Forecasts were all over the place - JMA said kick-ass from 12, GPV said kick-ass from 3; but the wind was being reported as southerlies?!? Head down to the lake - not like I got anything better to do :D
1pm. Good wind, a few people are just setting up. Guess I'm not the only one without a job! A few kites set up for a demo - Cabrinha 11m Chaos, 9m Drifter and 7m Switchblade. Nothing for the big boys though :(
Had the Speed3 12 and 15 at the lake, with both Flyboards. Just in case. Think the 15 is the best bet and set that up... but worry that if the wind picks up at 3 I'll be over-powered. Turns out I needn't have worried or humped the 12 over - in fact, should have had the 21 or 19 :o
So I start out on the 'radical, nicely powered... waves are choppy and all over the place. Water is brown, full of dirt and assorted trash. Wind is up and down... I enjoy it while I can.
Big ol' back rolls are feeling so good... I start working hard on the front rolls. They're still ugly. I may be on to the secret though... and I DO land and ride off from my first double front rotation!!! Even if it was totally accidental :D
Got to thinking about Dimitri and his mad old skool style and decide now is the time to try foot-outs. Subconsciously, I guess... cos my foot falls out of the strap on the way up of a jump of its own accord and although I just splash down, I don't die or break my knee so I give it a shot fo realz.
First attempt... I bork it up and can't get my foot back into the strap - kick my toes into the edge of the board. Try again and BOOYAH foot-out ACHIEVED! Power up unlocked! While the wind is up, I throw down... success rate stands at 10.5 out of 12. A couple of jumps I get the board back on but sink on landing... I still ride away though so I count them as a half :D the rest are golden! Well, all on a port tack cos I bend easily that way but not the other way... damned back!
Just as I'm getting all excited with myself, the wind dies :-/ so goes the rest of the afternoon, slogging around, waiting for the wind, trying to get the groove again... but it doesn't happen. Up and down. Give up around 5, back in the car driving home thinking about a drink at 5:30pm.
Despite the crappy wind, I had a pretty good day! New trick - can't beat that!
Moment of the day was landing the first big foot-out with a long straight leg dangling... like a boss!
Mood of the session was joyful relaxed amused.
It sucks when the wind won't hold when you've just learned a new trick and want to show off :D
Weather was reported as 16 knots falling to 10 with gusts to 22. BALLS. 25°C at 60%.
Wind felt like it was between 10 and 15 knots with massive lulls between 'sessions'. Never felt over-powered :(
What I learned today...
• There's a 'balance point' in back rolls, when you could go as high as you want and still land it perfectly. Dunno yet if it's sending & redirecting the kite or just ineffably getting it "right" but it feels good when you do.
• Front rolls - don't send it back to 12, leave it "in front" of you. So how then do you do HUGE rotations?
• Foot-outs are easier than they look... kinda. I'm not very flexible and my stomach gets in the way :( which means I can only do... oh wait TAIL grabs! foot-outs.
• Grabbing with the front hand makes it hard to redirect cos I'm a limp wrist. So those are out.
• I want to try dark slides now :o
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