The 2012 hockey world champions will have the Winning Goal hanging around their necks. That’s the name of the winning proposition in a design competition arranged by the Finnish Ice Hockey Association and The Guild of Medallic Art in Finland.

In addition to Kettunen, artists Heli Kauhanen and Erja Tielinen were invited to submit their designs for the medals given to the athletes, and a commemorative medal given to the volunteers after the tournament.

“The winning design was positively different. The tournament medals have never been anything like this one,” says Kalervo Kummola, chairman of the jury.

Kettunen, a 48-year-old award-winning artist, considered the competition a unique opportunity to participate in the world’s biggest annual winter sports event.

“It was flattering to get the invitation, competitions like this don’t take place every day,” he says.

According to Kettunen, his biggest challenge was the co-existence of the athletes’ medal and the commemorative medal.

“I was about to turn in another, more traditional design, as well, but when I heard Mr. Kummola mention the Helsinki World Design Capital year, I thought that a more modern design would be the way to go,” says Kettunen.

On the front of the medal, Kettunen’s design symbolizes team spirit, fighting spirit, and comradeship. The design depicts a hard shot that not only goes in the goal, but also through the net. The arches on the other side of the medal symbolize skate marks on the ice, and different tactical plays, and also the journey of the teams and the players towards the tournament. Some of them go all the way, others’ journey gets cut in the middle, and yet others will have to bypass this tournament towards new challenges in the future. The International Ice Hockey Federation’s (IIHF) logo represents the tournament, and how the hockey family gathers together for this event.

Tapio Kettunen’s first prize was 7500 euro. The jury consisted of the FIHA’s Kalervo Kummola (chairman) and Mika Sulin, The Guild’s Gunnel Sievers and Sakari Kannosto, and sculptors Pekka Kauhanen and Anneli Sipiläinen.