Skateboarders of a certain vintage will not be able to say the word Copenhagen without adding ‘very nice’ in a sort of hurdy-gurdy voice afterwards. From the days of the Euro Bones Brigade in the 1980’s through Alis Skateboards, Copenhagen Pro (which the CPH Open began life as), Shredder’s Lodge, Wonderland and a good deal else all the while, the Danish capital has a long, unbroken history of punching above its weight as a seat of utmost radness with a lot of international reach.
Particularly when it comes to skating transitions: for a nation not blessed with wonderful weather for around fifty weeks of any given year, Denmark has consistently pumped out ballistic ramp skaters, from Nicky Guerrero through Rune Glifberg, Thomas Kring, Bjørn Lillesøe, Dannie Carlsen, Jonas Bünger and today- possibly the greatest natural talent of them all to date- in the form of Viktor Solmunde.
With two World Skateboarding Tour podiums either side of his Paris Olympic interlude- including 3rd at our most recent Ostia World Championship- you get the sense that his lightning-quick, rattlingly on-edge ability is about to crystallise into a moment of greatness. Entering 2025 as number 6 on the World Skateboarding Ranking for Men’s Park, come meet the man carrying the torch for one of Europe’s oldest skate scenes on the new global stage!
Ph: Haruta
Hi Viktor, can you start by introducing yourself to the world?
Hi- my name is Viktor Solmunde, I’m 17 years old and I live in Copenhagen, Denmark… and I’m an Olympic athlete.
Ph: Haruta
Copenhagen has one of Europe’s oldest vert scenes- what can you tell us about coming up through that inter-generational crew?
Copenhagen’s vert scene is special, because it connects skaters from different generations. It started with legends like Nicky Guerrero in the 1980’s, who helped build a strong community. Older skaters still share tips and encourage the younger gen, so everyone learns and gets better together. Spots like Fælledparken bring skaters of all ages to push each other, and keep the culture alive.
Ph: Kanights
Two podiums in the last two WST stops either side of the Olympics- are you hitting a groove right now?
It definitely feels like things have clicked this year! It’s been one heck of a year for me, with the Olympic qualification and everything.
Those two podiums mean the world to me, because they show that all the hard work and focus I’ve put in paid off. I’m finding my rhythm, staying consistent, and building more confidence with every competition I skate.A World Championship medal feels amazing. Now it’s all about staying hungry, staying focused and- of course- to always keep loving skating.
Ph: Kanights
Including the OQS events and Paris, have you had a favourite Park set-up so far? Dubai seemed to suit you a lot…
Yeah, I mean, the Dubai park was fun; definitely one of my faves.… I think Dubai and Budapest were the two best parks, for me. I really enjoyed skating them because they were pretty similar to each other- they had a lot of the same elements and obstacles… and were about the same size, I think.
Those two parks were my favourites because I could go fast, try to go big, and it still felt nice. It’s a shame that both parks don’t exist anymore.
Ph: Kanights
In Ostia yourself, Hampus Winberg and Egoitz Bijueska really held it down for Europe in the finals- what did you think of the standard there?
For sure- in Ostia, the level of skating was insane! Hampus, Egoitz, and I were all pushing each other, and it felt great to represent Europe on such a big stage. The standard was next-level: nobody held back, and every run had that "go big or go home" energy. It was intense, but that's what makes finals like that so exciting to be part of!
Ph: Haruta
Marc Churchill says 540 tailgrabs will never not look good, but you have a particularly awesome one- do they feel amazing?
Absolutely, 540 tailgrabs feel incredible. There’s something about spinning while holding the board in the tail that just feels right. It’s one of those tricks that’s as fun to do as it is to look at, in my opinion… and hearing someone like Marc Churchill say that, makes it even better!
Ph: Kanights
What are you like at skating street?
I enjoy skating street- I skate a lot of street comps as well, but my focus has always been more on park and vert. I like mixing it up and working on street tricks, because it challenges me in a different way. It’s fun to bring some of that flow and power from park skating into street spots, but I wouldn’t say I’m a street specialist, more of an all-terrian skater who loves skating everything.
Ph: Atiba
Tell us someone from the Danish skate scene that we should look out for in the future?
Well, we do have a young park team that’s coming up- they’re all around ten-to-twelve years old. Still young, but their progression is breaking through at the moment; we call them the ‘Mini Crew’- they all live in Copenhagen.
Ph: Haruta
Here’s your chance to say whatever you want to the wider world: what’s on your mind?
To everyone out there: stay passionate about what you love, and don’t be afraid to dream big. Skateboarding has taught me that progress comes from showing up every day, taking risks, and enjoying the ride, even when it gets really tough. Whether you’re skating or chasing a different dream, keep pushing yourself, and have fun along the way.
Let’s keep inspiring each other!
Peace out!
Ph: Haruta