The first time I saw Axel, he was about 11 years old, skating at a contest in Rotterdam. He was skating the big rail during the best trick contest and I was surprised to see a tiny kid skate with so much control and confidence. Right there and then it was clear to me that Axel could be one of the best skaters in Europe within just a few years. Fast forward to 2009, when Axel won both the Street and Miniramp European Champion titles. Axel had taken the European contest scene by storm, but could he back this up with some "real" skateboarding?