Berlin, Prague and Ansbach—CrossFit Europe, Part 3

I'm planning on doing some travel through Europe the month of April. I would love to visit as many affiliates as possible. Any advice in travel arrangements or contacting affiliates? Thanks in advance.

I'm going to have to disagree about the disconnection of affiliates in Europe. I'm an American living in the Netherlands and I've started my own affiliate. There are 4 official affiliates in the Netherlands and a few in neighboring Belgium. Just two weeks ago we all came together to discuss CrossFit in Holland and Belgium and what we can do to help one another. Furthermore, I'm in regular contact with other affiliates or groups working towards affiliation, in other countries. It's true there aren't as many Level 2 trainers in Europe, but that's changing. There also aren't as many specialty certs in Europe, but that's also changing.
If you look further north to Sweden or Copenhagen you see some pretty killer CF communities and they're all talking/sharing/crossfitting together.
The sphere here is just different than it is in the states and it's still in its infancy. How many affiliates were there in the States in 2002?
Regardless of the country you're in, you'll find Crossfitters and in my experience, be it CF One World, CA, CF Albany, NY, Butcher's Lab, Copenhegen, CF Sweden, Sweden, CF Basel, Switzerland, or CF FSF Driebergen, Netherlands, the communities are organized, driven and connected by the same powerful motivation to become better Crossfitters.
Give us some time we'll catch up.

Nolan Mooney
CrossFit FSF

Thanks for the flattering article, just some minor updates :-) ... shortly after the article was written, Berlin got its first proper (non-profit) affiliate. CrossFit Berlin Fire Brigade (thanks to Mike). Equipment is still an issue but it's trainers Mike, Alphonse and Flo are working to improve the situation. (myself, I just moved back to my hometown Munich).

@Nolan: according to my experience the connectivity of the various affiliates and non affiliated groups is very good in the scandinavian countries, the netherlands and the british island. Outside this area connectivity, number of affiliates and CorssFit'ers seem to drop sharply, this situation is improving, but e.g. germany is still far far behind denmark - and I don't see us catching up in the near future, but I have been wrong more often than not.

@Chris: drop me an email if you plan to visit Munich (we're not affiliated though) or Berlin in germany.

Alex

Nice series of articles, I´m just starting my research for a study on CrossFit and how it differs, if it differs, from traditional Swedish sport culture and can use some of this stuff for sure.

I´m interested in all kind of material (articles) on how CrossFit is received in European countries and how it differs or not from the existing sport culture.

The closes affiliate is in CPH, I´m crossfitting out of my garage but are in contact with some other crossfitters in the region.

Tobias
Lund, Sweden
tobias@crossfitter.se

I trained for several years at Balance, the gym that Blair mentioned in this article.

I can't recommend it highly enough.

Good stuff, Blair.

origins of The Shop chipper wod
http://www.theshoptopeka.com/2009/10/shop-chipper-100709-w.html