The more onshore the wind, the harder it becomes to ride waves frontside, i.e. downwind. With backside turns, it’s exactly the opposite – the ‘worse’ the conditions, the easier this technique becomes. What’s more, a good backside turn looks very stylish too. Wave veteran Peter Garzke shows you how to master it.
A Brief Guide to Wave Riding
Generally speaking, there are two ways to ride a wave when windsurfing: if you initiate the bottom turn over the leeward edge with your stomach facing the wave, this is known as ‘frontside wave riding’. In ‘backside wave riding’, the bottom turn is initiated to windward, i.e. over the heels, so that your back faces the wave throughout the entire ride.
Whether a frontside ride downwind or a backside ride to windward makes more sense is usually determined by the wave itself. If, for example, the wave is already starting to break downwind of you, there’s little point in initiating a frontside turn, as you’ll often end up straight in the whitewater. Instead, the aim is to find an open and steep wave shoulder – and the wave offers this just as often on the windward side.
Another argument in favour of a backside turn is wind strength. Whilst you need good pull in the sail for a powerful frontside turn, backside rides work much better in light conditions at the glide limit, as the sail gains additional lift when turning to windward – the relative wind and the actual wind speed add up. Last but not least, there’s the issue of maintaining height: whilst you lose height on every frontside ride, you actually gain a few metres when wave riding on the backside.
More riding techniques on the wave:
The Backside Turn
A good backside turn isn’t that difficult. You can practise it in all wind directions, from side- to onshore, whether the waves are knee-high or logo-high. The bottom turn differs fundamentally from that used in frontside wave riding: whilst you initiate a frontside turn by leaning forward and applying pull to the sail, you initiate the backside bottom turn using your heels. The sail’s role here isn’t to provide pull; instead, it should be set as neutrally as possible. There are two basic techniques for the backside cutback – with the sail upright or laid flat. The laid-flat variation usually results in a more radical and tighter turn, which is what we’ll be focusing on here first.
The steeper it is, the more radical it gets
As with all wave rides, the rule is: you can start with a round shoulder, but this requires plenty of speed on the approach. The backside turn looks particularly impressive when you hit a steep lip or a section coming towards you from the windward side. Our photographer Peter Garzke certainly knows how to do it.
The Backside Aerial
The ultimate upgrade for any upwind wave ride is the backside aerial. The good thing is that, in terms of technique, the aerial is hardly any different from a normal backside cutback. Whilst backside turns can be executed well even in fairly light winds, you need some power for the backside air.
You should always bear in mind the crucial point here: the backside air isn’t a jump, but the result of plenty of speed and the counter-pressure from the flattened sail.
Tip: The best way to practise the backside air is on its own, on flat water or in swell. By riding out against the wave, you’ll gain the height you need more easily and can work your way into it. Strictly speaking, the manoeuvre is nothing more than a shove-it on the wave face.
"The backside air is the result of high speed and the back pressure from the flattened sail."
Alternative: The Backside Snap
There are reasons to ride the backside cutback with the sail more upright, for example when the wind and board speed are so low that you can’t really brace yourself against the sail when it’s laid flat. But pros also choose this technique for manoeuvres that require an upright body position – such as the reverse, a sort of grubby on the wave face.
Manuel Vogel
Editor surf