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Upwind 360
The upwind 360 is an excellent entry point for kite foiling freestyle because it is relatively easy. Mainly because unlike a “simple” tack you don’t have to switch your feet. Besides, this maneuver can help you progress in tacks. To make an upwind 360 you just have to pick up speed and do a kite loop… or not. Here’s how it goes.
Steering of the kite
Gradually raise your kite towards the zenith with a light rear hand pressure while sailing upwind at the same pace. Also push gradually on the bar when coming into the wind so as not to be overwhelmed by the lift of the kite. Be careful to let your back hand lead the action, even with the bar totally pushed back, to maintain the trajectory of your kite. Once the board has got through the wind, you will need to recover power because you will have lost speed. You can see it clearly on the sequence: the rider comes into the wind with the bar strongly pushed back and then sheets in to keep balance and regain power.
Regain power
To regain power, you can do a 360 upwind with or without a kite loop. A kite loop will allow you to get out of the maneuver without having the lines crossed. Wait until you have passed the axis of the wind before making a move with your kite, with the rear hand for a kite loop or the front hand without a kite loop. For this phase, the pressure on the bar can be firmer than when heading upwind. Be careful not to get ripped off though… If this happens to you, just aim downwind to sufficiently vent the kite before luffing back upwind to a balanced position and to regain tension in your lines so as not to lose flight. For the kite loop, pull hard with the backhand to make the loop as high and short as possible. The upwind 360 without a kite loop must be done by tightening the curve to recover power as quickly as possible with this time the front hand leading the kite back down into the window.
That’s the theory. In real life, doing a kite loop or not during your first attempts is not always a conscious choice 😉 So take a safety margin with enough space downwind…;)
