The Encounter... Malta vs Sweden in unique competition

A major trotting competition between Malta and Sweden is the main attraction of this evening's fourth winter meeting at the Marsa Racetrack. Six of Sweden's top drivers, namely Stig H. Johansson, Torbjörn Jansson, Ake Svanstedt, Claes Svensson, Björn Goop and Fredrik Lasarnas, will be competing against their Maltese counterparts involving various classes in seven races on the card.

The winning team will be presented with a trophy by Minister for Tourism Francis Zammit Dimech and Jesmond Mugliett, Minister for Youth and the Arts.

The most important event in programme is race six which is reserved for Class A1 trotters, starting at 8.10 p.m.

Here, the trotters on the starting line will be Jason RP (Johansson), Ashley (J. Farrugia), Huit Mars (Jansson), Picabo Joe (B. Zammit), Espoir du Term (Larsson), Figaro Speed (G. Schembri), Gatsby de la Motte (Svensson), Schack Broline (C. Camilleri), Friday (Goop), Drabant Are (J. Scicluna), The Rock (Svanstedt) and Braveheart (E. Garzia).

The relationship between the two clubs goes back to the start of the nineties when the Malta Racing Club joined the Union Europeenne du Trot and local owners started to develop a keen interest in Scandinavian racing.

This new enthusiasm resulted in the importation of the first Swedish trotters to Malta that immediately left a good impression in a number of major races and finals.

Apart from this, in the past years a number of Maltese amateur drivers and owners visited Sweden to take part in friendship races in different tracks like Jagersro, Aby and Solvalla.

Swedish riders reciprocated by visiting the island to figure in a number of similar races. They were usually accompanied by journalists who wrote, presented and produced various reports and features about the sport in Malta.

Sweden regards Malta as an important partner when it comes to the export of Swedish trotters and the promotion of their breed. Over 500 horses currently racing in Marsa hail from Sweden.

The competition today will be transmitted live by satellite link to ATG betting outlets in Scandinavia while Swedish Television Channel TV4 will be showing a three-minute clip from the competition during a popular sports programme tomorrow afternoon.

The Malta-Sweden Encounter Races have been widely promoted in Sweden in specialised magazines and television.

There is also a website dedicated to this event: www.travronden.se/malta. Interestingly, horse racing is considered one of the most popular sports in Sweden after skiing and before football.

The Encounter Races are being organised by Swedish horse racing magazine 'Trav och Galoppronden' together with ATG, Krafft, Speedy Resor, the Malta Tourism Authority, Air Malta and On Track Racing.

Annual event

The organisers are hoping that 'The Encounter' will become an annual event, considered a dream come true for local enthusiasts.

The Malta Racing Club (established in 1868) actively promotes horse racing both in Malta and the rest of Europe.

Last year's inauguration of the new entrance facilities and track lighting system, together with anticipated future developments at the track, augur well for the years to come particularly in the field of international racing.

First race today starts at 6 p.m.