One, two, buckle my shoe, bust a backroll !!!

[toyotafreak]

Haven't really been spending much time on it (a few tries a day, maybe), but today will go down as the day I landed my first coolie trick - HS backroll. It went like this...really focus on good pop, keeping the handle at lead hip, huck it up but not really back like before (turns the rotation flat like an off-axis 3). First try today was the first time I had come around with the board pointing in exactly the right direction (usually finished sideways a little with velocity still heading forward towards the boat). Kissed the board to the water and it slipped out in front (too tail-heavy). Second try felt low, weight was more centered on the board, still going right direction. Third try big pop, stand tall but absorbed the landing with knees, kept riding right through (shakes fist furiously). 1500 pounds plus two big guys, girl, boy. Rope at 75ft, boat at 22. Stoke meter set to 103%   Landed in the flats, supposedly at the edge of the spray. Knee was stinging for sure.

Back to basic training after that, maybe three more roll attempts without success, but the TS jumps and TS FS ones were good and big. Couple grabs HS, and even my first ollie FS one.

No video.

[Chris A]

DAM, good job.  I've been boarding for 3 years now and have yet to land anything heels over head  

Post some vid, so we can all see how its done  

[krejciman]

I   hate   you    


ur makin' the rest of us look bad!

[Bitzco]

Dude!!! Nice job. Going out with Festivus next weekend. He's wanting to give it a try. Your stoke may just tip him over the edge.

[blindside]

Excellent, sure fells GRA8 to land that first invert!  I have had my BR for 1 year and am working on a TS540, I was going to work on it last night but my dang fat seat had a hole in it

[toyotafreak]

I really do suck. Can hardly do any grabs, I still get stoked big every single time I get across clean toe side. The last two trips I've been pretty content just working on form jumping. I do think everybody needs an invert for when you're passing the honey line, but the roll is really just a huck move - no handle movement or anything.

The two things that made the rotation happen and got the stoke to the point where my family/friends got into it was: 1) really really really try to focus on keeping your handle in the same spot - when it gets over your head, the rotation slows/stops, and 2) picture letting, almost willing your board to drift back as it comes up. Still need a pretty good jump, but that's about it.

The #2 there is the one that both got me in the game (check out the vid I'm posting from havasu last month), but also kept me from progressing. You can see in the vid that I'm really pushing the board back instead of up like forcing the thing around. Problem is, it's really flat and the g-forces are high and when I meet the water, I'm low and fast and sideways. Compare mine to an off-axis three I found. Basically if I could pass the handle during this thing, it'd be an OA3.

Did feel really confident though, like I was ready to try the HS blind one, HS FS one, and even the TS back roll (alledgedly easy too cuz it's really just a toeside jump with a backflip in it - no handle movement). Didn't try any of those yesterday but want too. Also want some better grabs and them friggin ollie ones.

Off topic, but you guys can relate to an oldie with no style busting the first roll. Good day!!

[phenom_1819]

Derek -- CONGRATS!  That's awesome.  Good thing you live in Cali so you have a lot more time to keep bustin' em...!   The trick will be learning them again next summer. Happens to me every year with whatever it is I learn that year...

I still can't do a heelside backroll -- it's a big hole in my arsenal.  Oh well.  Something about the rotation, which is maybe too simple, but I can't even get close.  I end up hucking it and throwing behind too much -- which it sounds like you were doing too.  But I do teach a lot of people how to do them (go figure), and can offer you a little advice on your speed-balling.

Usually (when friends are trying backrolls), the reason they have too much speed is because they are cutting out too far at the start of the jump, and are throwing the trick before leaving the wake....wait a few seconds longer and it should pop you up more, and slow your rotation so you don't feel the g's at impact...

Get back out there!!!  
 

[cyclone]

AWESOME Derek! I can't do sheot except get about 6 ft of air heelside wake to wake. I have had 4 reconstructive knee surgeries so I don't want my insurance agent reading this! I have not hurt myself wakeboarding yet, not seriously anyway. I'm way too old to get really aggressive with it, I just like catching a lot of air and not busting my ass. Good for you though!!