Landhausplatz Open: Skateboarding Competition

On September 1st & 2nd, international skateboarders from all over will gather for the VVT Landhausplatz Open in Innsbruck. 16 male and 16 female athletes will compete for a 7.500 Euro prize pool, going head to head. Be prepared to be impressed as two riders will compete at once, directly trying to copy the technical tricks of the other to the best of their abilities. Only the best will advance!

The world is not always skater-friendly. In fact, a lot of places are designed to prevent skaters from using the area. The Landhausplatz in Innsbruck is different! This plaza, directly in the heart of Innsbruck, embraces local skaters, giving them space to ride. It has concrete curves, rails and endless possibilities for the Tyrolean skateboarding community. 

The VVT Landhausplatz Open is not just enjoyable for the skaters though, it is fun for the whole family! There are food and drink booths around the event, side activities! And, of course, the opportunity to watch the epic skaters compete! There will be workshops for kids and teens, live music performances, plenty of information on public transport and even a rock-paper-scissors competition, to keep things diverse and lively! 

One skater pumped to participate in this year’s Landhausplatz Open is a Tyrolean local, Simone Kirchebner, and I got the chance to meet up with her for a chat! At 17 years old, her love of skating began seeing the Game of Skate competition at a skate shop in Innsbruck. At 18, she bought herself a board and started learning a lot through watching YouTube videos. It was a slow road, but a passion that continues on today.

Simone has come a long way, even making the cover of “Shaped by the Board” magazine and appearing in “INNS’TANT”, a full-length skateboarding movie that was shown at the Leokino! “It was such an amazing feeling seeing yourself on the big screen and seeing what you have worked so hard for!” Simone told me. “Skating completely changed my life, in a positive way. I’m more extroverted, it built my confidence, gave me the drive to stick with things and not give up so easily. With skating there are not really rules!” she said. “Nailing a trick is the best feeling in the world and pushes you to learn the next.”

“I’m pumped. For such a big event, so many skateboarders from all over. Especially to see all the women compete at such a high level, it’s great to see”, Simone said. She told me, in the beginning it wasn’t so easy to be a female in the skateboarding community, but times are changing and there are more and more women represented in the local and international community of skateboarders. “It’s normal, especially in Innsbruck, to see women skateboarding. This last winter it seemed there were more women skateboarders in the hall than men, it’s really cool to see the development, and the competition this year at the Landhausplatz Open should be fierce!”

Cover Photo: © Manuel Kokseder