Frontroll Kiteloops - The Fastest Way

The Frontroll Kiteloop is one of the most exciting and scary tricks in kiteboarding. The key to learning this move is to start doing kiteloops… a lot of them! Thing is, those are kind of intimidating too! The trick to learning this is to start in extremely light winds. I'm talking about the kind of conditions where you're riding and the wind gets so light you can kind of stay upwind, you can kind of jump and you're ready to put up a bigger kite or get off the water. When this happens, you can remember this trick and start practicing loops! When the wind is 14 and under, kiteloops are pretty underwhelming. They bring some pop back to the session and you can learn in a low-consequence environment.

Step One - Master the Frontroll

The first step of this trick is to get really good at frontrolls. Practice them relentlessly on every size kite and start adding grabs. You should be landing them 99% of the time. You can start with simple rolls by sending the kite and doing a flat 360 spin on the water by looking over your back shoulder. Pull on your front hand and ride downwind. As you get more comfortable, use your scoop and throw your legs behind you for an off-axis spin. After you've done loads of these, try to invert more and practice doing them with one hand. I have a video on improving your frontroll that you can check out here.

Step Two - Lightwind Kiteloops

Start practicing looping your kite in those threshold winds. The lighter the wind, the sooner you can pull the loop. If the wind is a bit stronger, let the kite reach the edge of the wind window and pull the loop there to soften it up. Make sure you're not jumping too high on these as the kite will not catch you. As you get comfortable, start pulling the loop closer to the apex of your jump. Prepare to land flat and downwind to absorb the impact. You can also practice catching yourself by sheeting out. The kite might not catch you every time, but eventually it will!

Step Three - Frontroll Kiteloop

Try these in extremely light wind like before. Throw a regular frontroll and pull the loop in the same fashion as before. In light wind, you can pull it early and it will pull you into your roll. You can also pull it later near the edge of the wind window, usually right as you are coming out of the roll. This is all about repetition and building muscle memory. Over time, it will start to feel natural and you will know what your kite is doing. You'll want to start doing them with more power and in more wind. Eventually, it will feel natural and fun and you will find that you never want to jump without a loop!

That's basically it. No need to overthink it. Just start! Practice these steps in safe conditions and work your way up by doing them hundreds of times. The secret to progression is to practice at the edge of your limits, not past them.

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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