First powered trick
 

Yesterday at the Skyway I decided I needed to improve on my bag of tricks, ok all I have was one trick. So I decided why not learn to do a back roll. Here are the conditions.

Wind: NE at 15 - 18mph
Tide: really low
Kite: 15M ION
Board: Underground FLX 152

My first attempt: I was in deep water since it was really shallow by the beach due to low tide. I sent the kite to 12:00 and edged hard away from the kite. I kicked the board over my left shoulder pretty hard. When I threw my back roll, I landed a bit over rotated. I did a 2 and half back roll. :shock: :(

Second attempt I decided to throw the kite a little harder to get a bit more air and I slowed down my rotation. I got yanked hard and smacked the water just as hard. WTF

Third attempt was about the same as the first but I didn't get turned around and I ended smacking the water on my back very hard. Lost my shorts and my glasses. :x

I came in to shore to take a break and then I talked to Alex Fox who saw me trying my back roll. He noticed that I was doing a backroll and looping my kite. This explains the big yank that I was noticing which proceeded with the big smack on the water. :idea:

So now I know what I was doing and I hit the water again for another try.

I proceeded to head for the deeper water again since trying to do a new trick in 6" inches of water is a little crazy.

I was riding to my left and this time I slowed my speed down a lot and sent the kite slowly from the 11:00 position and edged hard away from the kite. I felt the lift coming so I popped of the water and began my rotation. I felt the yank starting and I was ready for it. I got my head turned around to spot my landing and my bodied followed. I landed with my board pointed down wind and I let out a big woot. I then went to spin my bar to untwist my lines and noticed they weren't twisted. So I knew I just pulled a back roll with a kite loop.

So all day I had been learning to do a backroll with a kite loop and pulled it off after 4 tries. I am one stoked guy today and I am also quite sore. But it was well worth it.

Thanks to Alex for giving me some pointers.

-Chris

siickk... i didn't see any of them but i bet they were lookin good!
yesterday was fun, first good session in a month.
i'm so sore, sunburnt, and real sick today.. so no way will i be out there agian today

I only got out there at 5:30 or so... rode for a while. Trying to get the handlepass down on a Raley 360 handlepass. Learned that I have to keep my right hand directly in the center of my bar or the kite will fly to the right side and yank the hell out of my arm.

Kevin you had better learn ralley 2 blind first. It will make the 313 an easier trick to learn. Make sure when you try the pass it is a front hand to back hand pass.

Niiccce those are fun arent they? I was doing them yesterday at lassing in 6 inches of water! Ate it once and my board was sticking out of the mud like a tombstone! I hear they are easier to learn a flat kite because of the depower range, but never tried one on a flat kite so no idea if it's true.

Now that you can do backroll kiteloops, try front roll downloops! Same thing but a little more of a roller coaster ride. Or try unhooked kiteloops.

Hate to sound negative, but be safe in shallow water.
This crash caused multiple breaks and a missed season for Jimbo.
It wasn't even that shallow (by East beach standards)

http://www.saskc.net/jimbosmackdown.mpg

(We poked fun at Jimbo cuz we have his permission)

Definetly Scott.. Thats why I headed for deeper water. I can't afford an injury right before our windy season. :D

It's Tom I worry about. He has NO regard for safety ( :P )

Nah I *was* being safe. The water was 6 inches deep, but the slimy muck was at least 4ft deep! (kidding). When you only get to ride for an hour a month you have to take chances. Besides, It'll be another month before I can ride again anyway right?

sweet chris!


i was doing the same thing when i started backrolls too.. i never landed it .. would always crash mid-loop.

when i do a back or front roll.. as soon as i pop off the water i immediately start pulling with my front hand to keep the kite from looping..

i need to just go for the kiteloop ..