Toeside backwind air jibe

From a toeside-backwinded position, jump to heelside with a dynamic pop towards the opposite tack!

A common transition for freestylers who consider riding backwinded as fundamental, the Toeside Backwind Air Jibe serves as a foundation for more complex moves. While relatively accessible and low-risk in light conditions, it becomes quite radical in overpowered conditions. Known as TSBWAJ on the score sheets of the Wing Foil Tour, this warm-up trick has an average score of 2.25 points. Follow the advice of Malo Guénolé below, the winner of the last Surf-Freestyle event in 2023, to imitate the pros.

Wing foiler: Malo, team rider for GONG, on Stunt FSP Pro, Droid UPE Aramid, HM85 mast, Ypra Surf-Freestyle, and Freestyle stabilizer.

Ideal Conditions:

“To perform this trick, it goes without saying that you must first master riding backwinded before attempting these types of maneuvers. Moreover, if you have already mastered this, you probably know that riding fully backwinded can be quite extreme and lead to some nice wipeouts ;). So, opt for relatively light conditions to start.” As for equipment, once again, most wings, foils, and boards equipped with straps are suitable for performing this trick. However, a freestyle or surf-freestyle-oriented board is more dynamic in the air and will be easier to facilitate the landings with. Remember, the most essential thing is to equip yourself with your helmet, and then you can go for it 😉

Go Backwinded:

“So, you are in the water, conditions are good, wind not too strong, and the idea of sending a Toeside Backwind Air Jibe comes to your mind. To do this, you first need to transition to riding backwinded. Coming out of a Heelside Racing Jibe to Toeside and continuing to hold the wing between you and the wind is probably the best and easiest way to do this. Now that you are backwinded, try to manage your speed by letting the wing push you but without letting it take you too far. Ideally, you should not be too downwind to avoid losing all the power but not too upwind either so that you don’t have to resist too much. Sailing slightly upwind (closed reach) is the most suitable course for this type of navigation. Once you are well positioned, choose a section of the water that you like to perform your trick. It’s best to find a small kicker to hit so that the pop is easier.”

Wing foiler: Malo, team rider for GONG, on Stunt FSP Pro, Droid UPE Aramid, HM85 mast, Ypra Surf-Freestyle, and Freestyle stabilizer.

Upwind Pop:

“Once you reach the section, you’ll need to pop. To do this, make the same movement with your board as a basic pop. That is, push into your legs with a little more weight on the back than the front so that the foil comes out of the water. It is crucial in this trick that you keep your weight above the board during your pop because, with the wing against the wind, it can easily push you on your back. Also, if you lean too much into it, you won’t be able to send the wing to rotate because you’ll have all your weight inside. At the same time as you pop, you will need to initiate the rotation with your wing. To do this, make the same movement as if you wanted to perform a jibe to exit from backwinded. So, push your hand in front of you, slightly downwind. This way, the wing will carry you forward, engaging your rotation. During this movement, you will also push with your rear hand to open the wing until the trailing edge passes the wind axis. The combination of these two movements will make the wing suddenly regain power and come in front of you, naturally turning your body.”

Airborne 180° Rotation:

“You should then find yourself in the air if everything has gone well so far. Your body should have started its rotation, but the board will likely be a bit behind. So, you can push with your rear foot to kick the tail and rotate the board. Remember that a Backwind Air Jibe only involves a 180° rotation in the air. So, there’s no need to give your biggest kick with the rear foot; a simple push will suffice. Meanwhile, continue pushing with your rear hand but bring your front hand closer to you. By doing this, the wing should stop in front of you and halt your rotation. At this point, you are supposed to be in the air with the wing in front of you, the leading edge pointing towards the opposite tack from the starting one, and the board’s nose pointing in the same direction.”

Land and Relaunch:

“Now comes the time to land. Since you will land with the tail of the board first, make sure to orient it so that you perform a slight nose dive. This will soften the impact and prevent you from burying the back of the board due to your landing speed. Furthermore, be prepared to cushion the landing because the board is not in the direction you are initially going, which will stop you abruptly. Once you touch the water, stabilize yourself by staying bent over the board and sheeting in your wing to create lift and forward momentum on the new tack. After that, all you have to do is pump your foil and wing to take off again.”

“If everything went as planned, you should have landed your first Toeside Backwind Air Jibe!”

Quick Tip:

“The key to the success of this trick is to control the power of the wing well to avoid getting out of alignment. On this move, it’s easy to send it too hard and turn too much. So, start by sending it gently, even if it means not turning enough, and gradually push a little more for the perfect rotation. Now that you have all the keys to successfully perform the Toeside Backwind Air Jibe, what are you waiting for? Head out on the water! ;)” Malo Guénolé