What am I doing wrong while mid-air? (video link)

[Face_NickJr]

What am I doing wrong?

I've watched both of Anton Chernyshovs videos, Dimitri Maramenides jumping tutorials, the progression videos, and kitesurf colleges videos as well. The "jumping higher" video from kitesurf college goes into the most detail of the areas to target in the wind window while airborne, but none of the others really explain what do do as soon as you get into the air.

I know that you're supposed to re-direct, but I still can't seem to time it properly. I have about a 10% landing rate overall.

As soon as I leave the water, I have zero sense of height, and I find it difficult to tell when I begin to descend.

Specs: 9M Slingshot Rally, 23m lines, 17" bar, 17-21knots, 135cm board, 155lbs gear wet. I have the same issue with a 12m Rally, but it is not as pronounced with a 17m Turbine.

[Face_NickJr]

Looks like you are landing not with the board pointing downwind?

Have a look here and see if it helps:

https://strictlyhooked.com/viewtopic.php?t=2463

[BillyGoatGruff]

You're not redirecting the kite. When you feel like you're near the apex of the jump pull on the front hand to redirect the kite, in the direction of travel. The video shows you swinging under the kite currently.

[StellaBlu]

The problem is not what you are doing in the air. Its getting into the air that is your problem. Your kite is pulling you over the water and you are swinging under it, versus popping up.
- you are popping too early in relation to where your kite is
- you are sending the kite from too deep a position in the window
- you aren't sending the kite anywhere near hard enough
- 17-21kts on a 9m you might also be slightly underpowered, but thats only a minor issue

Get your speed up and get your kite to 1:30. Send it HARD from there (slightly past 12) and wait until after you have sent the kite to pop.

If you send correctly, your energy will be projected upwards, you will be more stable in the air and you will also have more hangtime to figure out the timing of when to redirect. In my opinion, redirecting isn't the issue for you yet.

Take this advice with a grain of salt and keep practicing!

[knotwindy]

^ this
Also, with the height you are getting you don’t need to worry about when to re-direct. Pull with the back hand, sheet in, blink, pull with the front hand.

[Hugh2]

Agreed that you are not redirecting, but you also don't want to overdo it. A friend tried too hard and ended up diving the kite into the water, repeatedly. Somewhere inbetween is what you are aiming for. I can't recall the video, but one of those jumping tutorials on YouTube nicely shows where the sweet spot is for landing with support, and it is with the kite between 11 and 10 O-clock, with the kite moving from 11 to 10. Once you land the kite might continue down further, but by then you can set your edge again and head back upwind to rescue the kite. And as Toby says you need to be landing with the board pointing much more downwind, not necessarily completely downwind but close. Once you get much higher and have speed downwind as you land you need to be pointing the board directly downwind to avoid catching an edge. Finally, you don't seem to setting a good edge before jumping, hence your lines are not tensioned enough to give you an explosive lift off the water. At your weight and that kite in that wind you should be able to harness a lot more energy into your jumps.

[malotricks]

With the height you are reaching right now (small), you should land smoothly.
Be sure that during your jump and when landing, you keep your bar sheeted in fully. This will stabilize you.

When landing redirect your kite from 12 to 1 while pointing downwind.

About the jump, you should send your kite faster to the zenith. However before you should improve your edging.

About edging, your body should remain straight to strengthen the front lines. Currently, you seem sometimes to follow the kite with your back instead of opposing with your while body straight and going upwind. Do not bend your knees while edging, you will absorb the edge of the board instead of providing a strong edge. The front leg provides the direction and you push more on the back leg to redirect the board upwind.

Currently, you are not going upwind when edging for the jump. You are leaving water crosswind. Use you eyes while edging to look upwind.

[Aberdovy kiter]

Like Toby said your not landing with board downwind. As you come into land, try focusing on twisting your hips to bring the board into a downwind position, also when in the air tense your core and bring up your knees, at times your almost inverting. Mate of mine does exactly the same thing..

[Kapowski]

Have you tried not lifting your legs to get an extra ?half a metre on your Woo, keeping them down and actually spotting the landing until you’ve got them dialled? Apologies but how do you expect to land right if half your flightime is spent looking at the sky whilst trying to lift your legs up? If you don’t have a Woo I’m sorry but it just looks like your trying to squeeze an extra out of it to the detriment of your landings

[pmaggie]

I add this to all the good suggestions already posted: in the video, it seems you're looking at the sail while you're in the air. Look forward.