Toeside Pop Out to Wrapped
Technique / Advanced
Introduction
We’re throwing this one in, as it should be good for quite a few of you. Popping from toe side and landing wrapped is a great introduction to wrapped if you haven’t tried it before. And if you can already manage a shifty or more to wrapped, then this should be a doddle, and a surefire way of adding extra style points to any move you land toe side. Confession time, least liked move is a surface pass from toe side. It’s not smooth and isn’t pleasing to the eye. A much better option is to pop out and land wrapped. Imagine a railey or back loop, landed fast to toe side and then suddenly you pop it to wrapped, yeah! For the more advanced among you, when you abort a slim and land toe side, voila a stylish solution.
For those of you who have never tried wrapped, it is releasing the front hand and rotating away from the bar so that you reach around behind you and land heel side with your arm in a self-induced arm lock. If you can go blind one way, imagine going the other way but still releasing with the same hand and turning the exact same way. If that’s not clear have a look at Video 1. Your leash will need to be the opposite side of the hand you release. So as Christian is releasing with his left hand, he has his leash around his right side.
Low and Near
1. In Pic A you can see that Christian is almost carving downwind away from his toe side edge. This very sudden change of direction does two things. Firstly it allows you to keep your speed for a moment even without the kite pulling, which means your board will still be planning and therefore you’ll be able to pop without it sticking. Secondly by suddenly turning towards your kite, the lines will slacken and the bar will be light in your hands, so you can keep it low and close.
2. In Pic B just as Christian is about to pop you can see that he’s got the bar in close. With the slack in the lines he can bend his arms and make sure the bar will be close to him all the way around his 180˚ spin. You can also see that the kite is relatively low, say around the 45˚ mark. With the kite here it’s less likely to pull the bar up and away from you. Also as you will be releasing with your front hand, if the kite does move it will go up, so starting with it a tad lower is a good option. If you are popping off flat water you’ll need to be letting go with your front hand as you heave up.
Speed
As we’ve already mentioned you can throw this pop whenever you come in fast on your toes from another move. However when you’re trying this for the first time as a pop from toe side your approach is pretty important, as you’ll need speed. Have a look at Video 2. The simplest way to maintain speed is to unhook whilst riding heel side, as you’ll have a better unhooked riding position. Then you can slide the back of the board straight down wind and you’re ready to pop from a very off the wind toe side, perfect. However once you get the hang of it you could unhook from toe side, or just before you pop.
Following Sequence 1
- Pic 1. Having approached with good speed and his kite positioned at about 10.30, Christian has unhooked and then spun around to a very downwind toe side, chasing his kite. Getting ready to pop he has rocked his weight back over his trailing foot and flexed his back knee. He’s got his bar in close to his body and is ready to spring.
- Pic 2. Christian stamps down hard on his back foot, and extends his body upwards. At the same time he releases his front hand, enabling him to stand over the board for a balanced spin.
- Pic 3. As the board rises Christian lifts his legs and starts his rotation by turning his head and shoulders down and away from the kite.
- Pic 4. Christian twists his wrist and turns his palm up behind his back, which helps him turn his shoulders further still. At the same time he pushes his left foot through to get the board in front of him.
- Pic 5. On landing Christian makes sure that the bar is twisted all the way around and ready to be grabbed.
- Pic 6. He reaches around with his free left hand and grabs the bar.
- Pic 7. Then releases his right hand.
- Pics 8 & 9. Christian continues to turn his head and looks up towards the bar and gets both hands back on the bar.
- Pic 10. Sail away, hook back in and then try it from a railey to toe side.
Common Problems
If you find that the bar is pulling away from you before you pop into the spin you have no chance of keeping it in and passing. So make sure you have a sudden change of direction downwind to get the slack.
You may find that you bounce off the back of the board as you land. Make sure you continue to look around with your head, so you can see where you’re going, it’s not blind.
If your board feels like it won’t pop, or even if you do pop it stops when you land, you need more speed.
If you keep catching your heelside edge and tripping onto your back, you’re not getting far enough around the rotation. Try to get more air by popping harder and commit to the rotation by throwing your head around.
Keystones
- Speed
- Suddenly chase kite
- Pop hard off back foot
- Turn head all the way
- Twist wrist and shoulders.
This technique article was in Issue 16 of IKSURFMAG.
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By Christian and Karine
Christian and Karine have been working together as a coaching team, running improver to advanced kitesurfing clinics since 2003.
