10 Questions with Reimer Hansen
Reimer might not be from a place that’s known for its abundance of cooking surf - but he sure knows how to throw down a mean hack.
1.) Full Name, Location & CS Chapter?
Reimer Skov Hansen, Glostrup just outside Copenhagen, National Contact CS Denmark (learning to crawl since in 2019)
2.) How did you come to know and follow Christ?
I believed in God as a kid. Back in '92 I went to Hawaii to surf. I went to a Bible study at Eric Arakawa's house, and I thought, cool every Thursday I get to watch a surf movie, get free food, and then i’d be set and okay to handle some worship and bible teaching. But as the Thursdays went by my focus shifted I wanted to know more about Jesus. I had many questions but Eric would always help me and explain what the Bible said. So before I left Hawaii I received Jesus through prayer at Eric and Sue's house.
3.) Tell us a bit about where you're from and your local surf spot.
I somehow always wanted to surf, so in '87 I was lucky to go to Australia as an exchange student. I got to live in Kiama Downs with a family with two kids who also surfed. On my 2nd day there we went to a surf shop and I bought my first surfboard and started to surf right away. Back in Denmark I didn't know anybody who surfed but over the years I met others with the same passion and we were kind of the pioneers of surfing in Denmark.
I live close to Copenhagen and you can surf on the north coast which is about 45-minute drive away. But my favourite place to surf is actually in Sweden. It’s a 2 hours drive away which includes a ferry trip. It's a nice left-hander that breaks over stones and only works on windy/stormy days.
4.) What does it mean to be a Christian Surfer?
To me, that means to be part of a bigger family with the same passion for Christ and surfing. And to be on a mission to reach out to other surfers.
5.) Your favourite verse and why you love it.
I don't really have one favorite verse but I do like to go back to Luke 12. 31: Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need.
6.) A cool story of how CS has helped changed a life or brought someone to Christ.
Well, that would again be some of the people I talked to at the Bible study in Hawaii. That would be the radically changed skater who was also dealing drugs. Listening to his story how God changed his life after he met up with Christian Surfers and got saved and to see that humble person he had become.
7.) One piece of advice you can give to your Christian Surfers?
Always keep your eyes on Jesus, don't give up through difficult times, God has everything under control and never stop praying.
8.) Funniest moment serving at an event.
Well, I wasn't really serving but more attending during the International Gathering in Hossegor 2018. There were so many great and funny moments. But to be there with all those Christian Surfers laughing and seeing Jimmi Kaiser doing his Martin Potter clip of the day was hilarious.
9.) What verse has God got frothing on your heart at the moment
It's really sad but Copenhagen just had the biggest world parade, homosexual couples form other countries would come to Denmark to get married. I am not really frothing but more just confirming what the Bible says.
1. Cor. 6 9-10, people that live that way will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
10.) The craziest situation you ever found yourself in while surfing?
Well, that got to be on another trip to Hawaii. My family and I just got there and then we went camping with Eric & Sue Arakawa and their church. I hadn't surfed for a long time, the camp were at a place I hadn't surfed before so Eric said to some of the guys to take me out surfing as he had to go work.
The guys looked super fit and the waves looked rough and I was pale and a bit nervous. Anyway the guys were super friendly and we got out the back kind of easy. Within a few moments they all caught some waves and because there were some current too they were soon way down the coast and I couldn't really see them. I wanted to catch a wave too but they were big and every time I wanted to go I was just looking straight down at the reef. So there I was all alone and I thought, ok Reimer now you have to put your surfing experience together and get a wave you can handle. So after a lot of paddling and timing the sets I finally caught a wave to the beach where I found the others too. We had a good laugh about me just arriving from Denmark and them taking me out in those conditions.