Trophy Tour in the land of the Susijengi

HELSINKI (Finland) – One of the hottest national team programs in international basketball has been Finland, where the Trophy Tour presented by J9 made its latest stop ahead of the country’s second-ever appearance at the FIBA Basketball World Cup.

Remembering that 10,000 fans travelled to Bilbao, Spain, to support the Susijengi when they played at the World Cup in 2014, qualifying for this year’s 32-team tournament has everyone buzzing.

In Helsinki, the capital city which is located on the country’s southern coast alongside the Gulf of Finland, the trophy was taken to famous and scenic sites.

The Sibelius Monument, which honors the world famous composer Jean Sibelius, resembles organ pipes

The first stop was the Sibelius Monument, created by Eila Hiltunen. Sibelius (1865-1957) was a world famous composer. The monument, made of welded steel with over 600 pipes and with the bust of the composer on one side, was unveiled in 1967.

One of the prominent landmarks in the city is the Helsinki Cathedral

The Cathedral on the northern side of the Senate Square, is part of Helsinki’s Empire era center and prominent landmark for those arriving by sea. It a symbol of the whole of Helsinki.

After a daring photoshoot on the Mäkelankatu road tram tracks, the trophy was photographed at Kauppatori Harbor (below). 

Kauppatori Harbor

About an hour and 15 by car down the Finnish coast from Helsinki is Raasepori, and that’s where one finds the medieval Raseborg Castle ruins (below), which was active from 1370s to 1553.

Raseborg Castle ruins 

The Raseborg Castle ruins are open to the public in the summer. The castle is also host to the yearly Raseborg Summer Theater.

After the visit to the castle ruins, the trophy was photographed in one of the most popular places for Finns, a sauna, albeit without a towel.

A visit to this part of the world requires a visit to the traditional Finnish sauna … even for the Naismith Trophy

Finland is known for its forests, so the trophy was also had to tick that box as well, which it did by being put on display in the Raasepori woods (below).

While in Helsinki, the trophy found its way to Sanomatalo and the Radio Rock station, where national team players Edon Maxhuni and Alexander Madsen went on air to talk about international basketball.

Fans also got a chance to see the trophy at Narinkkatori square, where 3×3 basketball games were played on the day of the visit.

While there, national team players Remu Raitanen, Maxhuni, Henri Kantonen and Madsen posed with the Naismith Trophy for the camera.

FIBA