I’ve learned it few month ago thanks to GongSUP rider Patrice Guénolé aka “l’ours”

Here is what he was saying :

“”"IMO, the key is in the trajectory. Take a look at the last online video, sexy wave, (http://www.gongsup.com/Sexy-wave.html?lang=fr) and you’ll notice that as long as the trajectory is downward or even parallel, the board doesn’t spin out. As soon as the board goes upward in the face of the wave, it spins out.
You need a hollow section and speed. Doing them hit or miss with the tail in white water and pushing like an animal isn’t my favorite move, …

You also need to have your shoulders on a vertical line with your hips and your feet. The first attempts, we push like a beast to spin out and consequently we fall in the slope as soon as it spins out because we were already unbalanced. Remain really straight, it is the second key.
Longboarding it is pretty technique. SUPing it is much easier, the paddle gives is a support in the face of the wave that helps to remain straight while beginning the rotation.

The rotation …The more forward on the nose you are, the more radical it is. The more you push with your back hand, the more radical it is. The more you turn your hips, the more radical it is… IMO, the best is to leave the slope regulate the rotation.
It generates stuff like long nose rides followed by rotation… It is awesome. Well, yeah, at the beginning, you need to push hard !

The last part of the trick is the hardest one. Riding waves fin first is a good training . The key to take off fin first is to put the front foot really forward on the board and to paddle at the last moment to break the row effect. Then you’ll discover other versions of the 180 with or without swivel, frontside or backside, varial or doble swivel, in the roller, in the floater, in the cut back … countless possibilities, awesome
The most difficult 360 is : 360 helico to switch to varial ! Frontside it is hot, backside I nearly break my arm 2 days ago …
Anyway …
In summary : Find small waves, go front side down the line, walk unhurried in diagonal to the nose, when it gets hollow push on your toes to sink the rail from the nose, similar as a roller from the nose, and it’ll start to turn

Ciao “”

It Works !!!


pics by Jordan Crawford www.windsurfjournal.org

Since I SUP, the 3 main questions I got asked are

“where do you get the board”: that’s a secret
“where do you store the board” : that’s another secret
“how do you go through the breaking waves” : here we go !

The keys to go through the breaking waves is lot of speed and lot of self confidence, just think : “I gonna make it” , and even if you don’t, it was fun to try !
So just go as fast as possible, straight to the wave, and just before to reach it put your feet in the “surfing stance”, take a powerfull stroke with the paddle deep in the water, a deep breath and push the board (and yourself) over the foam using your paddle to keep the balance ; even if you don’t make it, at least you won’t get dragged as much as if you jump off the board

Here’s a video of a failed attempt :

And here’s the picture of the “jump off and hold your breath” technique for bigger waves :