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Benjamin Losch

WW: What is your name, age and where do you reside?
BL: Benjamin Losch, 22 years old and I reside in Tempe, Arizona.

WW: How did you get into wakeboarding?
BL: I grew up in Canada and snowboarded my whole life; everyday after school, weekends and basically any chance I could get. Then I moved here in 2000 and had no choice but to find a way to be riding a board again. I met some friends at school down here who took me for a pull. After that I picked up a boat and started riding. Basically, it was love at first ride (laughs). I then met Jimmy Wolf and a few local riders and decided to take my game to the next level, and I guess here I am.

WW: So you were pretty much hooked the first time you got up?
BL: It's funny because I always believed that snowboarding was my true

passion, especially the style aspect of it and never thought anything would compare. After a few sets on the water, I came to realize that I was absolutely hooked.

WW: So it was a pretty easy transition to go from snowboarding to wakeboarding then?
BL: I wouldn't say easy, but definitely easier than I expected. I had the most difficulty transitioning to holding a handle while spinning, flipping and grabbing. I think what helped me the most was the progression in technology in board and binding designs over the past few years. The edge response from the boards and the snowboard boot feel in my bindings, I couldn't be happier with the way my Watson bindings feel.

WW: Do you prefer flips or spins?
BL: I would say spinning. I think there are so many grab/spin combinations that are just super stylish. I think watching someone like Ben Greenwood can really explain why spinning is so sick.

WW: Who is your favorite rider and why?
BL: Well, first off, I am going to be a little biased. Jimmy Wolf is just one of the sickest riders out there. His style, view on the industry and just how hard he can throw down makes him a candidate for sure. Also, I would say Keith Lyman. Watching him ride has just given me so much motivation to take my tricks bigger and throw more steez than everyone. I think the words Keith Lyman explain themselves.

WW: Have you noticed an improvement in your riding since you started riding with Jimmy?
BL: Definitely. When I met Jimmy, I had a chance to become friends with Brett Brinkerhoff as well. When your riding and you got those two in the boat, I think anyone would progress. I mean, yeah Jimmy is now my roommate at ASU and we got a good program going. He motivates me and helps me fundamentally and I help him with the ladies (laughs)! We just push each other so much and, yes, he has a huge impact on where I am today.

WW: What has been your most memorable moment to date since you started riding?
BL: I would definitely say all my collegiate wakeboarding trips. I still have many more to come and I just have a blast traveling with the WakeDevils.

WW: What move was the hardest for you to learn?
BL: I would say my KGB. I am not a big fan of that trick unless you take it big and it was definitely painful to learn.

WW: Do you compete?
BL: I ride in the local contests here in Arizona during the summer and I ride most of the big collegiate contests like Nationals, etc. I wouldn't say I am a contest rider though. I think my style fits more in the free-riding genre.

WW: Are you content with the wakeboarding industry as it is? Is there anything that you would like to see improve or change?
BL: Ok, this could take a while (laughs). I am definitely excited to see our sport becoming more popular and I love how big collegiate wakeboarding is. I think the sport needs to focus more on a few things. I think if you look at our ancestor sport, surfing, where everything evolved from, it was based off style. Every surfer had to show steez to get a name for themselves. There wasn't a huge trick list for people to prove, but simply just show their style.

I think the wakeboarding industry should follow the pathway that surfing gave us and use it to our advantage. A good example would be snowboarding, as the industry has used style in product design to freeriding and even in competitions. If wakeboarding could get away from our predecessor, trick skiing, we could actually give free-riders what they deserve. Whether it's promoting the "style" riders or changing competition formats, I think we need to grab a hold of what makes a board sport a board sport and take our industry to the next level.

WW: What do you like to do while you are not wakeboarding?
BL: Well, because school is so insane these days, I don't really get a chance to do much besides wakeboard and homework! I sneak in some golf a few times a month and always make time to go to the gym.

WW: What is WakeDevils all about?
BL: The WakeDevils is something that I am very proud of. My roommate, John Panhuise, and I started it about three years ago when collegiate wakeboarding was just starting to grow. Our team has been pretty consistent and we can proudly say we hold our own in the collegiate scene.

We have two sections to the WakeDevils. The club is our social side. This gives us a chance to promote wakeboarding at ASU by throwing parties and holding different events. The club is free and gets people invitations to our events. It's a great way for students to meet their fellow wakeboarders. The second is our team. We have approximately 15 riders including women/men and wakeskaters. ASU has given us a lot of exposure in our school newspaper, so we get a lot of support at home during the season.

WW: Any advice that you would like to share with riders reading this?
BL: Ride for fun, ride to promote the sport and ride because it's your passion. Utilize your style. Everyone is different and that's what makes board sports so unique. Ride hard and go big!

WW: This is your chance to give out some shouts.
BL: I would love to give big shouts to Liquid Force, Strat Nellos, Oakley, Brett Para, Everyone at Desert Surf Co., Rocky with RedBull AZ, The WakeDevils, My Family, Jimmy Wolf, Brett Brinkerhoff, Steve Hahn, John Panhuise, Dustin at Paradise AZ Watersports and WakeWorld for rocking the online wakeboard community.

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