Shaka Time

If you want to turn your shuvits into shakas find out how now

Although the world of freestyle has progressed at alarming rates in recent years, the shaka still remains one of the hardest and most impressive moves to land. The shaka is still part of most of the top freestylers routines and scores well on the freestyle tour. If you’ve been trying to crack this move, read on and find out some of the top tips from some of the best in the business.

First up 9-time PWA Freestyle World Champion Sarah—Quita Offringa (Starboard / NeilPryde / Maui Ultra Fins): “Try sailing in a straight line and all of a sudden carve upwind to launch of the chop. If you're already sailing upwind before initiating the move you lose momentum and it becomes hard to land the shaka.

-As you carve up wind for the shove it, look over your shoulder really hard, lay your sail down and push the sail down with your front hand. Not as much with your back hand.

-Always lean your body weight toward the nose of the board. Actually kind of in between the the mast and the board. These are my top tips.”

Rick Jendrusch (Severne):

“Start with a little chop this makes it easier to get some height and carve upwind. When you do the upwind carve it’s important to do this radically and don’t go slowly upwind in a long line, you have to go from a half wind course to upwind in a split second and then jump off.”

“A really important thing is also to really pull in your back hand and stretch the arm which is closer to the mast. This makes the rotation in the air possible. Put your body/weight over the sail so that you don’t fall backwards. Enjoy trying the shaka and don’t give up!”

Oda Johanne (Starboard / Severne / Maui Ultra Fins):

“My shaka tips: Have a lot of speed look for a chop and carve the board aggressively as you keep the speed and your body flying forwards (not too much upwind) with your backhand sheeted in and push down hard with your front arm. As soon as you are in the air push also hard on the backhand to fly longer. Look around in the direction you are going and enjoy the airtime!”

Adam Sims (Patrik / Sailloft Hamburg):

"- Power in the sail is the most important and speed is definitely your friend. 

- Aim to take off across the wind and as you carve up to get the board in the air push down on the boom and swing it behind your body, so the sail is pressing against your shins.

- Pull up with the back hand if you are struggling to rotate in the air.

- Aim to land the move first, don’t aim to try and do it high, you need to learn the rotation first, height comes later.

Lastly, if you are rotating and not sliding then go off the wind a few degrees."

Good luck on your shaka journey.