So you may be wondering: just what the hell are we doing in Copenhagen? And we’ll have you know that that is no longer something we ask ourselves. It’s more a question of: why haven’t we been here sooner — and more often? I was just talking to a new friend who is one of our local guides and he told me that the government here calls the skateboarders in the community when they put in any new infrastructure to make sure it has “skate-friendly” features. And from what we can gather, skaters and business men and tourists and the beautiful girls who blanket the city, all coexist peacefully in a well-balanced ecosystem of appreciation and understanding. And a lot of that amazing vibe can be attributed to the crew of hard working, rad people who put on the event we’re here covering: The Copenhagen Pro.

The Copenhagen Pro is hardly a “contest” in a traditional senses — it’s more a gathering of like-minded people who like to skate and do rad shit, all going down in a location that seems to be the epicenter for appreciating a variety of cultures and subcultures who are more or less allowed to flourish as opposed to being shut down for being illegal. Beers, fires, skating, families, groms, pros, locals, babes and tourists all mingle together enjoying the never-ending daylight however they please. And it’s all good.

Arto is a unique photographer. If he points his camera at you, it feels like an honor and you don’t want to let him down. Every skater from Pierre-Luc Gagnon to Peter Ramondetta (seen above) gladly give it their all for Arto to snap a few. And he does it all with the sickest style. He’s friendly and exciteable, and when he shoots, he points his camera at everyone and everything — still managing to make it feel like an honor. It’s really all just beautiful here. From concrete to the sea to architecture to women. And we just heard there may be waves tomorrow. Yes, waves. Dion Agius and Brendon Gibbens are psyching. There must be something in the tap water here — which I’ve actually heard there is. Like it’s good for you and makes the women beautiful. I’m not kidding. It’s as pure as tap water gets.

Tonight the festivities really begin here in Copenhagen, starting with the infamous rings of fire in a few hours. Which reminds me that we have to get going. It’s nearly 10PM and still daylight. We back at it. —Travis