Honours just about even at Finnkampen athletics match

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The annual Finland vs. Sweden athletics match held in Helsinki at the weekend was the 66th such competition, a world record in itself.
      World records were not in evidence on the track or field, but that is hardly the point of a contest that is meant to be about points and beating the neighbours, even if it is only by a second or a centimetre.
      Honours were just about even after the two days, with the Finnish men winning narrowly 204-201 while the women were soundly thumped 183-226, even without the presence of Sweden's heptathlon star Carolina Klüft, who was injured. Victory in the boys' and girls' junior events went to Finland in both cases.
     
Interest in this year's competition was fuelled among home spectators by the presence of three fresh European Championships medallists, Jukka Keskisalo, Olli-Pekka Karjalainen, and Tero Pitkämäki, who all delivered the goods and the points in Helsinki. On the down side, some of Sweden's stars from the Gothenburg European Championships earlier this month were unable or unwilling to compete in the traditional face-off.
      The crowds were good, with around 25,000 in the Olympic Stadium on Friday, and a near full-house of 32,500 on Saturday.
     
Such international meetings  - once a regular part of the athletics calendar - are a rarity these days, and it is to be hoped that the reluctance of some of the Swedish athletes to take part is not a sign of failing interest, as track and field moves increasingly towards all-star GP events with big cash prizes.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Finnkampen: Finnish men grab victory, but women receive a thrashing (29.8.2005)

Links:
  IAAF

Helsingin Sanomat