This year, Stockholm hosted the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championships during the same week as the 2025 Elitloppet, Scandinavia's biggest trotting race. How could I resist? My good friend and frequent European travel companion Henrikki Halme of Finland accompanied me to both events. I stayed in downtown Stockholm at the Scandic Klara Hotel, not far from the T-Centralen train station and the central shopping areas. Scandic hotels are good values, as their moderate pricing is based on small but clean and comfortable rooms, ideal for travelers with busy daily schedules. The Klara was located just off the busy Hötorget market square, where the Hötorgshallen and Kungshallen offer a wide variety of informal International restaurants and food markets at their multi-level food courts.

       Unhappy Swedish Fan
            After USA Goal

The ice hockey World Championship preliminary rounds were completed before our arrival. In the quarterfinals on Thursday May 22, we first watched the USA dominate Finland 5 - 2, and later Sweden beat Czechia by the same 5 - 2 score. Like Sweden, Finland has a good defensive team with superior passing skills. However, Finland without its top NHL stars had no answer for the faster USA sharpshooters. We were shocked to learn that little Denmark had a massive 2 - 1 upset of mighty Canada, a victory that was compared by European media to the 1980 Olympic American victory over the Red Army team at Lake Placid. With Canada out of the tournament, the USA now had a good chance to win its first Gold Medal in this tournament since 1960. In the semi-finals on Saturday May 24, the USA thoroughly outplayed Sweden in a 6 - 2 rout, while Switzerland trounced Denmark 7 - 0.

On Sunday May 25, the World Championship final was a closely matched, exciting game between the USA and Switzerland. The USA team was considerably faster and more aggressive, but the stubborn Swiss defense and their outstanding goalie Leonardo Genoni kept the USA from high percentage shots near the goal. The hard fought match was still scoreless at the end of regulation time. However, the 3 - on - 3 overtime format greatly favored the much faster, sharpshooting USA team. Accordingly, Tage Thompson of the Buffalo Sabres scored the winning goal for the USA only 2 minutes into overtime to win the Gold Medal. The USA team showed a great deal of class in displaying the jersey of their long-time teammate Johnny Gaudreau in their team photo. Gaudreau had been tragically killed by an automobile while riding his bicycle last August.

USA 2025 Gold Medal Team

Finnish Fans at Solvalla

And now for the horses! The Elitauktionen, the big Swedish yearling auction, was held at Solvalla racecourse on Friday May 23 by ASVT, the premier Swedish auction company. The format was considerably different than US sales, in that the auction was held at the race track while the horses were displayed on video from a remote location. Nevertheless, the sale was a great success, setting a new record for average price (351,926 SEK). The sale topper was Hip 97 Welcome Tile, a Face Time Bourbon colt purchased by SRF Stable for 2,750,000 SEK. Six yearlings brought more than 1M SEK. Henrikki's Finnish friends then invited us to a great dinner at the Portofino restaurant in Gamlastan (Stockholm's "Old Town") after the auction.

Saturday and Sunday found us at the Solvalla racecourse. On Saturday, the great French mare Inmarosa won the 2+ mile Harpers Hanover race in World Record time (1:55.0f mile rate). The US-bred half brother to Tactical Approach, Double Deceiver, won his elimination and the Final of the Sweden Cup, with his victory in the Final timed in 1:51.3f. After the hockey games on Saturday night, we had drinks with Henrikki's friends Teemu and Terhi Kinnari in the city. Teemu is a member of the Finnish parliament, and Terhi is a passionate advocate and breeder of Finnish Coldblood horses.

On Sunday, all eyes were on the biggest, most prestigious race in Scandinavia: the Elitloppet. The anticipated match-up was between the French and Swedish entries. Only one North American horse (Logan Park of Canada) was entered. Henrikki and I enjoyed the races from the Kongressen restaurant. We had the good fortune to share a table with two accomplished Swedish breeders and Robin Thörn, part owner of last year's American 2YO trotting colt champion, Maryland. Windsong's Legacy's long time caretaker, Emma Johannsen, also stopped by our table to say hello.

Teemu and Terhe Kinnari         With Henrikki and Me

Robin Thörn with Henrikki Halme and Me

In the first elimination a Swedish bred horse Mellby Jinx surprised the competition with a wire-to wire victory over the highly rated French entry, Go On Boy. In the second elimination, gallant old warhorse Don Fanucci Zet dominated the race. The favored Swedish duo, Borups Victory and Francesco Zet, qualified for the final but were not at their best. In the final, Mellby Jinx and Don Fanucci Zet engaged in a difficult early speed duel, which ultimately opened the door for a late stretch rush by Go On Boy to secure the victory in 1.08.4 (km rate; 1:50.4f mile rate). Don Fanucci Zet was a courageous second, and 2023 Elitloppet winner Hohneck third in his final lifetime start. The Elitloppet final can be viewed here.

Emma Johannsen, Henrikki & Me

Go On Boy After Winning the Elitloppet

         Swedish Dala Horse

As usual, the crowd was large and energetic. The Finnish contingent traditionally gathers in a large area behind the far turn to drink, socialize, and watch the races on a giant video screen. Finns being Finns, they even enjoyed sauna sessions in a facility provided for them (see photo above; "Finnish Fans at Solvalla" - the sauna is labeled "Bada Bastu").

Through the generosity of our friend Marja Mahlamaki, Henrikki and I ended our trip with a wonderful late lunch on Monday at Den Gyldene Freden (Gyldene Freden - Snille och stök sedan 1722) in Gamlastan. Established in 1722, this restaurant is recognized as the oldest restaurant in the world still operating in its original form. Afterward I purchased a Dala horse, a traditional carved and brightly painted wooden horse that has become a national symbol of Sweden, for my son David and his wife Kat.

Truly a memorable trip!