Oliver Hartkopp: Life in the rhythm of the sea

Oliver Hartkopp: Life in the rhythm of the sea

He learned to surf on the waves created by the passing Oslo ferry. In a country with more flat coastlines than surf breaks, Oliver Hartkopp didn’t wait for the perfect wave — he found one.

With seven national titles to his name, the Danish surfer has built a life powered by patience, instinct, and an unshakable belief that if you want something enough, you’ll find a way. 

We sat down with the Danish surfer to talk about growing up far from the world’s surfing capitals, what the ocean continues to teach him, and why he’s still chasing the same feeling he had on a summer evening as a 13-year-old kid.

MMG: Who is Oliver Hartkopp?

Oliver: ”I’m Oliver Hartkopp, 29 years old, originally from North Zealand in Denmark. I moved to Klitmøller at 16 to start high school in Thisted and be closer to the waves. Surfing has been my passion since I was a kid — it’s been the driving force behind almost every decision I’ve made. I’ve shaped my entire life around being able to surf and I’m still trying to turn that into a full-time way of living.

MMG: How did your passion for surfing begin?

Oliver: ”It actually started with my older brother. He tried surfing on Lanzarote when we were kids and got completely hooked. When we got back home to Ålsgårde, he got himself a wetsuit and a board, and discovered you could surf now and then if the wind hit just right — over 13 meters per second. Then we found out the Oslo ferry created surfable waves every evening at 7:15 PM. That became our daily routine — we knew exactly when the waves would come.

One summer evening, when I was 12 or 13, I caught a wave that changed everything. It gave me this overwhelming feeling — like I knew instantly that this was something I needed to do for the rest of my life. That was the moment that started it all. I wanted to do what my brother did, but it quickly became my own obsession."

MMG: What does being close to the sea give you as a person?

Oliver: ”The ocean has a kind of energy. It can be healing, grounding, humbling. If you go out there thinking you’re in control, it will quickly remind you who’s boss. Some of my most powerful experiences have happened out on the water. Surfing and the ocean have shaped me into who I am today — I know for a fact I wouldn’t be the same without them. When I’m away from it — like in a big city — even for just a week, I become a worse version of myself. I need the sea, especially the wild sea. I need that hit of adrenaline, that rush. It’s what keeps me feeling alive.”

MMG:What’s it like being a surfer in Denmark?

Oliver: "It can be really tough at times. Take this spring for example — we had nearly no surfable waves in April. Maybe a day here or there, and then completely flat again. But I’m used to it. Growing up in North Zealand, we sometimes had to wait two or three months between good conditions.

Denmark is not an ideal place to surf, but that also makes it special. When everything aligns — the weather, the wind, the sandbars — and we get that one perfect day a year, it’s magic. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. That scarcity makes us appreciate the good days so much more than if we lived in Hawaii or California. There, you can almost take it for granted. Here, when it works, it’s all you want. 

You drop everything. And the upside is: wherever you travel from here, the waves are usually better. So you’re rarely disappointed. Surfing in Denmark is definitely unique — it takes dedication. Especially in the winter. But that’s what makes it exciting."

In a world that often defines what’s possible by geography or tradition, Oliver Hartkopp is proof that passion always finds a way. Even in a country known more for wind turbines than waves, he’s built a life around the ocean — one ferry swell and one bold decision at a time. It’s not about having perfect conditions. It’s about keeping the childlike curiosity to look for them — and refusing to let your environment dictate your dreams.