A Resource of Kite Surfing Tricks & Tips

Posts tagged “backroll

KGB

kgb kite trick

Don’t ask me where the name comes from… I can’t see any similarity between KGB and the russian intelligence, but whatever, here is the guide to perform the trick =)

  1. Come into the trick like you would do for an unhooked backroll. Unhook, edge hard and pop out of the water.
  2. Look over your front shoulder and go into a backroll rotation. When just over 1/2 way through your rotation throw your head in the other direction over your back shoulder and pull your hands hard to your front tip.
  3. Pass the bar from your front hand to your front hip.
  4. Once you grab the bar, reach around with your other hand and get them both on the bar.
  5. Spot your landing, bend your knees and ride away.

click to view full image of the KGB kite trick

Tips! When unhooking always keep your elbows bent, this helps you keep a good edge. Try not to lean forward when you unhook. Keep your hands in the middle of the bar. Don’t throw the backroll to hard, it makes it hard to change direction.


Hooked Backroll

For many kiters, the hooked backroll is their first real kite trick to master. It’s easy to learn and you don’t rip yourself apart and together if you fail and crash, so the hooked backroll is a good trick for beginners. So, how do you perform it? Easy, just do like this:

  1. Keep your kite at 45 degrees and enter the trick with moderate speed and power.
  2. Edge very hard and pop out of the water and throw your feet at the sky above your shoulder.
  3. Just as you come of the water turn your head and try to look over your shoulder in the direction of the spin.
  4. Keep looking over your shoulder until you spot the water.
  5. focus on the spot where you want to land.
  6. Bend your knees, point the board downwind and land.
  7. Continue your ride!

Click to view full image of the hooked backroll trick

Tips! Keep looking over your shoulder, if you stop looking you will stop spinning. Keep your hands in the middle of the bar. Stay relaxed, if you spin to hard, it is going to be very hard to land without slipping out. At first if you cannot get the full rotation, then try to bring the kite lower.