Tips by Sam Wilks
Video : Max Christian
Photo : Roger Koa
If your nailing most of the basic inverts a whirlybird shouldn’t be too difficult to add to your bag of tricks. A whirlybird is a tantrum with a inverted blind 360 without a handle pass. You should be able to nail a big tantrum before trying this trick, being able to spin blind will also help.
Edge out about fifteen feet outside the wake and begin your approach like you would for a regular tantrum.
As you get closer to the wake try and apply a little more weight to your front foot. when you hit the wake begin to pop up like a regular tantrum.
As you feel yourself becoming inverted drop your front shoulder towards the boat almost like an off axis tantrum. (for a regular tantrum both shoulders would be square to the wakes).Keep the handle close by having a bent arm.
Once fully inverted look over your back shoulder and pull the handle hard across your chest. Try to think about bringing the handle to your back ear. This will begin your 360 spin.
Try spot your landing (although at first it will be really hard). Ride away with a BIG smile on your face.
TIPS: Don’t start to pull the handle across the chest to quickly as this will kill your flip… you may finish the rotation, however you won’t be landing on your feet. Instead. you’ll be more horizontal on landing and it REALLY hurts, so don’t to it.
Like any big trick, you’ve got to just go for it, don’t go in to it half hearted, plus a whirlybird isn’t gonna come with one try a set, go out and try twenty.