Before I start, make sure you check CPH Open’s Website to get an idea of what it looks like and a feel for the experience. The backstory of the event starts back in 2007 when it was founded. Initially it was called the ‘Scandinavian Open’ and almost every year since it started, the CPH founders (William, Keld and Simon) have invited skaters and skate industry people from all over the world to an unforgettable week in Copenhagen.
Rumor has it that JuggaBolts, Aka Daniel Stankovic, was a big part of coming up with the concept. The program of the event is never shared on their official website. If you want to attend the madness, you have to dig deep in skateboarding forums on the internet or know someone that is connected to the industry. This is tricky for a lot of people but this is a way to keep it underground as well as mysterious year after year.
Arriving at Copenhagen airport on Tuesday morning I saw at least 20 skaters while waiting for my check-in luggage. It's clear to see how popular skateboarding has become, and the city has gained a reputation as one of the best skateboarding destinations in the world. The CPH Open crew has been collaborating with the local government and community to embrace skateboarding. This led to the city getting numerous skate parks, street spots, and becoming a skate-friendly urban environment. The city is packed with skate spots like the D.I.Y at Røde Plads, Jarmers Plads, Dream Spot and City Hall Square (Rådhuspladsen)- probably the first skate spot you will see when you arrive in Copenhagen.
Copenhagen is a beautiful city with a rich history and vibrant culture. There are so many things to see and do there but the first thing you have to do is get yourself a bike! Then you are ready to explore the iconic scenery of Nyhavn, historical Christiania, Israel's Plads, as well as the Meatpacking district and its many hidden vintage shops and cafes. The city is also known for its fantastic food scene, with numerous Michelin-starred restaurants and delightful and traditional Danish cousines.
Two months back I started working for Db. The first day I came into the office, my colleague Lasse told me that we (Db) have an opportunity to co-create and be a partner at the event. Obviously my thought was: Let's do this! We started planning out an exhibition with Solo skate mag (Stefan & Felix) to celebrate the 50th issue of the mag. The Open crew helped us find the perfect location, which turned out to be right next to the indoor skatepark where the afterparty would take place on Saturday. We were there with the aim to showcase our new Db Skate Duffel.
Lasse had a great idea to build a skateable podium that would be in the middle of the venue. I had my doubts that people would actually skate the ledge because the ground was pretty rough and full of cracks, but it turned out I was very wrong! It started raining a lot just when we opened the doors at 7pm but people seemed to be really eager to skate after watching everyone ripping during the week. The skate session in the venues lasted from pretty much when we opened the doors until closing time around 11.30pm. The local DJ duo that was playing in the Solo x Db space was a big part of the good vibe and energy. We hosted two spontaneous best trick contests on the ledge, which was won by Braulio and Reno. Lot of cool tricks went down, but my favorite was probably the backside noseblunt (Pictured).
We had a blast and could not have been more happy with how it turned out. Huge thanks to everyone involved. Special thanks to Keld, William and Simon for making it possible for us to be a part of this journey. I’d 100% recommend everyone that is a fan of skateboarding to experience this crazy week in Copenhagen.
To be continued…