The journey to the 2026 World Rookie Skateboard Finals is officially heating up, and the Finland Rookie Fest 2026 added another exciting chapter to this year’s race. Held at Grip Skatepark in Tampere, the event welcomed Finland’s most promising young skateboarders, who battled for valuable World Rookie Rank points and qualification spots for the Finals in Celje, Slovenia.
Despite a smaller field than usual, the level of skateboarding remained high throughout the day, with riders making the most of the technical street course and delivering consistent performances in front of an enthusiastic local crowd.
Selim Heiskanen leads the Rookie division
The standout performance of the event came from Selim Heiskanen, who not only claimed victory in the Rookie Boys category but also earned the highest overall score of the competition. His confident runs secured the top spot ahead of Noa Juhantalo, while Eetu Nivukoski completed the podium after a solid contest.
Rookie Boys Podium
🥇 Selim Heiskanen (FIN)
🥈 Noa Juhantalo (FIN)
🥉 Eetu Nivukoski (FIN)
Rookie Boy Podium
Young Talents Shine in the Grom Categories
In the Grom divisions, Finland’s youngest riders showed plenty of potential for the future of the sport. Lulu Numminen took the victory in the Grom Girls category, while Ukko-Veikka Halttunen claimed first place among the Grom Boys after a strong and consistent performance. He was joined on the podium by Armas Nikkilä and Arttu Kekäläinen.
Grom Girls Podium
🥇 Lulu Numminen (FIN)
Grom Girl Podium
Grom Boys Podium
🥇 Ukko-Veikka Halttunen (FIN)
🥈 Armas Nikkilä (FIN)
🥉 Arttu Kekäläinen (FIN)
Grom Boy Podium
The Race to Celje is on
With the Finnish stop now completed, the battle for qualification is becoming increasingly exciting. Every event and every point can make the difference as riders compete for a place at the 2026 World Rookie Skateboard Finals, where the world’s best young skateboarders will meet in Celje, Slovenia, from 25th–27th September 2026.
The Finland Rookie Fest once again confirmed the country’s commitment to developing the next generation of skateboarders, and several Finnish riders are already preparing to challenge the international field later this season.
The road to Celje is officially on. See you at the next World Rookie Tour stop!
