How to ride back side – Bottom turn and Tail slide – Gustavo Foerster // Strapless Kitesurfing

How to do Backside tricks

By Gustavo Foerster Airush Brasil

We have seen a lot of frontside killers riding on waves. When you see the kite and the wave in

your front, it´s easy to setup a trick. But, when you ride on your backside, you got to look back of

you shoulder, setup the kite with the same hand that you should release later, and do your trick.

Putting all this together is not easy, especially in on shore winds.

Riding switch could be a alternative but you will never have the same style that you have on your

natural stance. If you come from surf, why don´t develop your backside attack and became a

more complete rider ?

Here is 2 radical tricks that you can try and make your backside riding looking good !

 Photo credit Lima Jr.

Backside Bottom Turn

1- When riding on a wave, look the place you wanna hit, pull your right hand to turn the kite and

send it to 45 degrees above your head, on a opposite direction of you are going.

2- The kite is gonna pull you. Use this energy to setup your trick. The aim of the backside

bottom turn is to do a well turn at the bottom of the wave to go full speed at the top. At this point,

you also have to use your left hand to turn your kite again, that now is going to the same direction

of you. This adjustment have to be fast and before your bottom turn attack.

3- Hit the lip. At this point, body position i all about. Left hand has to be out of the bar to help to

control your balance. Head down so you can send more vertical. The right hand stays on the bar,

but remember to depower your kite on the same time you hit the lip. If you do this, the bottom turn

will flow natural, with a very surf feeling. To be even more vertical, you should approach the wave

carving as much as you can when going off the lip. Put more pressure on your back foot now.

4- Keep you kite depowered, and use your left hand to help you to control your body. This is a

very fast moment, hold your body and don´t fell !

5- As you start to move your board back, start to pull your right hand so you can have the power

of the kite to help you getting back on the wave line. Put more pressure on your front foot now.

6- The trick is done, so keep focus on your front foot as you feel the lip of the wave sending you

back to the bottom of the wave.

7- Cool ! You just made it ! But this is just the beginning. Look forward and pull the bar because

you can use this energy from the trick to hit the wave without have to move your kite again.

Backside Tail Slide

1- To release your tail, move your kite just like the BottomTurn

movement but now send your

kite even more high, almost to 12´clock position. The objective is to have your body more free to

slide the tail.

2- As you approach the lip, trow your left hand on the water and transfer all your energy to your

back foot.

3- Keep your left hand on the water, and the right hand more on the middle of the bar to keep the

kite around 12´o clock, and lines soft.

4- Now it´s time to force your back foot a lot, trying to slide the tail of your board. Keep your

balance, and forces really hard with your back foot to slide the tail.

5- As you feel the tail slide, try to control this situation and be ready to the next step.

6- When you feel the you are loosing speed and the tail start to move slow, it´s time to stop

forcing your back foot, and just flow natural with the board.

7- Done! You just did a very professional surf trick. But surfing is all about connecting tricks, so

right after that, down loop your kite to get your self on a clean part of the wave and hit it again!

Aloha, visit http://gustavofoerster.com/blog/

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