Copenhagen Open 2023

DAY ONE

From the friends and family opening lunch at BRUS to the 1UP session and into the evening, the good times rolled as old friends reconnected and new friends were introduced.

As the sun set on the first night, we shut down an entire street to screen our latest video "7 Ball" by Will Miles projected on a 30’ x 20’ inflatable screen. Unfortunately, someone kicked the aux cord five minutes into the premiere, but that didn’t stop the locals from cheering for more.

DAY TWO

While most of the Copenhagen Open goers descended upon Fælledparken for day two, the streets saw plenty of action as crews biked around the city in the morning, hitting up spots, swimming, more biking, and, of course, more skating before heading to Copenhagen’s largest outdoor skatepark for a bowl session and best trick over an oversized, heart-shaped sunglasses.

DAY THREE

We kicked off day three at the CPH Skatepark with There Skateboards and the community taking over the park, inviting everybody who wanted to skate along for the ride. Free coffee and food in the courtyard kept people fueled while hugs and high fives in the park kept the vibes soaring.

Thank you Jeff Cheung, Ashley Rehfeld, There Skateboards, and everyone that contributed their efforts to painting the park and making the session happen at CPH this year.

From the CPH Skatepark we headed to the beach, but not before stopping for a There Skateboards side mission with Jeff Cheung, Brian Anderson, Leo Baker, and others handing out cash for tricks to those who stepped to the manny pad / flat bar feature. Onward.

Dark clouds lingered off the coast as we rode toward Amager Strandpark. The Copenhagen Open crew brought three obstacles for the afternoon: a long flat bar down a two-flat-two; a kicker up a double set; and the “widow maker” rail installed atop a 19-stair.

As the flatbar session wrapped and we moved to the step-up, those lingering clouds continued towards the crowd, with flashes of lightning in the distance creeping closer and closer. With the step-up session in full swing, people quickly scattered as a flash and thunderous boom clapped nearly in sync, signaling it's time to bounce. A pier jutting into the ocean is no place to be when lightning is flashing overhead. And then the clouds opened up, really shutting everything down for a couple hours. Some headed back to the city. Those who weathered the storm we’re rewarded with a heavy session down the 19. With only a few actually skating, Japan’s Taihou Tokura’s back lip was bested only by Marcelo Batista’s front crook. Props to both.

Remember Wednesday’s premiere when the aux cord was pulled? Full rebate on Friday night as the Copenhagen Open team brought the pop-up screen to the beach for all to experience 7 Ball in its full audio/visual glory.

DAY FOUR

And then it was the final day. Well, not the final final day, but the final day of CPH Open skating. Back to the roots as we biked from spot to spot, dodging scattered showers. The Oski-designed obstacles at Blågåards Plads were the first victims of rain delays, cutting a few heats shorts. A little water never stopped skateboarders, though, as Andy Anderson took center stage while the course was empty. A truly entertaining one-man demo.

From there, everybody biked to Lithauns Plaza where two Alexis Sablone-designed obstacles waited destruction. Or at least a very heavy session. As is often the case at CPH, the crowds crept closer, and closer, and closer to the action until some were standing on one obstacle to watch the other—we’ll never understand this thinking. Find a fence company as the title sponsor next year? Maybe we’re on to something…

And then it was the final session at the CPH Skatepark. A best trick on…the 1UP obstacle from day one? Yes, but now with flames. Everything’s better on fire. And both the locals and skateboarders were fired up from the jump and kept it heated all night and into the morning.

So what is Copenhagen Open? A skate contest? A festival? All of the above and more. Copenhagen is a place you’ll find your favorite skater biking through the city with his family, or swimming with her friends after working on a video project for the last year. Sure, there's competition, but who’s really keeping score? Well, actually, the Boardr dudes are, but who really won Copenhagen Open ’23? Everybody who made it out. So start saving those sky miles and get ready for next year. You’re not going to want to miss it.

Photos by Marcel Veldman.