Olympiatravet
Encyclopedia
Olympiatravet is an annual Group One
harness event
for trotters that is held at Åby Racetrack
in Mölndal
, 10 km south of Gothenburg
, Sweden
. The event was carried through for the first time in 1979. In 2009, the purse of the final was approximately US$326,000 (SEK2,750,000).
, SOC. The Swedish olympic movement receives a share of the money gambled on the event. 90 % of this share is kept by SOC, while the remaining 10 % is given to Sveriges Handikappsförbund (SHIF) and athletes competing in the Paralympics. In total, Olympiatravet has brought the olympic movement over US$27 million (over SEK163 million), and in 2008 alone the amount was ≈US$1,767,000 (SEK10,500,000). In 2009, another SEK 10,340,000 was handed over to SOC (SEK9.4 million) and SHIF (SEK940,000).
In order to honour the winners, through the years, olympic athletes have visited the Olympiatravet Day as well as the tracks and days of the qualifying races. The winners in 2009, Triton Sund and his connections, were celebrated by, among others, olympic gold medalists Team Anette Norberg
(curling
) as well as cross-country skiing
star Charlotte Kalla
.
In 2009, three qualifying races were carried out. The winners and runner-ups of these races were awarded starts in Olympiatravet's final. The winner of Rommeheatet, a race a week before the Olympiatravet final, was also awarded a place in the final. To fill up the rest of the ten places in the final, Åby invites horses and offers them wild cards. In 2009, four such wild cards were handed out.
has been used to launch the race since the event began in 1979. The distance has always been 2,140 meters.
. The following editions were raced at either Solvalla
(1980 and 1984) or Åby (1982), before the latter racetrack became the permanent host as from 1985.
In the first starting attempt, L'Amiral Mauzun had a mishap to his equipment. The horse started to scamper uncontrollably, and the attempt was called off. The French horse ran for almost 2,000 meters before he finally settled down. The veterinarian at Åby took the decision to take the French horse out of the race.
The second starting attempt was successful. French Oiseau de Feux went to the front and kept a high pace (500m: 1:08.3 (km rate), 1000m: 1:10.0 (km rate)). He was followed by Torvald Palema, Colombian Necktie and Finders Keepers on the rail. On the outside, Garland Kronos was first, with Global Investment, Triton Sund and Dig For Dollars following him. Adams Hall was, after initially going off-stride, last. With approximately 700 meters to go, Triton Sund started to advance. He made good progress, and down the stretch, Triton Sund and Oiseau de Feux fought for the title. The Swedish stallion managed to win by a neck. Oiseau de Feux had a safe margin to Torvald Palema, who came in third, in front of Colombian Necktie and Adams Hall, who grabbed the last places in the money. Triton Sund was timed in 1:11.1/2,140m (km rate), which equalled the world record mark for middle distance races run on 1,000 meter tracks, a record set by French Jag de Bellouet
in 2006.
The 2009 Olympiatravet attendance of 17,401 meant a new record attendance for Åby Racetrack.
Group One
Group One or Group 1 is the term used for the highest level of Thoroughbred and Standardbred stakes races in many countries. Group One races may be run under handicap conditions in Australia but in Europe weight-for-age conditions always apply. Races may be also restricted to age groups or a...
harness event
Harness racing
Harness racing is a form of horse racing in which the horses race at a specific gait . They usually pull a two-wheeled cart called a sulky, although racing under saddle is also conducted in Europe.-Breeds:...
for trotters that is held at Åby Racetrack
Åby Racetrack
Åby Racetrack is a horse racing track located in Mölndal, 10 km south of Gothenburg, Sweden.Åby was opened in 1936 as a track for harness racing as well as thoroughbred racing. Since October 1976, the track has been dedicated to harness racing solely....
in Mölndal
Mölndal
Mölndal is a part of the Gothenburg urban area on the west-coast of Sweden, and constitutes the administrative centre of Mölndal Municipality. About 40,000 of the municipality's 60,000 inhabitants live here.-Geography:...
, 10 km south of Gothenburg
Gothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. The event was carried through for the first time in 1979. In 2009, the purse of the final was approximately US$326,000 (SEK2,750,000).
Collaboration with the Swedish olympic movement
Olympiatravet is arranged by the Swedish Horse Racing Totalisator Board, ATG, together with The Swedish Olympic CommitteeSwedish Olympic Committee
The Swedish Olympic Committee is the Swedish National Olympic Committee . The Swedish Olympic Committee organize the Swedish participation in the Olympics, choose the participants and run the "Elitprogrammet".The committee has 35 Olympic national federations members and 12 by the IOC national...
, SOC. The Swedish olympic movement receives a share of the money gambled on the event. 90 % of this share is kept by SOC, while the remaining 10 % is given to Sveriges Handikappsförbund (SHIF) and athletes competing in the Paralympics. In total, Olympiatravet has brought the olympic movement over US$27 million (over SEK163 million), and in 2008 alone the amount was ≈US$1,767,000 (SEK10,500,000). In 2009, another SEK 10,340,000 was handed over to SOC (SEK9.4 million) and SHIF (SEK940,000).
In order to honour the winners, through the years, olympic athletes have visited the Olympiatravet Day as well as the tracks and days of the qualifying races. The winners in 2009, Triton Sund and his connections, were celebrated by, among others, olympic gold medalists Team Anette Norberg
Anette Norberg
Anette Norberg is a Swedish curler from Nacka. She and her team are the current Olympic women's curling champions, having won the 2010 Women's Curling tournament in Vancouver...
(curling
Curling
Curling is a sport in which players slide stones across a sheet of ice towards a target area. It is related to bowls, boule and shuffleboard. Two teams, each of four players, take turns sliding heavy, polished granite stones, also called "rocks", across the ice curling sheet towards the house, a...
) as well as cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing is a winter sport in which participants propel themselves across snow-covered terrain using skis and poles...
star Charlotte Kalla
Charlotte Kalla
Charlotte Kalla is a Swedish cross-country skier who has been competing since 2004. She won a bronze medal in the 4 x 5 km relay at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2009 in Liberec...
.
Racing conditions
The ten contestants can make the final in three ways - through qualifying races, via an invitation or by being the reigning champion of the event. To race in the final, and thus both to enter the qualifying races and to come in contention for invitations, a horse must be of age three or above.In 2009, three qualifying races were carried out. The winners and runner-ups of these races were awarded starts in Olympiatravet's final. The winner of Rommeheatet, a race a week before the Olympiatravet final, was also awarded a place in the final. To fill up the rest of the ten places in the final, Åby invites horses and offers them wild cards. In 2009, four such wild cards were handed out.
Starting method and distance
With the exceptions of 1980 and 1982, a motorized starting gateStarting gate
A starting gate is a machine used in horse racing and dog racing to ensure a fair start in a race.-Thoroughbred/quarter horse racing:...
has been used to launch the race since the event began in 1979. The distance has always been 2,140 meters.
Location
The venue varied during the first years. The first Olympiatravet was held at JägersroJägersro
Jägersro is a neighbourhood of Malmö, situated in the Borough of Husie, Malmö Municipality, Skåne County, Sweden....
. The following editions were raced at either Solvalla
Solvalla
Solvalla is a horse racing track located in Bromma, Stockholm, Sweden. It was opened in 1927 and is the biggest harness racing venue in the Nordic countries. The last Sunday in May, Solvalla annually hosts Elitloppet, one of trotting's most prestigious international events.-Elitloppet:*...
(1980 and 1984) or Åby (1982), before the latter racetrack became the permanent host as from 1985.
The 2009 Olympiatravet
From the three regular Olympiatravet qualification races, five horses progressed to the final: Colombian Necktie, Dig For Dollars, Global Investment, Torvald Palema and Triton Sund. Finders Keepers won the extra qualification race, Rommeheatet. The four wild cards were given to French duo Oiseau de Feux and L'Amiral Mauzun, as well as Garland Kronos and Adams Hall. Swedish trainer Åke Svanstedt thus had three contenders in the race, three horses that won him a treble in the 2008 Olympiatravet: Adams Hall (2nd in 2008), Finders Keepers (3rd) and Torvald Palema (winner).In the first starting attempt, L'Amiral Mauzun had a mishap to his equipment. The horse started to scamper uncontrollably, and the attempt was called off. The French horse ran for almost 2,000 meters before he finally settled down. The veterinarian at Åby took the decision to take the French horse out of the race.
The second starting attempt was successful. French Oiseau de Feux went to the front and kept a high pace (500m: 1:08.3 (km rate), 1000m: 1:10.0 (km rate)). He was followed by Torvald Palema, Colombian Necktie and Finders Keepers on the rail. On the outside, Garland Kronos was first, with Global Investment, Triton Sund and Dig For Dollars following him. Adams Hall was, after initially going off-stride, last. With approximately 700 meters to go, Triton Sund started to advance. He made good progress, and down the stretch, Triton Sund and Oiseau de Feux fought for the title. The Swedish stallion managed to win by a neck. Oiseau de Feux had a safe margin to Torvald Palema, who came in third, in front of Colombian Necktie and Adams Hall, who grabbed the last places in the money. Triton Sund was timed in 1:11.1/2,140m (km rate), which equalled the world record mark for middle distance races run on 1,000 meter tracks, a record set by French Jag de Bellouet
Jag de Bellouet
Jag de Bellouet is a French former racing trotter by Viking's Way out of Vaunoise by Nicos du Vivier....
in 2006.
The 2009 Olympiatravet attendance of 17,401 meant a new record attendance for Åby Racetrack.
Horses with most wins
- 3 - Gidde PalemaGidde PalemaGidde Palema is a Swedish breeding stallion and former racing trotter by Alf Palema out of Rosie Palema by Ideal du Gazeau....
(2003, 2004, 2005) - 2 - VarenneVarenneVarenne is a dark bay former racing trotter by Waikiki Beach out of Ialmaz by Zebu.The italian Varenne is considered the strongest trotter of all time, no other trotter before he got so many important victories and records.Before he started running, in the opinion of several vets, Varenne could...
(2000, 2002) - 2 - Scandal Play (1997, 1999)
- 2 - CopiadCopiadCopiad is a Swedish breeding stallion and former racing trotter by Texas out of Bibbi Girl by Big Lama.His most prestigious victories include Elitloppet , Oslo Grand Prix , Finlandia-Ajo and Olympiatravet . At the end of his career, the stallion had earned US$2,416,093...
(1995, 1996) - 2 - Queen L.Queen L.Queen L. is a chestnut standardbred trotter by Crowntron out of Attila L. by Tibur.Her most prestigious victories include the Swedish Trotting Derby , Prix d'Amérique and Prix de France . At the end of her career, the mare had earned US$2,383,158....
(1993, 1994)
Sires with at least two different winning offsprings
- 3 - Texas (Copiad, Karate Chop, Grades Singing)
- 2 - Alf Palema (Gidde Palema, Torvald Palema)
- 2 - Viking Kronos (Thai Tanic, Triton Sund)
Drivers with most wins
- 4 - Stig H. JohanssonStig H. JohanssonStig Henry Johansson is a Swedish trotting trainer and former driver. He started his career as a professional trainer in 1969, and has during a large part of the career been a dominating force in Swedish trotting. He is, arguably, the greatest in Swedish trotting history. Internationally, he is...
- 4 - Åke Svanstedt
- 2 - Erik Berglöf
- 2 - Bo Eklöf
- 2 - Jorma Kontio
- 2 - Giampaolo Minnucci
Trainers with most wins
- 4 - Stig H. Johansson
- 4 - Åke Svanstedt
- 2 - Erik Berglöf
- 2 - Lars Marklund
- 2 - Jori Turja
All winners of Olympiatravet
| Year | Horse | Driver | Trainer | Country of owner | Odds of winner | Winning time (km rate) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Triton Sund | Örjan Kihlström | Stefan Hultman | 4.77 | 1:11.1 | |
| 2008 | Torvald Palema | Åke Svanstedt | Åke Svanstedt | 8.29 | 1:12.2 | |
| 2007 | Gentleman | Thomas Uhrberg | Kari Lähdekorpi | 11.20 | 1:12.8 | |
| 2006 | Thai Tanic | Björn Goop | Olle Goop | 6.46 | 1:13.0 | |
| 2005 | Gidde Palema Gidde Palema Gidde Palema is a Swedish breeding stallion and former racing trotter by Alf Palema out of Rosie Palema by Ideal du Gazeau.... |
Åke Svanstedt | Åke Svanstedt | 1.51 | 1:12.9 | |
| 2004 | Gidde Palema | Åke Svanstedt | Åke Svanstedt | 4.66 | 1:12.9 | |
| 2003 | Gidde Palema | Åke Svanstedt | Åke Svanstedt | 19.92 | 1:13.1 | |
| 2002 | Varenne Varenne Varenne is a dark bay former racing trotter by Waikiki Beach out of Ialmaz by Zebu.The italian Varenne is considered the strongest trotter of all time, no other trotter before he got so many important victories and records.Before he started running, in the opinion of several vets, Varenne could... |
Giampaolo Minnucci | Jori Turja | 1.13 | 1:12.4 | |
| 2001 | Etain Royal | Jorma Kontio | Pirjo Vauhkonen | 1.25 | 1:13.2 | |
| 2000 | Varenne | Giampaolo Minnucci | Jori Turja | 2.76 | 1:12.7 | |
| 1999 | Scandal Play | Bo Eklöf | Lars Marklund | 4.47 | 1:14.8 | |
| 1998 | Rival Damkaer | Erik Adielsson | Tommy Strandqvist | 16.66 | 1:16.2 | |
| 1997 | Scandal Play | Bo Eklöf | Lars Marklund | 7.37 | 1:13.7 | |
| 1996 | Copiad Copiad Copiad is a Swedish breeding stallion and former racing trotter by Texas out of Bibbi Girl by Big Lama.His most prestigious victories include Elitloppet , Oslo Grand Prix , Finlandia-Ajo and Olympiatravet . At the end of his career, the stallion had earned US$2,416,093... |
Erik Berglöf | Erik Berglöf | 1.68 | 1:13.9 | |
| 1995 | Copiad | Erik Berglöf | Erik Berglöf | 1.51 | 1:13.6 | |
| 1994 | Queen L. Queen L. Queen L. is a chestnut standardbred trotter by Crowntron out of Attila L. by Tibur.Her most prestigious victories include the Swedish Trotting Derby , Prix d'Amérique and Prix de France . At the end of her career, the mare had earned US$2,383,158.... |
Stig H. Johansson Stig H. Johansson Stig Henry Johansson is a Swedish trotting trainer and former driver. He started his career as a professional trainer in 1969, and has during a large part of the career been a dominating force in Swedish trotting. He is, arguably, the greatest in Swedish trotting history. Internationally, he is... |
Stig H. Johansson | 2.55 | 1:13.8 | |
| 1993 | Queen L. | Stig H. Johansson | Stig H. Johansson | 2.94 | 1:14.3 | |
| 1992 | Bravo Sund | Jorma Kontio | Veijo Heiskanen | 9.25 | 1:14.3 | |
| 1991 | Karate Chop | Bo Näslund | Bo Näslund | 16.38 | 1:15.1 | |
| 1990 | Jet Ribb | Hans G. Eriksson | Per-Erik Eriksson | 6.77 | 1:14.6 | |
| 1989 | Callit | Karl O. Johansson | Karl O. Johansson | 1.39 | 1:14.9 | |
| 1988 | Sugarcane Hanover | Gunnar Eggen | Gunnar Eggen | 5.83 | 1:14.4 | |
| 1987 | Grades Singing | Ulf Thoresen | Herve Filion | 3.32 | 1:15.4 | |
| 1986 | Utah Bulwark | Stig H. Johansson | Stig H. Johansson | 2.50 | 1:14.5 | |
| 1985 | Meadow Road | Torbjörn Jansson | Torbjörn Jansson | 2.52 | 1:15.5 | |
| 1984 | Einarsin | Tapio Perttunen | Tapio Perttunen | 39.45 | 1:15.1 | |
| 1982 | Jana Bloc | Ove R. Andersson | Ove R. Andersson | 2.08 | 1:18.8 | |
| 1980 | Don Ego | Stig H. Johansson | Stig H. Johansson | 2.75 | 1:18.4 | |
| 1979 | Pershing | Berndt Lindstedt | Berndt Lindstedt | 1.20 | 1:17.9 |