GayCities editor Paul Brummitt, serving as a swim official at World Outgames this week, interviewed fellow triathlete Søren Larsen, who’ll be celebrating his 30th birthday in Copenhagen Aqua Arena during World Outgames. The birthday boy was kind enough to share his take on training for the Outgames, and how to have fun in the great city at the same time.
PB: How long have you been doing triathlons, Søren?
I’ve been swimming since 2003 and doing triathlons since 2005. I started when I spent half a year in Brussels and needed to meet new people, so I joined Brussels Gay Sports. Since coming back to Copenhagen, I’ve joined the Copenhagen Mermates (swim club), where I’m also a part-time trainer and life-saver.
PB: When did you first move to Copenhagen?
I came here to go to University from where I grew up about 60 miles away. Copenhagen’s a great place to live, as you can get around so fast on a bike. I live in Vesterbro, a trendy, vibrant neighborhood close to the center. But I can still get to the beach in 20 minutes! The city’s just the right size so that you can visit your friends easily.
PB: Living so centrally, is it easy to train for your competitions?
That’s another thing I love about living here–the most popular place to run is just around the corner–all the way round the five city-center lakes is about four miles. And the Mermates train almost every evening at one or another of the pools in the city. I’m really looking forward to Copenhagen Aqua Arena opening. It’s newly renovated with a long course 50-meter pool.
PB: And that’s where you’ll be for World Outgames?
You bet! It’s not even opening to the public until the week after. Swimming is the biggest sport at World Outgames, and when I’m not actually in the water I’ll be a volunteer official all week. The triathlon’s on the last day, where we get to swim in the harbor. The water’s perfectly clean. But it’s a bit different from the Lanzarote Ironman I did in the Canary Islands last year, where you swim in the Atlantic! And that was a full Ironman, this will just be Olympic distance.
PB: What will you be doing to relax and recharge? Where do you recommend visitors to go?
Of course you have to see the gay places – I’ll be at Be Proud most likely. I’d recommend Oscar and Jailhouse, too. Oscar is a nice café and has a good place to sit outside in summer, and it’s right by City Hall. Jailhouse is open until 5 am on weekends, so be careful about getting to your event on time. It’s a great place for meeting new friends and time can fly very fast when you’re having so much fun.
PB: What about food – triathlete fuel?
Of course I go for healthy dishes most of the time! Damindra in Holbergsgade has the best sushi in town, although it has prices to match. And that’s really saying something in one of Europe’s most expensive cities. I also love Italian food, Fiat, not the car company–it actually stands for Fondazione Italiana Alimentari Totale. It has a surprise in store with a hidden garden at the back, despite the front of the restaurant being on a busy city square.
PB: Healthy means no desserts for you, I guess?
Not always! I can’t resist Death by Chocolate at Reef ‘n Beef, an Australian restaurant in Jernbanegade.
PB: Lots of readers will hate you for being able to eat that with no effect on your waistline… But let’s change the subject. What are you looking forward to most about World Outgames?
It’s an enormous opportunity to make new friends and see all the gay places, but like when I was at World Outgames in Montreal, it’s so much better to see a city during such an event than on a regular trip. There’s just a constant buzz and a fantastic atmosphere.
PB: And the best way to get to know the locals?
Go home with a Dane, of course!
GayCities Guide to World Outgames
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