Surfing has made Karsten and Pernille's relationship even stronger: "You can fall in love all over again"
October 2023: Student Portrait by Karsten Bjørk, self-employed IT entrepreneur and surfing legend at Copenhagen Surf School.
Written by Steffen Neupert, Journalist and Surf Instructor.
Picture a surfer. Perhaps you see a long-haired, tanned and fit woman or man - probably in their 20s - lounging in a hammock. And sure, some surfers look like that too.
But if you want to find the most dedicated and "real" surfers, you actually have to look among ordinary people. Many have houses, kids and busy careers. But maybe that's also why they fall in love with the freedom, wildness and community of surfing. That was certainly the case for 51-year-old IT entrepreneur Karsten and his wife Pernille. "Now we're doing something active together, where our joint project is not the kids, the house or where we're going on vacation. It's a huge gift," explains Karsten.
A feeling of happiness and a unique experience
Karsten and Pernille weren't actually out of their element the first time they got on a surfboard. The couple live in Amager with their two children aged 17 and 21 and have long been regulars at Strandparken. Mostly to swim, until Pernille signed them both up for a windsurfing course a few years ago. "I was hooked from the first time. You fall into the water a lot, but it's like being in a water park for adults." Since then, a lot of water has flowed through the lagoon, and today Karsten and Pernille are among the most experienced students at Strandparken, where they often take to the water several times a week - both together and separately. If you ask Karsten why he still loves surfing so much, he laughs a little and apologizes that the answer might be "a bit poetic".
"I feel at one with the elements and feel a connection with nature. You can feel the power of the wind through your arms, torso and legs, which makes you move across the water." "It's a crazy feeling, a feeling of happiness and a unique experience."
"A great time for our relationship"
Initially, Karsten and Pernille brought their two older children to the surf school. But they quickly dropped out to pursue their own interests. This gave Karsten and Pernille a unique opportunity to pursue both surfing and their relationship. "It has definitely made our relationship even stronger. It's just been a great time for us to find something to share in the same way we did before we had children." "And seeing your wife in a wetsuit can almost make you fall in love all over again," laughs Karsten. For them, one of the best things about surfing is that it's an individual sport that you do on your own board. Therefore, they share the wind, the weather and the community, while still having a lot to talk about when they get back on land. "It's extremely enriching, so I just try to tell everyone I meet that they should do this as a couple. It's something you do individually, but it's something you do together."
We always have a success story
At the same time, the environment at Copenhagen Surf School is tailor-made for Karsten and Pernille. Here, experienced and novice surfers of all ages and backgrounds come together for surfing, fun and parties.
"We've quickly become part of communities on our own as well, so it's the perfect combination. It means we're not just standing in the corner holding hands." Even though Karsten and Pernille aren't exactly beginners anymore, there's still plenty to learn.
One of the coolest things about windsurfing is that you never stop developing and succeeding at new things, says Karsten. "To be able to come down here and really from day one have a success experience in safe hands, I think that's really fantastic. And we still always have a success experience every time we've been down here."
Dreaming of life as surf nomads
Karsten and Pernille have tried several times to convince their two children to give windsurfing a second chance - but they still have their own lives and hobbies they would rather pursue. "But they still think it's the coolest thing that we surf. I think they actually think we're super cool, which is completely insane," laughs Karsten.
The kids will probably also have to get used to the idea that mom and dad are surfers. Karsten has started dreaming of pulling up stakes, taking his work under his arm and trying life as a digital nomad in Europe's best windsurfing spots. "I'm probably closer to that dream than I think, because my wife wants to join me. We just need to get the kids out of the house, then the idea is to take the car and drive south along the coast," he concludes.