A yearly international athletics competition, known as Suomi–Ruotsi-maaottelu (English: The Finland–Sweden match) or Ruotsi-ottelu (The Sweden Battle) in Finnish, Sverigekampen (The Sweden Battle) in Finland Swedish and Finnkampen (The Finn Battle) in Sweden Swedish, is held between Finland and Sweden since 1925.
It is (since the late 1980s) the only annual athletics international with only two participating countries still held at a professional level. The two-day event attracts significant audiences, with a combined total of over 50,000 tickets sold for the 2011 competition.Sonninen, A-P (2011-09-12). Finland and Sweden share match victories in famous annual match. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-09-17.
Competition
The competition is actually divided into two internationals, one for men and one for women. Youth competitions for boys and girls are also held. Each country provides their three best participants in each of the events, except for the relays where there are four participants (one team) from each country. Traditionally, the competitions have been arranged alternatively, with Finland hosting in even years and Sweden in odd years. This has changed few times in recent years, seeing one country arranging the international twice in a row a few times. The reasons for this include stadium renovations and major international competitions. Points are given to all contestants completing their event (no points are given to athletes who are disqualified, do not finish the event or don't get the result in field competitions), based on the final position in every event. Points given in each event are, from 1st to 6th place: 7–5–4–3–2–1, and in relays 1st and 2nd place are awarded with 5 and 2 points.
The competition may not be a world class one looking at the results, no single world record has been set, but there are few competitions in the world that are fiercer and more prestigious. This is most often seen in the middle-distance running, where tactics are more important than time, and these events have seen many foul tricks during the years, in 1992 resulting in the disqualification of all six runners in the men's 1500 metres event.
Another important aspect of the event is that it is a team competition. A competitor who manages to reach fourth place instead of a projected sixth place can be just as important, or even more important, for the result as a "star" that secures the expected first place. A fight to the finish between competitor number five and six, half a lap behind the winner, can be just as important as the actual winner. The race is not over until the last competitor crosses the line. For many of the competitors the international is the most prestigious competition of the year.
The events in Finland have always been held in Helsinki, after 1939 at the Helsinki Olympic Stadium, but 2016 and 2018 events took place at Ratina Stadium in Tampere due to renovation of the Olympic Stadium. The Swedish events have mostly been held in Stockholm at the Stockholm Olympic Stadium. From 1999 until 2012 they were held in Gothenburg at the Ullevi Stadium because of larger spectator capacity.
Events
100 m 200 m 400 m 800 m 1500 m 5000 m 10000 m 5 km walk/10 km walk 4 × 100 m relay 4 × 400 m relay 100 m hurdles/110 m hurdles 400 m hurdles 3000 m steeplechase High jump Pole vault Long jump Triple jump Shot put Discus Hammer Javelin
History
Finnkampen was held for the first time in Helsinki in 1925, with one of the participants being the five-time Olympic champion in the 1924 Summer Olympics, Paavo Nurmi. Competitions were held in 1927, 1929 and 1931. After a pause of eight years the next competition was held in 1939, just before the outbreak of the Second World War, which led to the cancellation of the competition between 1941 and 1944. The 1940 competition was held as a triple event between Finland, Sweden and Germany, with only two athletes from each country competing in each event. The international has been continually held for men since 1945 and for women since 1964, although the first women's competition was held already in 1953.
1931 breakup The first competitions were very much influenced by the love-hate relationship between Sweden and Finland. The 1931 event was a victory for Finland, but tensions at the track led to a knuckle fight between the runners-up in the 800 metres race.
At the banquet after the games, the new chairman of the Finnish athletics union and future president of Finland, Urho Kekkonen announced that Finland would no longer take part in the event. The tension was in a large part caused by Swedish attempts, spearheaded by Sigfrid Edström, the Swedish president of the IAAF and vice-president of the IOC, to have Paavo Nurmi declared a professional athlete, and thus banned from international competitions. After Kekkonen's speech Swedish efforts intensified, and Nurmi was banned from the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
It took eight years until 1939, before the Finns again decided to participate in the games, at the eve of the planned 1940 Summer Olympics in Helsinki.
Results Year Location Winner (men) Result Winner (women) Result1925Helsinki Finland99–85––1927Stockholm Sweden98–86––1929Helsinki Sweden93–90––1931Stockholm Finland104–76––1939Stockholm Finland112–102––1940Helsinki Sweden111–103––1945Stockholm Sweden105–79––1946Helsinki Sweden114.5–68.5––1947Gothenburg Sweden106–78––1948Helsingborg Sweden138–76––1950Stockholm Sweden123–88––1951Helsinki Finland216–194––1953Stockholm/Jyväskylähttp://finnkampen.se/historik-och-fakta/41-2/ Sweden217–193 Sweden58–481954Helsinki/Eskilstuna Finland207–202 Sweden64–421955Stockholm/Valkeakoski Finland213–196 Sweden58–481956Helsinki Finland209–201––1957Stockholm/Lahti Finland208–201 Sweden64–421958Helsinki/Jönköping Finland232–177 Sweden66–511959Gothenburg/Vammala Finland209–200 Sweden64–531960Helsinki/Linköping Finland216–194 Sweden67–501961Stockholm/Kouvola Finland220.5–189.5 Sweden68.5–48.51962Helsinki Finland219–190––1963Stockholm Finland220–190––1964Helsinki Finland210.5–199.5 Sweden64–531965Stockholm Sweden210–200 Sweden65–521966Helsinki Sweden208.5–199.5 Sweden62–551967Stockholm Sweden212–198 Sweden66–511968Helsinki Finland208.5–199.5 Sweden64–521969Stockholm Sweden212.5–195.5 Sweden75–601970Helsinki Finland227–182 Sweden82–531971Gothenburg Finland224–183 Sweden71–641972Helsinki Finland236.5–173.5 Finland73–601973Stockholm Finland223–187 Finland77–691974Helsinki Finland207–200 Finland75–601975Stockholm Finland214–191 Finland94–621976Helsinki Finland223–187 Finland91–661977Stockholm Finland212–194 Finland86–691978Helsinki Finland240–168 Finland85–721979Stockholm Finland214–194 Finland80–771980Helsinki Finland232–178 Sweden79–781981Stockholm Finland214–196 Sweden81–751982Helsinki Finland215–193 Sweden79–781983Stockholm Finland234–176 Sweden83–741984Helsinki Finland216–193 Finland155–1451985Stockholm Sweden219–185 Sweden166–1561986Helsinki Sweden210.5–198.5 Sweden184–1381987Stockholm Finland210.5–197.5 Finland165–1571988Helsinki Finland229.5–180.5 Finland170–1501989Stockholm Sweden213–197 Finland184–1381990Helsinki Finland217–193 Finland182–1401991Stockholm Sweden226–183 Finland197–1471992Helsinki Sweden198–187 Finland195–1491993Stockholm Sweden215–192 Finland198–1441994Stockholm Sweden219–190 Finland174–1701995Helsinki Finland213–196 Finland196–1461996Helsinki Sweden205.5–202.5 Finland215–1731997Stockholm Finland207.5–198.5 Finland223–1651998Helsinki Finland206–200 Finland210–1781999Gothenburg Sweden210–198 Finland212–1752000Helsinki Sweden216–194 Finland219–1912001Gothenburg Sweden218–185 Sweden213–1972002Helsinki Finland223–187 Sweden215.5–192.52003Helsinki Finland205–203 Sweden208.5–201.52004Gothenburg Sweden217–191 Sweden228.5–178.52005Gothenburg Finland212–197 Sweden230–1792006Helsinki Finland204–201 Sweden226–1832007Gothenburg Finland203–199 Sweden219–1892008Helsinki Finland215–193 Sweden209.5–197.52009Gothenburg Sweden208–200 Sweden213–1972010Helsinki Finland214–195 Sweden226–1822011Helsinki Finland206–194 Sweden225–1822012Gothenburg Sweden220–187 Finland223–1872013Stockholm Sweden235–173 Sweden215–1952014Helsinki Sweden216–193 Sweden206–2042015Stockholm Sweden231–179 Finland213.5–193.52016Tampere Sweden210–200 Sweden213–1972017Stockholm Sweden216–188 Sweden232.5–177.52018Tampere Finland206–202 Sweden216–1942019Stockholm Sweden228–181 Sweden217.5–192.52020Tampere Sweden206–201 Sweden221–1862021Stockholm Sweden230–201 Sweden223.5–207.52022Helsinki Sweden227.5–204.5 Sweden225.5–205.52023Stockholm Sweden227–227 Sweden228.5–225.52024Helsinki Finland228–225 Finland229.5–224.52025Stockholm Sweden252–201 Sweden242.5–211.52026Helsinki Finland227–225 Sweden230–222
Totals Men: Finland 48 – 38 Sweden Women: Finland 26 – 45 Sweden Total: Finland 74 – 83 Sweden
Competition records Men EventRecordAthleteNationalityDatePlaceRef100 m10.19Peter Karlsson1996Helsinki, Finland200 m20.47Johan Wissman2007Gothenburg, Sweden400 m45.79Markku Kukkoaho1974Helsinki, Finland800 m1:44.5Pekka Vasala1972Helsinki, Finland1500 m3:36.06Samuel Pihlström3 September 2023Stockholm, Sweden5000 m13:29.26Andreas Almgren4 September 2021Stockholm, Sweden10000 m28:04.86Martti Vainio1978Helsinki, Finland3000 m steeplechase8:20.8Anders Gärderud1974Helsinki, Finland110 m hurdles13.44Robert Kronberg2000Helsinki, Finland400 m hurdles48.86Niklas Wallenlind1992Helsinki, FinlandHigh jump2.35 mStefan Holm2004Gothenburg, SwedenPole vault6.00 mArmand Duplantis24 August 2019Stockholm, SwedenLong jump8.24 m (+0.4 m/s)Thobias Montler5 September 2021Stockholm, SwedenTriple jump17.51 mChristian Olsson2003Helsinki, FinlandShot put20.86 mReijo Ståhlberg1978Helsinki, FinlandDiscus throw69.42 mDaniel Ståhl25 August 2019Stockholm, SwedenHammer throw79.35 mOlli-Pekka Karjalainen2002Helsinki, FinlandJavelin throw89.36 mSeppo Räty1990Helsinki, Finland10000 m walk (track)38:03.95Perseus Karlström24 August 2019Stockholm, Sweden4 × 100 m relay39.2724 August 1996Helsinki, Finland4 × 400 m relay3:05.81Emil JohanssonAnders PihlbladAndreas KramerNick Ekelund-Arenander5 September 2021Stockholm, Sweden
Women EventRecordAthleteNationalityDatePlaceRef100 m11.31Linda Haglund1978Helsinki, Finland200 m22.95Irene Ekelund2013Stockholm, Sweden400 m50.78Riitta Salin1974Helsinki, Finland800 m2:00.50Malin Ewerlöf1998Helsinki, Finland1500 m4:09.32Sara Kuivisto3 September 2023Stockholm, Sweden5000 m15:14.09Sarah Lahti3 September 2023Stockholm, Sweden10000 m31:57.15Midde Hamrin1990Helsinki, Finland10 km (road)32:32Sarah Lahti2 September 2023Stockholm, Sweden3000 m steeplechase9:33.25Emilia Lillemo3 September 2023Stockholm, Sweden100 m hurdles12.80Susanna Kallur2007Gothenburg, Sweden400 m hurdles54.58Anne-Louise Skoglund1986Helsinki, FinlandHigh jump2.01 mKajsa Bergqvist2002Helsinki, FinlandPole vault4.66 mWilma Heltelä29 August 2026Helsinki, FinlandLong jump6.82 mRinga Ropo-Junnila1989Stockholm, SwedenTriple jump14.34 mHeli Koivula2002Helsinki, FinlandShot put18.65 mFanny Roos4 September 2021Stockholm, SwedenDiscus throw63.46 mVanessa Kamga30 August 2024Helsinki, FinlandHammer throw73.09 mKrista Tervo3 September 2023Stockholm, SwedenJavelin throw63.56 mPaula Tarvainen2006Helsinki, Finland5000 m walk (track)20:54.62Sari Essayah1995Helsinki, Finland4 × 100 m relay43.61Emma RienasCarolina KlüftJenny KallurSusanna Kallur2005Gothenburg, Sweden4 × 400 m relay3:33:302002Helsinki, Finland
References
External links Finnkampen – Swedish site Ruotsi-ottelu – Finnish site The event at SVT's open archive