Helsinki Velodrome
Helsingin Velodromi | |
Velo | |
 Helsinki Velodrome | |
 | |
| Address | Mäkelänkatu 70, 00520 Helsinki |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 60°12′10″N 24°56′34″E / 60.20278°N 24.94278°E |
| Public transit | Helsinki Regional Transport Authority bus and tram service |
| Owner | City of Helsinki |
| Seating type | Seated and standing |
| Capacity | Seated: 4000 Standing: 3000 |
| Field shape | Rectangular |
| Surface | Pitch: Artificial turf (Installed in 2000) Cycling track: Concrete |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 1938 |
| Built | 1940 |
| Opened | 22 May 1941 |
| Renovated | 1997-2000 (3.5 mil. €) |
| Architect | Hilding Ekelund |
| Tenants | |
| American football: Helsinki Roosters Helsinki 69ers Helsinki Wolverines GS Demons East City Giants Cycling: Cycle Club Helsinki IK-32 Field hockey: Warriors HC ABC-Team | |
| Website | |
| www | |
Helsinki Velodrome (Finnish: Helsingin Velodromi) is an outdoor velodrome, American football and field hockey stadium in Helsinki, Finland. The protected functionalist concrete building was designed by Hilding Ekelund.
History
[edit]It was built in 1938–1940 for the 1940 Summer Olympics which were cancelled due to World War II. After the war, it was a venue of the 1952 Summer Olympics for the track cycling and field hockey events. The Velodrome hosted the four-track cycling events and the whole field hockey event for the Olympics. The original building was deemed inadequate during the games and additional space was quickly erected to accommodate the athletes and press. Some temporary seating was also constructed for additional capacity.[1]
Before the renovation of 1997–2000, the center area had a natural grass pitch and was used for soccer, hosting local teams like Ponnistus, Käpylän Pallo and Atlantis FC.
Docomomo has listed it as a significant example of modern architecture in Finland.[2]
Usage
[edit]Cycling
[edit]The cycling track is 400 meters in length and is used for most national events. The banking in the bends is 37.5˚ and 16˚ on the straights. The length of the track and the lack of built safety measures make the track unsuitable for international cycling competitions.
Helsinki Velodrome also acts as a starting and ending point for the annual cyclosportive Tour de Helsinki.[3]
American football
[edit]The Helsinki Velodrome is the home field of most American football teams in Helsinki, including East City Giants and the Vaahteraliiga teams Helsinki Roosters and Helsinki Wolverines. The ground also caters to lacrosse and field hockey players.[4]
In 2010 a training pitch designated primarily for American football was opened in the near vicinity of the Helsinki Velodrome, making the area an unofficial American football center of Helsinki.[5]
Field hockey
[edit]During the summer season the field is used for playing field hockey.
Speedway
[edit]The velodrome previously hosted some motorcycle speedway meetings. It staged a qualifying round of the Speedway World Championship in 1956 and from 1959 to 1961[6] in addition to the Finnish Individual Speedway Championship in 1955 and 1957.[7] The speedway rider Erkki Ala-Sippola was killed at the venue during a Finnish Speedway Championship match there in 1958.[8]
References
[edit]- ^ THE OFFICIAL REPORT OF THE ORGANISING COMMITTEE FOR THE GAMES OF THE XV OLYMPIAD HELSINKI 1952 (PDF). WSOY. 1955. p. 50.
- ^ "Velodromi – Velodrome". Docomomo Suomi Finland. Archived from the original on 9 May 2018. Retrieved 4 July 2014.
- ^ "Reitti". Tourdehelsinki.fi (in Finnish). Velocitor Oy. Archived from the original on 10 December 2014. Retrieved 10 December 2014.
- ^ Jussi Vainikka; Alec Neihum (20 June 2013). "Velodromista on moneksi". yle.fi (in Finnish). YLE. Retrieved 28 November 2014.
- ^ "Velodromin harjoituskenttä". sajl.fi (in Finnish). American Football Association of Finland. 20 June 2010. Retrieved 28 November 2014.
- ^ "History Speedway and Longtrack". Speedway.org. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
- ^ "Speedway Individual Finnish Championship". Speedway Sanomat. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
- ^ "Erkki Ala-Sippola". Motorsport Memorial. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
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| 21st century | ||
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- Football venues in Finland
- Velodromes in Finland
- Venues of the 1952 Summer Olympics
- Cycle racing in Finland
- Olympic cycling venues
- Olympic field hockey venues
- Hilding Ekelund buildings
- American football venues in Finland
- Pasila
- 1941 establishments in Finland
- Sports venues completed in 1941
- Lacrosse venues
- Field hockey venues
- European sports venue stubs
- Finnish building and structure stubs
- Finnish sport stubs
- Cycling venue stubs
- American football stubs
- Summer Olympic venue stubs