Freestyle kayaking is not definitely for the faint-hearted. It does have some elements of dangers and therefore, it is not suitable for the beginners. Designed for the advanced paddlers, Freestyle kayaking involves things like performing crazy tricks and flips while paddling a kayak. It might looks insane but there is a science behind it. Just like any other adventure sports, Freestyle kayaking demands regular rigorous practice. You can do different moves in Freestyle kayaking but each of these moves has its own level of difficulty. To help you out, here we have listed some common freestyle kayaking moves –
WAVE – BASIC MOVES
These moves consist of flat 360 spin-based tricks as well as elevated (up to 90 degrees) 180-degree direction changes.
Spin: 360-degree rotation of the boat at a 0-45 degree angle retaining the feature.
Clean & Super Clean Spin: 360-degree rotation of the boat at a 0-45 degree angle retaining the feature, initiated with only one paddle stroke (clean) or no paddle stroke (superclean), the paddle not being used while executing the move.
Roundhouse: 180 degree rotation around the bow of the boat, elevated 0 to 45 degrees, on green water, clear ofthe foam pile.
Back Roundhouse: 180 degree rotation around the stern of the boat, elevated 0 to 45 degrees, on green water, clear of the foam pile.
Blunt/Air Blunt: 180 degree rotation around the bow of the boat, elevated more than 45 degrees, on green water, clear of the foam pile. The boat does not touch the water at one point of the execution for air blunt.
Backstab/Air Backstab: 180 degree rotation around the stern of the boat, elevated more than 45 degrees, on green water, clear of the foam pile. The boat does not touch the water at one point of the execution for air backstab.
WAVE – ADVANCED MOVES
These tricks all involve aerial maneuvers that involve either inversion of the kayak or initiation sans paddle.
Pan Am: A past vertical aerial blunt, boat must go inverted and rotate 180 degrees and finish upright landing in a back surf.
Back Pan Am: A past vertical aerial back blunt, boat must go inverted and rotate 180 degrees and finish upright landing in a front surf.
Flip Turn: An aerial short axis rotation (tilt) of over 90 degrees (like a table-top) performed with a 45 – 90 degree long axis rotation landing in a front surf.
Donkey Flip / Airscrew: Barrel roll performed above the surface, front surf to front surf. Boat and body must be aerial for 180 degrees of the 360-degree rotation for Donkey flip and for the 360-degree rotation for Air Screw.
Clean Blunt: 180 degrees rotation around the bow of the boat, elevated more than 45 degrees, on green water, clear of the foam pile. The paddle is not used to initiate the move.
Clean Back Blunt (Flashback): 180 degrees rotation around the stern of the boat, elevated more than 45 degrees, on green water, clear of the foam pile. The paddle is not used to initiate the move.
Helix/Felix: A 360 degree spin with at least 180 degrees of which must be performed inverted at 135 degrees or more, ending in an upright front surf. The boat does not touch the water at one point of the 180 degrees spin (Helix).
McNasty: Elevated 180-degree rotation starting in back surf, linked with a front loop.
HOLE – BASIC MOVES
These moves are ender- or cartwheel-based maneuvers in which the kayak completes up to a 360 degree rotation.
Spin: 360-degree rotation of the boat at a 0-45 degree angle retaining the feature.
Clean & Super Clean Spin: 360-degree rotation of the boat at a 0-45 degree angle retaining the feature, initiated with only one paddle stroke (clean) or no paddle stroke (superclean), the paddle not being used while executing the move.
Cartwheel: Two consecutive ends in the same rotational direction, and both ends at an angle greater than 70 degrees.
Clean & Superclean Cartwheel: Two consecutive ends in the same rotational direction, and both ends at an angle greater than 70 degrees, initiated with only one paddle stroke (clean) or no paddle stroke (superclean), the paddle not being used while executing the move.
Splitwheel: Two consecutive ends, with a change of direction in between each. One end of more than 45 degrees, and one with more than 70 degrees.
Front Loop/Aerial Front Loop: Two consecutive ends over 70 degrees from bow to stern where the boat remains facing the direction of the water flow, starting and finishing facing upstream. The boat does not touch the water at one point of the execution (air loop).
Back Loop/Aerial Back Loop: Two consecutive ends over 70 degrees from stern to bow where the boat remains facing the direction of the water flow, starting and finishing facing downstream. The boat does not touch the water at one point of the execution (air back loop).
Airwheel/ Space Godzilla: An aerial loop with a 90º rotation between ends. Both ends must be over 70º.
Back Airwheel: An aerial back loop with a 90º rotation between ends. Both ends must be over 70º.
Entry Move: Move done entering the hole from upstream.
HOLE – ADVANCED
These maneuvers involve more rotations of the boat along either axis, and may combine several elements of different basic moves into one fluid motion.
Orbit/Lunar Orbit: Stern pirouette elevated over 70 degrees, initiated from a front surf. Move may finish as a 360 pirouette ending in a front surf (orbit), a 270 pirouette ending in a bow cartwheel end, or a 180 pirouette ending in a back loop (lunar orbit).
McNasty: Elevated 180-degree rotation starting in back surf, linked with a front loop.
Phonix Monkey: A cross-bow 360 degree pirouette elevated at 30 degrees minimum and followed by a front loop. Onlyone paddle stroke must be used to achieve the move.
Tricky Whu: A three ended sequence performed using one paddle blade only. – two ends must be over 70 degrees and the other over 45 degrees. The first end is initiated on the bow one way. The second tail end is split back and rotated through 180 degrees. The third bow end is followed through in the same direction as the first.
COMBINATION MOVES
These are continuous maneuvers which combine multiple tricks.
