is a multi-use stadium complex in Lillehammer, Norway. Owned and operated by Lillehammer Municipality, it consists of a track and field venue, an artificial turf football field, three natural grass football fields, a gravel field and natural grass training pitches...
in Lillehammer
Lillehammer
is a town and municipality in Oppland county, Norway, globally known for hosting the 1994 Winter Olympics. It is part of the traditional region of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Lillehammer. As of May 2011, the population of the town of Lillehammer was...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. With a spectator capacity of 11,500 people, it is the largest handball
Team handball
Handball is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each pass a ball to throw it into the goal of the other team...
and ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
venue in the country. Håkons Hall is regularly used for handball and ice hockey tournaments, concerts, exhibitions, conferences and banquets. The venue is owned by Lillehammer Municipality via the subsidiary Lillehammer Olympiapark, which owns all the Olympic venues in Lillehammer. The Norwegian Olympic Museum
Norwegian Olympic Museum
Norwegian Olympic Museum is located in Håkons Hall, Lillehammer, Norway.Norwegian Olympic Museum in Hakon's Hall in Lillehammer, was officially opened by King Harald V and Queen Sonja on November 27, 1997. It is the only museum in northern Europe that presents the entire history of the Olympic...
is located in the arena, which is located next to the smaller Kristins Hall
Kristins Hall
Kristins Hall is an arena located at Stampesletta in Lillehammer, Norway. It consist of an ice rink, a combined handball and floorball court, and a curling rink. The venue, owned and operated by Lillehammer Municipality, opened in 1988 and cost 65 million Norwegian krone to build...
.
The hall opened on 1 February 1993 having cost 238 million Norwegian krone
Norwegian krone
The krone is the currency of Norway and its dependent territories. The plural form is kroner . It is subdivided into 100 øre. The ISO 4217 code is NOK, although the common local abbreviation is kr. The name translates into English as "crown"...
(NOK). It was built to host the ice hockey tournament
Ice hockey at the 1994 Winter Olympics
Ice hockey at the 1994 Winter Olympics was held at the Fjellhallen in Gjøvik and the Håkons Hall in Lillehammer, Norway. The competition, held from February 12 to February 27, was won by Sweden and Canada as runner-up.-Final rankings:Source:* Gold -...
at the 1994 Winter Olympics
1994 Winter Olympics
The 1994 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XVII Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event celebrated from 12 to 27 February 1994 in and around Lillehammer, Norway. Lillehammer failed to win the bid for the 1992 event. Lillehammer was awarded the games in 1988, after having beat...
, and has since hosted the opening and closing ceremonies of the 1994 Winter Paralympics
1994 Winter Paralympics
The 1994 Winter Paralympics, the sixth Winter Paralympics, were held in Lillehammer, Norway, from 10–19 March 1994. These Games marked the first time the Paralympic Winter Games were held in the same location as the Winter Olympics, a tradition that has continued through an agreement of cooperation...
, the 1999 IIHF World Championship
1999 IIHF World Championship
The 1999 Men's Ice Hockey World Championships were held in Oslo, Hamar and Lillehammer in Norway from May 1 to May 16.-Venues:- Qualifying Round :...
in ice hockey, the World Women's Handball Championship
World Women's Handball Championship
The World Championship in team handball for women has been organized by the International Handball Federation since 1957.- Championships :- Overall medal count :- Participation history :-Largest winning margin:Source: - External links :*...
in 1993
1993 World Women's Handball Championship
-Final standings:Source:...
and 1999
1999 World Women's Handball Championship
-Group B:---------------------------------------------------------Group C:---------------------------------------------------------Group D:----------------------------------------...
, the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2004
Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2004
The Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2004 was the second Eurovision Song Contest for young singers aged 8 to 15. It was held on 20 November 2004, in Håkons Hall, Lillehammer, Norway and lasted 2 hours and 15 minutes. The theme of the competition was "Bright Nordic Winter Nights"...
, the 2008 European Men's Handball Championship
2008 European Men's Handball Championship
The 2008 EHF European Men's Handball Championship was held in Norway from 17–27 January, in the cities of Bergen, Drammen, Lillehammer, Stavanger and Trondheim. Denmark won the tournament with Croatia second and France third....
and the 2010 European Women's Handball Championship
2010 European Women's Handball Championship
The 2010 European Women's Handball Championship was held in Denmark and Norway from 7–19 December. It was the first European Championship hosted by two countries. Norway won their overall 5th gold medal, when they defeated first time finalist Sweden in the final...
. Lillehammer IK has occasionally played ice hockey matches at the arena.
Construction
Lillehammer received its first indoor ice rink in 1988, with the opening of Kristins Hall. That same year, the town was awarded the 1994 Winter Olympics, which required the construction of a larger venue for the Olympic ice hockey matches. The naming of the arena was decided by the Lillehammer Municipal Council in October 1988, as part of a broader branding policy, based on the history of the BirkebeinerBirkebeiner
The Birkebein Party or Birkebeinar was the name for a rebellious party in Norway, formed in 1174 around the pretender to the Norwegian throne, Eystein Meyla...
. Håkons Hall is named for Haakon Haakonarson, a medieval king of Norway who as a child was transported across by mountains by skiers. Kristin and Håkon became the mascots for the Olympics, and the twin arenas at Stampesletta were named accordingly. Protests were made in Bergen, as local patriots felt it was not suitable that a sports venue had such a similar name to Håkonshallen, a medieval hall in Bergen.
In June 1989, the municipal council voted to locate most of the Lillehammer venues in the Stampesletta area, and to place Håkons Hall adjacent to Kristins Hall. This was controversial and many councilors voted for the original decentralized plan, with the venues spread out through the municipality. The application for the Olympics called for building up to five ice venues in Lillehammer. For post-Olympic use, Kristins Hall was designated as the main ice rink for Lillehammer, while it was planned that Håkons Hall would be used for larger events. On 8 December 1989, the International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
rejected two demands from the International Ice Hockey Federation
International Ice Hockey Federation
The International Ice Hockey Federation is the worldwide governing body for ice hockey and in-line hockey. It is based in Zurich, Switzerland, and has 70 members...
(IIHF) for the ability to host a minimum of 12,000 spectators in the larger ice hockey venue and for a women's ice hockey tournament.
The decision about the location of the ice hockey venues was made on 10 October 1990. Håkons Hall would be the main venue, supplemented by Gjøvik Olympic Cavern Hall in Gjøvik
Gjøvik
is a town and a municipality in Oppland county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Gjøvik.In 1861, the village of Gjøvik in the municipality of Vardal was granted town status and was separated from Vardal to form a separate municipality...
. The proposal to have figure skating
Figure skating at the 1994 Winter Olympics
Referee:* Britta LindgrenAssistant Referee:* Gerhardt BubníkJudges: Wendy Utley Jan Olesinski Jarmila Portová Alfred Korytek Yang Jiasheng Margaret Ann Wier Noriko Shirota Audrey Williams Jan Hoffmann Monique Petis -Pairs:...
at Håkons Hall was rejected, and instead it was to be held at Hamar Olympic Amphitheatre in Hamar
Hamar
is a town and municipality in Hedmark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Hedmarken. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Hamar. The municipality of Hamar was separated from Vang as a town and municipality of its own in 1849...
. In 1990, the Norwegian Cycling Federation
Norwegian Cycling Federation
The Norwegian Cycling Federation or NCF is the national governing body of cycle racing in Norway.The NCF is a member of the UCI and the UEC....
recommended Håkons Hall as one of several possible places to build a velodrome
Velodrome
A velodrome is an arena for track cycling. Modern velodromes feature steeply banked oval tracks, consisting of two 180-degree circular bends connected by two straights...
for the International Cycling Union's 1993 UCI Track Cycling World Championships
1993 UCI Track Cycling World Championships
The 1993 UCI Track Cycling World Championships were held at Vikingskipet in Hamar, Norway, from 17 to 29 August 1993. Eleven events were held, eight for men and three for women, with five world records being set.-Venue:...
. The same year, Håkons Hall was proposed to supplement Oslo Spektrum
Oslo Spektrum
Oslo Spektrum is an indoor multi-purpose arena in east central Oslo, Norway. It opened in December 1990. It is currently owned and operated by Norges Varemesse , who also own and operate the Norges Varemesse conference center in Lillestrøm which is Norway's largest conference center...
as a venue for a proposed pan-European professional ice hockey league. Construction was approved by the Parliament of Norway in April 1990, including funding. Original design plans called for a simple hangar-like design, and original cost estimates were for NOK 191 million. However, in March 1991, the municipal council decided to increase spending on the venue to make it more aesthetic. The re-design also included telescopic stands and better acoustics
Acoustics
Acoustics is the interdisciplinary science that deals with the study of all mechanical waves in gases, liquids, and solids including vibration, sound, ultrasound and infrasound. A scientist who works in the field of acoustics is an acoustician while someone working in the field of acoustics...
, to allow for more flexible use after the Olympics.
The main contractor was Veidekke
Veidekke
Veidekke is the largest Norwegian construction company and the fourth largest in Scandinavia. Veidekke’s business involves a network of Scandinavian construction operations, rehabilitation work, major heavy construction contracts and development of dwellings for the company’s own account as well...
and construction cost NOK 238 million. Grants were given from the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate
Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate
The Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate is a Norwegian government agency established in 1921. It is under the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy and regulates the country's water resources and energy supply. Its mandate includes contingency planning for floods, serving as a centre of...
and SINTEF
SINTEF
SINTEF , headquartered in Trondheim, Norway, is the largest independent research organisation in Scandinavia. Every year, SINTEF supports research and development at 2,000 or so Norwegian and overseas companies via its research and development activity....
for energy economization. The work on the hall was concluded on 1 February 1993. It was the 27th indoor ice hockey rink in Norway.
Facilities
The structure is dug out of the ground so it does not appear monumental in size from the outside. The roof consists of four sections held up by double trussed beams in glued laminated timberGlued laminated timber
Glued laminated timber, also called Glulam, is a type of structural timber product composed of several layers of dimensioned timber bonded together with durable, moisture-resistant adhesives. This material is called 'laminating stock' or lamstock for short.By laminating several smaller pieces of...
, with lengths up to 85.4 metres (280.2 ft). The hall is 127 metres (416.7 ft) long and has a total surface area of 23000 square metres (27,507.8 sq yd). The main hall has a floor area of 3500 square metres (4,186 sq yd), with an activity area of 76 by. The maximum ceiling height is 40 metres (131.2 ft), and there is a direct drive-in entrance to the hall for exhibitions. The venue has a capacity for 11,500 seated spectators. The stands are flexible and telescopic, allowing for flexibility in hall use and seating capacity. The arena can be configured with a 330 square metres (394.7 sq yd) stage. The hall can be set up to serve 2,000 people at a banquet, or divided up to serve smaller groups. The venue also features a cafeteria which can seat 200 people. For trade fair
Trade fair
A trade fair is an exhibition organized so that companies in a specific industry can showcase and demonstrate their latest products, service, study activities of rivals and examine recent market trends and opportunities...
s, the venue offers 3500 square metres (4,186 sq yd), in addition to the VIP and lobby facilities. The same area can also be used for conferences, and the venue can be split up into section to create group rooms, theme rooms and banquet rooms.
Håkons Hall Sports Centre is part of the complex which supplements the main hall with a recreational training facility. It can make use of the main hall for two handball or football courts, or six volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
or badminton
Badminton
Badminton is a racquet sport played by either two opposing players or two opposing pairs , who take positions on opposite halves of a rectangular court that is divided by a net. Players score points by striking a shuttlecock with their racquet so that it passes over the net and lands in their...
courts. In addition, there is a permanent health club
Health club
A health club is a place which houses exercise equipment for the purpose of physical exercise.-Main workout area:...
, a climbing wall
Climbing wall
A climbing wall is an artificially constructed wall with grips for hands and feet, usually used for indoor climbing, but sometimes located outdoors as well. Some are brick or wooden constructions, but on most modern walls, the material most often used is a thick multiplex board with holes drilled...
, an aerobic
Aerobic
Aerobic is a word that means "requiring air", where "air" usually means oxygen.Aerobic may also refer to:* Aerobic exercise, prolonged exercise of moderate intensity* Aerobics, a form of aerobic exercise...
room, a golf center with two golf simulators and a putting green, and two badminton courts, all served by 13 changing rooms. The venue also features a 370 metres (1,213.9 ft) long running track. The cooling and heating systems for Håkons Hall and Kristins Hall are connected, allowing them to function as energy reserves for each other.
The Norwegian Olympic Museum
Norwegian Olympic Museum
Norwegian Olympic Museum is located in Håkons Hall, Lillehammer, Norway.Norwegian Olympic Museum in Hakon's Hall in Lillehammer, was officially opened by King Harald V and Queen Sonja on November 27, 1997. It is the only museum in northern Europe that presents the entire history of the Olympic...
is located at Håkons Hall. The museum opened on 27 November 1997, and is the only museum in Northern Europe dedicated to the entirety of Olympic history. Since 2006, the museum has been operated as part of Maihaugen
Maihaugen
Maihaugen is one of the most visited tourist attractions in Lillehammer, Norway. Maihaugen, with close to 200 buildings, is one of Northern Europe's largest open air museums and is one of the largest cultural facilities in Norway.-History:The founder, Anders Sandvig, collected from old houses and...
.
Events
During the 1994 Winter Olympics, Håkons Hall hosted the ice hockey tournamentIce hockey at the 1994 Winter Olympics
Ice hockey at the 1994 Winter Olympics was held at the Fjellhallen in Gjøvik and the Håkons Hall in Lillehammer, Norway. The competition, held from February 12 to February 27, was won by Sweden and Canada as runner-up.-Final rankings:Source:* Gold -...
along with Gjøvik Olympic Cavern Hall between 12 and 26 February. Håkons Hall hosted 390 matches, including the final which saw Sweden beat Canada on a penalty shootout
Penalty shootout
The shootout is a method of determining a winner in sports matches that would have otherwise been drawn or tied. The rules for penalty shootouts vary between sports and even different competitions; however, the usual form is similar to penalty shots in that a single player takes one shot on goal...
. In the 1994 Winter Paralympics, Håkons Hall was used for the opening and closing ceremonies.
The first major international tournament in the hall was some matches of the 1993 World Women's Handball Championship. Lillehammer IK plays its home matches at Kristins Hall, but in 1995 the play-off match between it and neighbor town rivals Storhamar Dragons
Storhamar Dragons
The Storhamar Dragons is an ice hockey club based in Hamar, Norway and plays in the GET-ligaen. The club also includes the largest junior department in Norwegian ice hockey.The ice hockey department of the Storhamar IL was founded on 18 March 1957...
was played at Håkons Hall. The match saw more than 5,000 spectators, the record for Lillehammer IK. In 1995, the award ceremony for Spellemannsprisen, Norwegian music's highest award, was held at Håkons Hall.
Norway hosted the 1999 IIHF World Championship in ice hockey in Oslo, Lillehammer and Hamar. Håkons Hall featured Group D, consisting of Russia, Finland, Belarus and Kazakhstan, as well as the semi-finals, the bronze final and the final. The games were sold as twins, with two matches being staged with a one-hour interlude on the same ticket. The same year, Håkons Hall was one of seven venues used for the 1999 World Women's Handball Championship. In addition to group stage and play-off matches, it was awarded the final. Oslo Spektrum
Oslo Spektrum
Oslo Spektrum is an indoor multi-purpose arena in east central Oslo, Norway. It opened in December 1990. It is currently owned and operated by Norges Varemesse , who also own and operate the Norges Varemesse conference center in Lillestrøm which is Norway's largest conference center...
was also considered to hold the final, but with only 8,500 seats and a higher rent, Håkons Hall was preferred.
Håkons Hall hosted the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2004 on 20 November 2004, won by María Isabel
María Isabel
María Isabel is a Spanish singer, actress and the winner of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2004.-Biography:Maria Isabel was born María Isabel López Rodríguez in Ayamonte, Huelva Province, Spain. She demonstrated an interest in dancing and singing from a very young age...
with "Antes Muerta que Sencilla
Antes Muerta que Sencilla
"Antes Muerta Que Sencilla" is a song composed and written by Spanish singer Maria Isabel in 2004. Maria Isabel sang it in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2004 and won the competition with a record total of 171 points. It later became a huge hit in Spain, Argentina, Brazil, Japan, was also a...
". Norway was the host of the 2008 European Men's Handball Championship; the group stage games were played in four other Norwegian cities, while the play-off and final was played in Håkons Hall in January 2008. The final saw Denmark
Denmark national handball team
The Denmark national handball team is the national handball team of Denmark. Controlled by the Danish Handball Association it represents Denmark in international matches....
beat Croatia
Croatia national handball team
The Croatian national handball team is a handball team that represents Croatia in the international matches and has been playing since the country's independence in the early 1990s...
in front of 9,052 spectators. In 2010, Idrettsgallaen, a show to honor the past year's Norwegian sports and athletes achievements, was hosted at Håkons Hall. Norway and Denmark co-hosted the 2010 European Women's Handball Championship in December 2010, with the matches played in Norway being at Håkons Hall and Arena Larvik
Arena Larvik
Arena Larvik is an indoor arena in Larvik, Norway. It was opened in September 2009. The arena will be primarily used for handball, but the hall has additional permanent floor marks for basketball, volleyball and floorball....
. Lillehammer featured Norway's group in the first and second group stages, while the knockout stage was played in Denmark.