A Championship Tour Surfer Returns to Her Viking Homeland

“Nordborn” follows pro surfer Isabella Nichols as she explores Denmark’s rugged coast and the true...

August Howell
•
surfer.com
•
December 3, 2025

Denmark is more than 9,000 miles and a far cry from the Sunshine Coast. Swap the Aussie dollar for the Danish krone, bikinis and trunks for six millimeters of neoprene, and reliable waves for the temperamental North Sea.

And yet, despite the challenges, Isabella Nichols was deeply moved by her first sessions in the land of her family heritage. Isabella, who finished sixth on the 2025 Championship Tour (barely missing the WSL Finals), was raised on the Sunshine Coast in New South Wales but was born in Denmark. Though her mother is Danish, Isabella had never touched the waves on the country’s west coast.

Nordborn, a new short film directed by Jakob Gjerluff Ager, documents her return to the land of her birth, her first waves ever in Denmark and all the ice-cream headaches that come along with it.

Some competitive background on Isabella. While she may not receive the same shine as the group of women just above her on the rankings, the 28-year-old has scratched and clawed her way to success. After multiple stints on the Challenger Series, which is hardly a cakewalk, Isabella had a banner year on the CT in 2025: Seven events with at least a quarterfinals showing, two finals and one win at Bells Beach.

“I’ve never surfed in water this cold before." Despite the dropping temps, Isabella gets off a crisp snap.
Isabella Nichols/YouTube

But Nordborn isn’t about heat scores and event wins. It’s a glimpse into Danish surf culture, it’s cool characters and even colder waves. From local surf shops to the North Atlantic Surf Association to the ocean swim clubs, Nordborn is a testament to Danish grit. There may be plenty of empty sandbars, but there’s no ambivalence allowed. To last in these waters, you have to want it.

“If people saw what we surf here sometimes in the winter, they would think we’re insane,” said Oliver Hartkopp, a member of Denmark’s national surf team. "We’re just stoked if there are waves and it’s possible to surf here.”

“Connecting with this community here has been so special for me,” Isabella said. “It really made my trip feel meaningful. It’s quite emotional connecting with people from my birthland, hearing their stories and how hardcore they are surfing here.”
Isabella Nichols/YouTube

The fortitude of the locals in sub-40° F clearly resonated with Isabella, who will return to the CT in 2026 with a new appreciation of her Danish roots and surfing without booties, gloves and a hood. Nothing like a cold plunge to bring the fire out of you.

"I think the resilience part of me is what I'm going to take out of this experience," she said. "Bring that Viking power and energy into my contests and my life. Just harnessing what it means to be a Danish surfer and a Viking at heart. I'm going to use that to fire me up."