Jumping
For the jump you should be travelling on an edge with reasonable speed and power in your kite. Don’t edge super hard upwind as this will kill all your speed. Send the kite back and then exaggerate your stance. If you are holding the bar at either end. With your hands more centered on the bar you can use both of them to steer the kite in a push pull motion. Most important of all you should not be trying to physically jump off the water, but rather resist looking upwind, keeping the power in close until the kite wins and pulls you up. Just remember not to look at the kite and all will be well. Before you land, drop your legs underneath you. To get some power from the kite, dive it with the front hand. This will help pull you slightly and stop you sinking. Landing will be far more achievable if you can point the board downwind.
Back Spin Kite Loop
Normally you loop the kite one way and spin the other way such that at the end of the trick your lines are not twisted. To perform this move, you must be able to perform a Jump Huge. Start the jump as normally, and as soon as you are airborne, start doing a Back Spin and then very aggressively pull on your back hand to loop the kite. Time your Back Spin such that when you complete the spin, the kite also completes the loop. Land as usual but try to point your board more downwind than usual as you will be landing with more power than normally.
To begin this trick, unhook, edge hard and pop out of the water. When unhooking always keep your elbows bent, this helps you keep a good edge. Try not to lean forward when you unhook. Look over your front shoulder and go into a back roll rotation. When just over half way through your rotation throw your head in the other direction over your back shoulder and pull your hands hard to your front tip.
Front to Blind
In theory, this trick is one and a half front rotation. To get the control and therefore consistency out of this move, you must consider it like a front loop, but then in preference to landing on a flat board off the wind as normal. Seek hard upwind against the kite to get enough lift and time to rotate. Position the kite at about 11 o'clock. If you put it closer to 12 you will lose your forward momentum and drop in the water without power. Position the kite lower around 10 o'clock and you will land with too much speed. Rotate and extend and turn your head to start spot your landing. You are now in the same position as you would be in a simple front roll. Focus on where you will land and force your hands. Pull the bar towards you and twist your hip, legs and board further. Pull the back leg up towards your bottom and extend your front leg. This means that even if you land across the wind, the board will pivot under your right foot and end up further off the wind. If both legs are straight you will just hit the water and stop. As you land make sure that your weight is on your right leg to allow the board to pivot further off the wind. Twist your hand and point your thumb in the direction you are going. Then, turn your head and shoulder even further. This will put the weight on your heels and take the tension of the lines, so you can bend over and get the bar nearer your back.
Practice this moves and stay tuned for a second part of this article where you will learn about another set of kiteboarding tricks.