Couchsurfing Copenhagen

May 22, 2012

Jane Holgate

Danes open their homes to fellow CrossFitters.

The CrossFit community in Denmark has offered up their couches and spare beds.
 

The fun is in the community. That also includes friendship and generosity. What better proof than opening your homes to other CrossFitters. CrossFitters in Copenhagen are showing hospitality to Europe Regional competitors, officials and fans this weekend. 

With hotel space being at a premium and relatively expensive, the community in Denmark has embraced an idea by Maria Estella Gullestrup – to open up their homes and offer spare beds and couches to make people traveling from outside Copenhagen welcome.

Gullestrup first thought it would be a great way of offering help and hospitality after she was asked to offer accommodation to people who were attending a local competition in 2010. After learning Denmark would be hosting the 2012 Europe Regional, she set up a Facebook page called “CrossFit Couchsurfing – Regional in Copenhagen 2012” writing:

“My hope is that the Danish community will welcome CrossFitters from all over. Do you have a room, a couch, an inflatable bed, a shed or just somewhere a fellow CrossFitter can crash? Then post it here.”

She was hoping there would be a good response, but was staggered by how many people wrote in. “The group has received far more success than I ever imagined,” she says. “A true testament to the spirit of CrossFit.”

Greg Soneff was very quick to offer help, living a short bike ride away from the venue, and had no hesitation to offer his couch to a fellow CrossFitter. When asked if he regularly opens up his home to strangers he said; “No, but because it’s CrossFit, it seems like a good idea and a great way to support the folks coming from out of town.”

Soneff is hosting a judge and plans to attend the Regional as a spectator. He also plans to attend the CrossFit Tour, being held the same weekend in Copenhagen. As a Canadian living in Denmark, Soneff says he has seen the sport grow tremendously in the country. “The growth has been cool to follow, and I think basically all of my friends are connected with CrossFit in some way,” he says. 

Another hospitable Dane is graffiti artist Janus Egenby who has experienced couchsurfing before and finds it works both ways. “I have welcomed other artists staying at my flat while they are in Copenhagen,” she says. “This is usually good fun and gives me places to crash around the world as well. It’s a great way to make new friends and I hope I have the opportunity to introduce my guests to Butchers Garage, where I train.”

One person who was thrilled to discover couchsurfing was English police officer David Piguillem. “I was hoping to attend Regional, but I only got my leave from work at short notice,” he says. “And though I managed to book flights, I was having a hard time finding accommodation. I posted on the CrossFit Couch Surfing Facebook page, as well as UK CrossFitters.

“My first reply was from UK CrossFitters offering me a space in a room with 8 people. Rather than being left with nothing, I took it without hesitation with no worry that I would feel as though I was intruding on their trip, and it's always good to meet more people from the community,” he continues. “I then received an invitation from a member of the couchsurfing page offering me his apartment for the duration of Regionals and the key so I could come and go. But it made even more proud of being part of a community that will help each other without question.”

With only days to go before Regional, requests were still be made – and room offers taken – on the Facebook page and a delighted concluded. “I’m hoping the idea will spread to other Regionals and maybe the Games in the coming years.