Vauhtikisat 2026: Welcome to the joy of speed
Under the checkered flag stood the grand prize of the day: the Vauhtikisat Chair One, a special edition designed by Fredrik Paulsen.
JOY WAS AT ITS PEAK as skateboard wheels squealed against the asphalt in sweltering Helsinki last Sunday, 12 July 2026.
Finnish Design Shop was there to witness the speed and spills as skilled skaters made their way down the hill in Sinebrychoff Park in every imaginable way. Our picture parade from the event awaits below – welcome to the front row!
The slopes of Sinebrychoff Park were packed to the last patch of grass. JOY OBJECTS and Finnish Design Shop flew the flag as partners of the event.
A Chair One offered a comfier view of the race than most – and a more stylish one, guaranteed.
Helsinki was hot, hot, hot in the July heatwave.
The rules of Vauhtikisat are simple. Competitors race down the hill in pairs, with the winner advancing to the next round. The field of daredevils narrows run by run, until only the final pair remains.
So grab your board and get rolling!
What makes Vauhtikisat a serious challenge even by European standards – and such a thrill to watch – is the steep hill and the curve waiting at the bottom.
Any style goes – as long as you stay on the board.
Coming through!
Only the most seasoned riders make it down without falling.
Then came the final, and it was Muju versus Stella, last year's winner and the clear crowd favorite. What followed was the kind of finish you couldn't script – two riders hitting the finish line at the very same moment, with thousands of eyes unable to separate them.
There was only one way to settle it: back up the hill, one more run, winner takes all. And this time, Muju took the victory.
Muju and Stella finished in a dead heat, and the final had to be run again.
The podium was completed by Briston, who claimed third place behind the inseparable duo. Muju's winning haul included a cash prize, a Finnish Design Shop gift card, and the Vauhtikisat Chair One – presented by none other than Fredrik Paulsen himself.
Swedish designer Fredrik Paulsen was right there in the crowd, too, and the prize chair is his handiwork: a special Vauhtikisat edition of his Chair One. A very limited run is now available at Finnish Design Shop – and true to the event, it's bound to go fast!
Fredrik Paulsen, the designer behind the prize chair, is a skateboarder himself.
The special edition features lively artwork by Janne-Juhani Hyvärinen.
Paulsen's chairs took on other roles as well. This Chair One trio naturally served as the winners' podium.
One of the chairs ended up with an even bolder role – few design chairs can say they've been through the same!
See also:
• All products by JOY OBJECTS >
• Read also: Welcome to Fredrik Paulsen's world of joy >
Published on 14 Jul, 2026
