The wake backside roll is an inverted trick that contains side over side rotation. If you want the challenge, get completely comfortable with 2-3 foot high wake to wake jumps first. Build up to your roll in steps, and take your time.

 

Buckle on your helmet, wear a USCG-T3 vest, hook up a trick release, and set the speed at 18-22 mph. Use a low stretch polyE rope at 15' off (60'). A vertical extended pylon can also help you get more hang time to complete the trick.

 

• Position yourself about 15' outside the wake before approaching with medium intensity. The water should be about midway up the strut. As you near the wake, push down so the board hits the water, then rebounds for extra lift.

 

• Aim so that the board lifts off the crest with the foil exiting just beyond. Throw your shoulders back aggressively to gain lift. Don't throw the roll too soon; your initial movement should be up and back.

 

• As you get airborne, follow the rearward motion by rotating your wake side shoulder back. Turn your upper body and head in the same direction to spot the landing as soon as possible.

 

• As the blade spins around, speed your rotation by throwing your knees over your head with a stomach crunch. Another key to rotation is handle position. Keep it in to your upper stomach during lift off. As you get inverted, the handle has a tendency to get pulled away. Letting it out will slow rotation and surely result in an unnecessary header. Look for the landing.

 

• To keep a quick spin going, pull to get the handle into a power position through the last half of the roll. As you spot the landing use your central strength to get the board pointing in the right direction.

 

• When the foil hits, push on both feet and lean forward to ground the board.

 

With experience you'll learn to approach the wake at higher speed, throw the trick harder, and float the rotation around for an inverted move that you can really enjoy. And even coming down from all that air has its benefits. The foil breaks the water first and makes for cushy landings.

 

A simple variation of the wake backside roll is the backside pogo roll that is performed without the wake. Do this about 10' beyond the wake on your landing side. It employs the same movements except that your initial throw is further back. You also need to whip it around quicker. Learning the backside pogo sets you up for free flying flips off other boat's wakes.

 

-Tony Klarich

 

 

Tidbits, records and stuff

 

Chip Reihl holds the record for the slowest air back roll at 7 mph with Mike Murphy driving.

 

 

Trick reprinted from Flight, The HYDROFOILING Newsletter.

Copyright 1998 Marine R&D. All use requires written permission.

Marine R&D
31566 Railroad Cyn Rd #101
Canyon Lake, CA 92587

hopro@ez2.net