How to Master the Kiteboarding Front Roll Tail Grab

The Front Roll is usually the second trick everyone wants to learn right after the Back Roll. It's a simple trick that always looks good, especially if you add a grab to it. The easiest grab to start with is the tail grab.

This is one of my go-to tricks every session because it just feels so good.

For this video, I'll break down the freestyle pop technique. This can be done hooked in, and you can actually do this with a sent jump. This technique will help give more power to your pop and help you transition into other styles of riding. Actually, this is a similar pop to what many big air riders use as well.

A good kitesurfing pop looks the same hooked or unhooked

Get Good Pop with Your Kiteboard

To start, keep the kite at 45 degrees and get decent speed. Come off your edge to build up a little more speed and lean back. Imagine you are sitting in a chair leaning back on the back two legs.

At the same time, aggressively carve upwind, pop off your back leg, and scoop the board out of the water.

If you want to keep the kite low, you can. It will pop you off the water. If you want to flick the kite up to noon, do so while loading. Sheet in as you scoop and pop off your back leg.

Throw your shoulder into the roll

Lean into Your Front Roll

Tuck your leading ear into your front shoulder and look under your back armpit. At the same time, bring your front knee in a little and poke out your back leg.

As you pop off the water, throw your body towards the control bar and throw your head slightly back. Swing your shoulders and hips into the half inverted roll.

Keep those hips close to the bar

Nailing the Front Roll Grab

The key to setting up the grab is to throw your body forward and get small. You can get away with less energy hooked in.

If you want to get the grab unhooked, you will have to throw your body at the bar and pull your hips up as if you are swinging up on a monkey-bar or something.

The key is to get compact and keep your hips close to the bar.

Getting Style Points

As you come into the roll and you start to swing your hips, tuck your back knee into your chest and poke your front leg up into the sky. This will place the tail close so you just have to take your back hand off the bar and grab it. Poking your front leg up will help you get inverted.

This is a very natural trick and it also forces you to tweak the board out for more style.

Stick the Landing

As you come around, keep looking and spot your landing. Hold on to the tail until you fall into the landing. Point your nose downwind and touch your tail down first.

Because you took your back hand off, the kite should be diving forward, pulling you into the landing. Absorb the landing and ride downwind before digging that edge and riding upwind.

Ryan (Rygo) Goloversic

Many people dream of quitting their job, traveling the world and pursuing their passions. Rygo is one of those people who pulled the trigger. A few years into his career, he decided to change everything and travel as a kiteboarder, freelance videographer & writer. His mission is to share the stoke & help people put the boarding into their kiteboarding. Get outside and kite!

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Producer of: Ride with Blake I Sessions I Versus I Destinations I Foil Fridays