Today Martti Kuoppa celebrates his 40th birthday, and it seems like the perfect day to celebrate one of the best to ever ride a flatland bike. In my opinion, MK managed to do the impossible. He managed to bond the artistic side with the athletic training side you need for contest riding, creating brand new tricks in the video parts and bringing them to contests at the same time and ride often flawlessly and take home titles (3 x X games, World Championships 2002, and so on) during this time period around 2000/2003 we have the intrikat parts that he contributed that are admired and untouched to this day.
During my time competing against Martti, I never felt like I was competing against him we were sharing new tricks and styles and pushing the motivation for the next contest where we would share again. I always go back to his 2002 Worlds run in Koln as one of the best runs of all time, this run has everything. Much respect Martti, and thank you for all you have done for flatland and continue to do so with MOC. I call him the boss for a reason.
That whole worlds run wow too true, contest riding of the highest order!
Yes Allan, break it down and look at the originality and difficulty of what Martti was going. 16 years on this run still smashes it, glad to say I was there and was actually competing against Martti in the finals. A real honour.
Happy Birthday Marrti. How can we forget this amzing riding, you made many take notice. For those that may recall, Kevin Jones said at some point, prior to you becoming known internationally, that maybe someone in Finland may just come into the scene, & blow every 1 away, or words to that effect. Wether he’d heard things about you, at the time, I don’t know, but he was right.
that run, wow! guilty is sleeping on this, cheers E!
Every time I watch this I get so stoked I almost snap out..lol.Maybe the best contest run ever,at least that I have ever seen.You rule Martti!!!!
So inspirational as you said Effraim, so much variety!
Totally Lachlan. I love the part where Martti is telling the crowd to be quiet with his hand jester.
Are you going to tell anyone to be quite, at the Rockies with a hand gesture Effraim lol.
Possibly Tristan
Haha
That was the best run I’ve ever seen. Best save ever, freestyle Master