Heelside Roll to Revert

Tips by Sam Wilks
Video : Sasha Christian
Photo : Kevin Tan

Once your consistently landing your heelside back roll and heelside two wake 180 it shouldn’t be too hard to put them together and try a roll to revert. A roll to revert is a back roll with a FS180 at the end thus you land in the fakie position.

Edge out about ten feet outside the wake and begin your approach as if you were doing a regular back roll.

When you hit the wake try to throw the board a little more away from the boat than a regular roll.

The 180 should be last moment, so feel your self become inverted before even thinking about the 180. Remember to keep the handle close to the hips.

On the way down, as you come out of your roll and can see the water let go with your front hand and bring your back hip to the handle, this will initiate the 180 spin. Some people say bring the handle to the hip but i find the 180 comes easier if you bring the hip around to the handle.

Remember to try and spot your landing, land with a little weight on your toes sticking your chest out over the board towards the shore. Stick it and ride away shouting “yaaaa baby”in an Austin Powers accent.

Problems : catching the nose of your board usually means over roation, try letting go with your front hand later.

Slipping out on landing means your not sticking your chest over the board thus aren’t landing on your toes. Try bringing your back shoulder around with your hip and showing your behind to those on the boat. Stick that chest right out.

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