# Finlandia-Ajo

Finlandia-Ajo ("Finlandia Race") is an annual Group One harness event that takes place at Vermo Racetrack in Espoo, Finland. The competition, which was inaugurated in 1980, is regarded as Finland's biggest trotting event. It is raced over the mile, 1,609 meters. Finlandia-Ajo is part of the European Grand Circuit and the overall purse for the 2009 event was €190,000, equalling approximately US$247,000.

## Racing conditions

Finlandia-Ajo is decided through a one-mile race. The first eight years (1980–1987), the race was over a slightly shorter distance (1,600 meters, 0.99 mile), but since 1988, the distance has been one mile. The race has always been started by the use of auto start.

## Past winners
### Horses with most wins

* 2 - Giesolo de Lou (1999, 2000)
* 2 - Napoletano (1988, 1989)

### Drivers with most wins

* 4 - Jean-Michel Bazire (2005, 2008, 2009, 2011)
* 3 - Stig H. Johansson (1988, 1989, 2004)
* 3 - Jorma Kontio (1985, 1986, 2007)
* 2 - Olle Goop (1983, 1987)
* 2 - Joseph Verbeeck (1998, 2003)
* 2 - Björn Goop (2010, 2012)

### Trainers with most wins

* 4 - Fabrice Souloy (2003, 2008, 2009, 2011)
* 3 - Olle Goop (1983, 1987, 2010)
* 2 - Jean-Etienne Dubois (1999, 2000)
* 2 - Stig Engberg (1988, 1989)

### Sires with most winning offsprings

* 2 - Biesolo (Giesolo de Lou, Oiseau de Feux)
* 2 - Quick Pay (Atas Fighter L., Born Quick)
* 2 - Texas (Grades Singing, Copiad)
* 2 - Super Bowl (Davidia Hanover, Napoletano)

### Countries, number of wins

* 11 - France
* 10 - United States
* 9 - Sweden
* 4 - Finland
* 1 - Italy

### All winners of Finlandia-Ajo

| Year | Horse | Driver | Trainer | Winning horse's native country | Winning time |
| 2019 | Readly Express | Björn Goop | Timo Nurmos | Sweden | 1:10:5 |
| 2018 | Pastore Bob | Johan Untersteiner | Johan Untersteiner | Sweden | 1:11:0 |
| 2017 | D.D.'s Hitman | Ulf Ohlsson | Petri Puro | Finland | 1:09:8 |
| 2016 | Propulsion | Örjan Kihlströn | Daniel Reden | Sweden | 1:10:2 |
| 2015 | Bret Boko | Ari Moilanen | Markku Nieminen | Finland | 1:12.2 |
| 2014 | Univers de Pan | Philippe Daugeard | Philippe Daugeard | France | 1:10.7 |
| 2013 | Nesta Effe | Roberto Vecchione | Holger Ehlert | Italy | 1:10.9 |
| 2012 | Sebastian K | Björn Goop | Lutfi Kolgjini | Sweden | 1:11.1 |
| 2011 | Commander Crowe | Jean-Michel Bazire | Fabrice Souloy | Sweden | 1:13.7 |
| 2010 | Quarcio du Chene | Björn Goop | Olle Goop | France | 1:10.6 |
| 2009 | Igor Font | Jean-Michel Bazire | Fabrice Souloy | France | 1:11.8 |
| 2008 | Oiseau de Feux | Jean-Michel Bazire | Fabrice Souloy | France | 1:11.3 |
| 2007 | Opal Viking | Jorma Kontio | Nils Enqvist | Sweden | 1:10.8 |
| 2006 | Hot Shot Knick | Thomas Uhrberg | Kari Lähdekorpi | Sweden | 1:11.5 |
| 2005 | Kart de Baudrairie | Jean-Michel Bazire | Franck Leblanc | France | 1:12.2 |
| 2004 | Rotation | Stig H. Johansson | Stig H. Johansson | United States | 1:12.5 |
| 2003 | Kiwi | Joseph Verbeeck | Fabrice Souloy | France | 1:12.0 |
| 2002 | H.P. Paque | Trond Smedshammer | Trond Smedshammer | United States | 1:11.7 |
| 2001 | B.W.T. Magic | Ahti Antti-Roiko | Matti Salmi | Finland | 1:11.2 |
| 2000 | Giesolo de Lou | Jean-Etienne Dubois | Jean-Etienne Dubois | France | 1:11.2 |
| 1999 | Giesolo de Lou | Pierre Vercruysse | Jean-Etienne Dubois | France | 1:11.6 |
| 1998 | Dryade des Bois | Joseph Verbeeck | Jean-Baptiste Bossuet | France | 1:12.5 |
| 1997 | Zoogin | Åke Svanstedt | Åke Svanstedt | Sweden | 1:12.1 |
| 1996 | Isla J. Brave | Aki Antti-Roiko | Petri Klemola | Finland | 1:12.5 |
| 1995 | SJ's Photo | David Wade | David Wade | United States | 1:13.3 |
| 1994 | Copiad | Erik Berglöf | Erik Berglöf | Sweden | 1:12.5 |
| 1993 | Born Quick | Tommy Hanné | Tommy Hanné | Finland | 1:12.1 |
| 1992 | Otto-Mani | Antti Teivainen | Esa Aronen | Finland | 1:13.7 |
| 1991 | Atas Fighter L. | Torbjörn Jansson | Torbjörn Jansson | Sweden | 1:13.5 |
| 1990 | Florida Jewel | William Fahy | John Holloway | United States | 1:13.3 |
| 1989 | Napoletano | Stig H. Johansson | Stig Engberg | United States | 1:12.9 |
| 1988 | Napoletano | Stig H. Johansson | Stig Engberg | United States | 1:14.1 |
| 1987 | Grades Singing | Olle Goop | Olle Goop | United States | 1:14.1 |
| 1986 | Davidia Hanover | Jorma Kontio | Per Eriksson | United States | 1:14.7 |
| 1985 | Keystone Patton | Jorma Kontio | Antti Savolainen | United States | 1:14.1 |
| 1984 | Shane T. Hanover | Per Henriksen | Per Henriksen | United States | 1:14.9 |
| 1983 | Speedy Magnus | Olle Goop | Olle Goop | Sweden | 1:13.2 |
| 1982 | Dartster F. | Olle Hedin | Olle Hedin | Sweden | 1:13.9 |
| 1981 | Ideal du Gazeau | Eugene Lefevre | Eugene Lefevre | France | 1:14.3 |
| 1980 | Ejakval | Jean-Claude David | Jean-Claude David | France | 1:15.6 |