Helsinki Velodrome

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.myhelsinki.fi/en/see-and-do/activities/velodrome

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

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

Cycling

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

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

During the summer season the field is used for playing field hockey.

Speedway

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

^ 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.