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Airstyle · Intermediate

Backroll

Also called: back roll · back loop · sent backroll

See it in the Trick Tree

The backroll is a backward rotation around your own axis while the kite sends you up — widely taught as the first real rotation because the movement starts naturally from an aggressive edge.

Prerequisites

Basic jump

Unlocks

Backroll transitionBackroll with grabLate backrollBackroll hand-drag

Schools teach this differently

Schools split on the entry: some teach the sent (kite toward 12) version first, others the popped version off pure edge tension. Both paths appear in the sources; this guide describes the sent entry.

Ideal conditions

Comfortable powered riding with room downwind; flat water makes the first attempts easier to time.

How to do it

  1. 1Set up

    • Ride at a comfortable speed with solid line tension and edge firmly — control beats speed here; extra pace only shortens your thinking time.
    • Send the kite toward 12 o'clock while carving the board away from it, loading the lines — the 'Nike tick' shape riders describe.

  2. 2Pop and rotate

    • Pop off the loaded edge and immediately look over your back shoulder — your body follows your head, and that look is what starts the rotation.
    • Keep the bar close and your hands near the center so the kite stays parked instead of drifting past 12.

  3. 3Spot and land

    • Keep looking over the shoulder until you spot the water where you want to land — spotting early is what stops over-rotation.
    • Pull the front hand to bring the kite back down and forward, point the board nose toward the kite, and land flat and centered over both feet with bent knees.

Common mistakes and fixes

Mistake

Starting the roll before you've left the water

Fix

Pop hard first, then rotate — edge release comes before the roll, never with it.

Mistake

Too much speed and power on the first tries

Fix

Slow down — the rotation needs commitment, not pace, and control buys you time to think.

Mistake

The kite drifts past 12 during the rotation

Fix

Keep both hands close to the center of the bar and ease back-hand pressure — back-hand grip is what drags the kite past 12.

Mistake

Forgetting where you're going to land

Fix

Pick the landing spot with your eyes mid-rotation — the body follows the head down.

Bailing out safely

  • Backroll falls are forgiving: if the rotation dies, throw your legs up and take the fall on your back instead of fighting for the landing.

Questions riders ask

Is the backroll the easiest kitesurfing rotation?

Multiple schools teach it as the first rotation: the prerequisites are only a solid jump or pop, and the falls tend to land you on your back.

What should I learn before the backroll?

A controlled basic jump (or clean load & pop for the unhooked version); riders also report transitions and toeside comfort making the learning curve gentler.

Sources

Every step on this page traces to the sources below. Where they disagree or stay silent, the page says so instead of guessing.