Västervik had a four-point lead (41–37) from the first Swedish Championship final in Eskilstuna last week.
The second final in front of 7,715 spectators in Västervik became a nerve-wracking drama. Everything was decided in the 15th and final heat. If Smederna had taken a five-point win then it would have required a runoff heat to decide the battle for the Swedish Championship gold.
It did not turn out that way. Although Västervik's veteran Fredrik Lindgren did not finish in the heat, Mads Hansen did, and the Dane secured the points needed for the home team to celebrate gold.
A relief, says Fredrik Lindgren to Radiosporten.
Smederna won the heat 4–2 and the second final 46–44, but overall the Swedish Championship final ended 85–83 in favor of Västervik.
Luckily, Mads held it together and took second place and secured the gold, says Lindgren, who has previously won Swedish Championship gold with Dackarna and Smederna.
This summer, Mads Hansen was badly injured in a crash during a match with his Polish club. He broke vertebrae and several ribs in the crash. He also suffered a concussion, but despite the injuries, he drove a heat afterwards in the match.
I remember nothing of the crash or the heat afterwards, except for a little on the last lap, otherwise it's black, he said recently to Västerviks-Tidningen.
The injury break was two months long. Now he became a hero for Västervik, which took its second Swedish Championship gold in history and the first since 2005.
Smederna have taken four Swedish Championship golds (2017–2019 and 2022).
