Individuality is highly prized in skateboarding, yet skaters who veer too far from the norm risk being labeled as “faking the funk” or “gimmicky.” It’s a delicate balance, but few navigate it as skillfully as Ben Koppl, also known as “Rollersurfer.” His unique approach combines technical skill, fluid motion, and a playful spirit, creating a style that is undeniably his own.
Ben’s skating is characterized by a free-flowing, improvisational style that disregards conventional trick boundaries. While influences from skaters like Leo Valls and Gou Miyagi are apparent, Ben’s overall style is entirely original. His Instagram handle, “Rollersurfer,” perfectly encapsulates his approach to skateboarding, blending the fluidity of surfing with the creativity of skateboarding.
Enjoy the sometimes polarizing yet captivating blend of technical, flowy, and playful elements that define Ben Koppl’s skateboarding.
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Q&A with Ben Koppl
Do you know the names of all the tricks you perform, or are you mostly improvising?
I believe that thinking about tricks using pre-existing language is inherently limiting. If you are confined to words, you’ll only execute tricks that already have a name. My favorite ideas are those that are challenging to describe, often specific to the location where they occur. I don’t focus much on names, although with enough effort, anything can be translated into existing terminology. I appreciate how tricks were named in the past, with less emphasis on descriptive accuracy and more on the stories behind them. A “nose grab” is self-explanatory, but a “lein air” only makes sense if you know it’s named after Neil, done with the opposite hand, and the person who first did it. It was like a secret code, seemingly random to outsiders but carrying significant cultural weight for those in the know. I don’t feel compelled to name most of my tricks; they’re not widely known, so it would seem self-indulgent to name them myself. Useful tricks like a “caballerial” deserve a name.
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How long did it take to film this video part?
It took about two months out of a three-month trip. I didn’t take any days off skating for the first 50 plus days of the trip.
This video part was funded by an academic grant, is that correct? How did this project begin?
Before the pandemic, my partner Zoe and I wanted to research urban skateboarding projects in Europe. She applied for grant funding as a Landscape Architecture graduate student at the University of Washington. Although the funding was approved, we were informed that the university wouldn’t be liable for any risks we took during the project. We were encouraged to keep the funding and pursue our own project. This turned out to be a good thing because we had more freedom in what we produced. This freedom led to our collaboration with Film Trucks, resulting in this great video part.
“I don’t think I took any days off skating in the first 50+ days of the trip”
What kind of research did you and your partner aim to conduct on this trip?
While neither of us are academic “skate urbanists,” we’re both fascinated by public spaces designed for skateboarding, how existing spots are preserved or improved, and how to implement similar initiatives in the US. Our research focused on the processes involved in creating these projects, what makes them successful, and what factors contribute to their popularity. In Bordeaux, for instance, these projects operate differently than historical preservation efforts, such as Long Live Southbank, or the skate spots in Copenhagen designed by architects who may not even skate. We were also fortunate to meet with Gustav Eden in Malmö, who is doing amazing work.
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Do you know of any other skate videos funded by educational grants?
Perhaps not video parts, but people are increasingly traveling to collaborate and share ideas. The skate sculpture exchange featuring Leo Valls’ Bon Voyage sculptures from Bordeaux and Rich Holland’s sculptures from Malmö is a great example of this. I hope that more cross-cultural exchanges occur because skaters have much to learn from one another.
What are the key takeaways from your study of skate-friendly public spaces in Europe?
I’ve learned that these projects develop in unique ways, and what works in one location may not be feasible elsewhere. Understanding how city governments operate and examining various case studies has been inspiring. In the US, we primarily focus on skatepark advocacy or preventing the demolition of classic skate spots. While those efforts are essential, it is inspiring to learn that cultural grants, art installations, event planning, and other methods can also enhance urban spaces. There are many possibilities when we are open to new approaches.
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You lived in Japan for some time, right? What was the most enjoyable part of living there?
Yes, I’m a big fan of Japanese skate culture, and getting to skate with those guys was incredible. It felt like being a huge fan of action movies, traveling to Hollywood, and then becoming friends with Arnold Schwarzenegger, who then asks you to be in his next movie.
How did the skate scene in Japan impact your skating?
I felt like I experienced the tail end of a very special time in Japanese skateboarding. While that style still exists, it’s now overshadowed by the Japanese contest era. I appreciate that there are more parks and opportunities for kids to pursue the sport, but the skaters who were in the spotlight when I was there were totally unique. Skaters like Gou Miyagi, Takahiro Morita, Chopper and the Osaka Daggers, Koichiro Uehara, and many others taught me how to make skating my own and how important it is to develop your own style. These individuals have developed unique skating styles, fashion senses, and cultural scenes around them. Their approach reminded me of the 80’s skaters I gravitated toward. Those skaters were more like comic book heroes than athletes doing tricks.
Many of your clips go “viral” and are reposted by skate and non-skate Instagram accounts. Is it strange to see your clips on different accounts?
I owe a lot to reposting pages like @Metroskateboarding and I’m fortunate to have been doing what I was doing when that was possible. It’s a little weird when it’s not a skate page. It’s funny when people who know nothing about my style weigh in on it. While it can be strange, I don’t see my clips as just a circus act.
“Skateboarding is a pretty objectively bad way to make money when compared to virtually any other job”
Is Instagram ultimately good or bad for skateboarding?
Probably bad, but it’s helped me do a lot of things I probably wouldn’t have been able to without it. We’ll know for sure in a decade.
As someone who seems to genuinely enjoy skateboarding, do you think people take it too seriously?
It’s strange to see how hard people pursue it as a career. Skateboarding is a pretty objectively bad way to make money when compared to virtually any other job. That being said, I believe we should be as passionate about our interests and hobbies as we can.
Conclusion
Ben Koppl’s approach to skateboarding is refreshing, unique, and inspiring. He blends technical skill with playful improvisation, creating a style that defies convention. His insightful views on the skate community, the influence of social media, and the importance of personal expression make him an essential voice in skateboarding today. Koppl’s dedication to skateboarding, coupled with his intellectual curiosity about urban spaces and the culture, makes him a true original.
Filmed by: Bastien Regeste, Andrea Dupre, Vincent Herbert, William Boardman
Edited by: Bastien Regeste
Photo by: David Manaud
