A downloop s bend is an unhooked forward kiteloop where the kite pulls you at its lower point in the loop. Using the power of the kite you pop into a front loop the pull of the kite whips you in to the horizontal rotation
To be able to downloop sbend you need to be able to unhook railey, unhook front roll and downloop railey.
How to:-
- Ride along at a comfortable speed. You will need to be powered up but not over powered.
These following 6 steps are as per downloop railey
- Still hooked in bring your kite up to 11 o clock / 1 o clock and unhook.
- Important: Bring your kite unhooked up to 12 o clock. Ensure the kite doesn’t fall backwards. You want it to be at 12 o clock above your head and not at 12 o clock, but stalled in the wind window.
- Bring your backhand under your front hand and under grasp the bar in front of your front hand. This means both hands will be on the same side of the bar and as such you are initiating the down loop.
- Keep your arms bent and brace yourself for the kite to downloop
- The main pull of the kite is at its second quarter of the loop as it coming down to its lowest point. This means it pops you forwards, but not upwards.
- Sit you ass hard back into the water so that you can edge your board hard against it.
Here is where the steps differ from downloop railey
- You have to preempt the pull of the kite so you can release your edge and pop into the front roll a fraction before the kite is going to pull you forwards over your edge.
- As you release your edge push up through your knees and feet to help you gain height and throw yourself over your front shoulder.
- Keep your head tucked in close to your back shoulder and following your back shoulder round.
- The kite will whip you round your rotation.
- Here you have to be fast thinking and untuck your head from your body for the last quarter of the rotation to spot your landing and help you stop over rotating.
- You will be travelling with speed. Prepare to land with the board pointing directly downwind.
- Allow your kite to complete the downloop before swapping your backhand back to the correct side of the bar.
Tips:
- Put your leash on its 5th line or safety system for your first attempts as opposed to suicide. This way if you let go you won’t slam your kite hard and don’t risk breaking your kit or yourself.
- Ensure that you have at least 3 kite line lengths worth of free space downwind of you.
- You need more power to do a downloop s bend then a downloop railey.
- When you think you are ready to pop wait a fraction longer then pop
- Remember to pop ‘up’ and into the front roll
- At the end of the rotation allow your backhand to swing out to slow your rotation ready for the landing.
- After completing the move you will be going faster then in a downloop railey. It will be easier to let the kite go into a second loop before recovering it. This will give you more time to think and regain control with finesse, but ensure you are heading downwind with the kite as it goes into its second loop.
