PWA Tips of the Week

The world’s best wave riders provide there finest tips for cracking one of the coolest aerial maneuvers: the backloop.

We have asked the world’s most talented windsurfers to give their superior tips to a whole host of questions from going faster on the straights on your slalom gear to cracking those first few moves on your wave or freestyle kit.

Over the next few weeks we will be revealing those top tips here on the PWA website. This week we asked the wave fleet to provide they’re most helpful advice when it came to learning the backloop and building consistency.

If you would like some advice on a move or have a question for the PWA riders then send a quick email to ed@no-spam-pleasepwaworldtour.com or post it on the PWA Facebook wall.

The Backloop

Kai Lenny (Naish / Naish)

Make sure when you are leaving the lip of a wave to tuck your body extremely close to the gear and look where you want to go. The best example of where you want to go is by turning your head and almost resting it on your shoulder, by resting your head on your shoulder that is a great indicator of where you should be looking. But always stay tucked in.

Boujmaa Guilloul (Starboard / Severne)

To learn a backloop, you have to be able to jump first, a normal high jump and then you can start trying it. Landing a backloop is not easy after the first 20 attempts; it takes a while before landing them all the time. When its really windy, try to get close to you rig by pushing your chest close to the boom, and once you reach the top turn around and bring your gear in front of you toward the landing surface.

Mikey Clancy (Starboard / Severne)

Over rotating: look over your shoulder later. 
Under rotating: Look over your shoulder earlier.

Kenneth Danielsen (F2 / Simmer / Mystic)

My backloop tip would be to grip as wide as you can with your backhand, which will help you not to over rotate the backloop.

Cyril Moussilmani (Starboard / North)

You have to select your wave and keep watching the water for the landing.

Ben Proffitt (Simmer / Simmer)

My tip for a back loop would be keep your front leg fully straight and back leg bent and tucked in :)

John Skye (RRD / RRD)

Really focus on where you want to land. Everyone says look where you want to land, but you really need to focus on a spot. Not just look over your should at the ocean, but look down and focus on an exact point to land.

Think of the backloop as two parts. Most people suffer from over-rotation as they just throw the loop and hope for the best. To stop this I think of the move as two parts. Firstly just do a high vertical jump. Then when you reach the apex, look over your should FOCUS on the landing and start the rotation. 75% of the rotation should be done on the way down.

We hope that helps you landing those first few backloops or gives you the confidence to go for some more. Good luck!!