CASPER STEINFATH
“Growing up as a surfer in Denmark, I always looked up to my great Viking ancestors. They were strong warriors and fierce navigators of the ocean. We Scandinavians deeply admire the skills and legends of the Vikings.”
Sup World Mag: Casper, you just completed the first SUP traverse of the Skagerrak Strait between Denmark and Norway. How did you come up with this idea?
Casper Steinfath: The idea for the “Viking Crossing” across the Skagerrak Strait started many years ago. It began as a wild dream when I was a kid and had just gotten into SUP. Growing up as a surfer in Denmark, I always looked up to my great Viking ancestors. They were strong warriors and fierce navigators of the ocean. We Scandinavians deeply admire the skills and legends of the Vikings. When SUP came into my life, it was as if something came alive inside me. I started dreaming about paddling beyond the horizon. I wanted to know if it would it be possible, and I saw it as the ultimate test for myself.
Sup World Mag: Is there a cultural significance to crossing the straight? What attracted you to this particular challenge?
CS:There is something very mythical about the Skagerrak Strait. It symbolizes the unpredictable elements of nature. Many people are scared of Skagerrak, and rightfully so! It has claimed many lives of brave fishers and merchants. It was my fascination with the wild, unruly ocean that became my motivation, and made me ask myself,“Can I conquer Skagerrak like the legendary Vikings from the sagas?”
Sup World Mag: One question that immediately
