How to organize an international CrossFit® event
In the spring of 2015, we were contacted by surprise by a Finnish firefighter, Robin Hendry, coach and owner of CrossFit® Basement in Helsinki.
Robin had a dream – he wanted to organize an important event in his city that would bring notable names to the international CrossFit® panorama.
He was looking for a brand that could guarantee professional products and, at the same time, a pre and post sales service that was precise and timely.
After hearing what people who used our equipment had to say he was convinced about us. From there, he called us and our story began.
Robin’s Team
Arttu Nyman, Robin Hendry, Christoffer Forsman, and Niko Wikström are professional firefighters that are passionate for cross training.
They saw in this sport the perfect tool for mental and physical preparation in their work and also as an opportunity to have some extra income while having fun.
In 2013 in Helsinki they gave life to their first box: CrossFit Basement.
The success of this project lead to this sport becoming increasingly more popular in the Finnish capital. It didn’t take much time for long waiting lists to be created and it was necessary to open a second location: CrossFit Basement Kurvi.
Over the years, the presence of boxes in Helsinki, like in the rest of the world, increased.
This discipline became more popular and from a handful of boxes it exploded. This means that in order to remain the point of reference, you have to constantly improve by offering a service that matches the standards of customers, who are increasingly attentive and demanding.
Here are a few of the key points that allowed this favorable outcome:
- A strong sense of team spirit.
- A positive, empathic and wellness-oriented community.
- Instructor training that’s constantly updated with courses on a quarterly basis.
The adventure starts with traveling
In 2015, the main companies that produced equipment for cross-training and functional training could be counted on one hand.
Robin, the CEO of CrossFit Basement, liked the uniqueness of our brand and was swayed by the positive and flattering comments he heard about it from others in the sector.
As a result, in 2015, together we organized the first edition of the Helsinki Showdown.
Robin Hendry, Christoffer Forsman and Niko Wikström visited our company in San Marino (Europe) and since the very first meeting there’s been an availability and desire to collaborate.
Thanks to the relationship that was created, the Helsinki Showdown team has requested and received special attention that ranged from a human relationship to various product aspects such as: selection, manufacturing, preparation, quality control, shipping and assistance.
In search of the legend
Robin knew that the search for a trustworthy partner for an event of international relevance was a big job that would require time and careful analysis so that the candidate chosen would guarantee a good project result.
In this sector, more than in others, the human relationships play a fundamental role.
The legend says that the Greek god, Zeus, was sometimes called Xenios (ξενιος) to indicate, among his other attributes, that of being the protector of travelers and guarantor of hospitality.
Start of a friendship
The entire CrossFit Basement team showed itself to be very proactive and at the same time willing to listen and accept our advice. They even suggested their own ideas about the development of certain product prototypes that were later added to the Xenios catalogue.
So emails, phone calls and visits to our company were carried out on the regular.
The community spirit was strong and present from the very beginning.
Results
The Helsinki Showdown competition was a success, we all had fun and especially Robin, his partners and his entire team were able to see their dreams come true: ignite Finland with CrossFit®.
Tell us about your dream
If you liked this story and you also have a project you’d like to make happen, write to
→ https://www.xeniosusa.com/it/contacts/
to tell us about your dream. We’ll help you make it a reality!
DISCLAIMER: Xenios USA® has published this article faithfully adhering to the original text of the author, without making any changes and/or additions. Crossfit® is a registered trademark owned by Crossfit Inc. (USA). The Xenios USA® brand, products and services are not associated, promoted, tested or sponsored in any way by Crossfit Inc. The mentioning of the Crossfit® brand in the text of this article is for editorial purposes only. The same must be considered exclusively as an integral part of the author's original work, without any purpose of promotion and/or association of/with the Xenios USA® brand, products and services.
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