The 60-year-old and VDL Groep Quatro came home clear in 45.75sec at the Swedish city’s Scandinavium arena.

Young Swiss star Bryan Balsiger and Twentytwo Des Biches finished 0.70 seconds behind in the runners-up spot.

Rio 2016 Olympic team gold medallist Kevin Staut of France and For Joy van’t Zorgvliet HDC raced home in the quickest time of 44.51 but lowered the vertical third fence along the way and had to settle for third place.

Gulliksen's win sees him rocket up to 10th place in the WEL standings so he is now well-qualified for the much-anticipated 2020 FEI World Cup Final in Las Vegas in April, when current league leader, Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat, will defend his title for the fourth time.

"I wouldn’t change anything that happened today," the Norwegian said.

"This crowd - of all the shows in the whole world there is no crowd like this. 

"Even to fall off it doesn’t matter, I couldn’t be happier.

"This is definitely the highlight of my career."

Only five of the 32 starters found the key to Peter Lundström’s tough 14-fence first-round track today.

Home favourite Rolf-Göran Bengtsson was the first to go against the clock with the relatively new ride of Cassilano Jmen and left the door open with two fences on the floor in 48.52.

Gulliksen was next into the ring, and his little 14-year-old gelding gave him everything he had to come home clear in 45.75 to put it up to the remaining three.

Belgium’s Olivier Philippaerts looked set to knock the Norwegian off his pedestal until H&M Legend of Love hit the first element of the double halfway around the new track, and Staut looked really threatening with the super-fast For Joy van’t Zorgvliet HDC before lowering the vertical third fence.

Now only Balsiger could stop Gulliksen from taking the win, but the talented 22-year-old, who won the opening leg of the series in Norway's capital Oslo last October, brought the 13-year-old mare Twenytwo Des Biches home in 46.45 and slotted into second place.

A total of 18 riders from the WEL, apart from Guerdat, have now booked their tickets to the showdown in Las Vegas.

Balsiger claimed his spot by moving into 15th place, while Staut was already guaranteed a place, finishing fifth on the final leaderboard after a great run over the winter months.