Batwing
- Skill:
- do a batwing
- Prerequisites:
- Nollie Starts, Raley
A batwing is a raley done off the kicker with an Indy grab - you pop toeside, let the board drift out behind you into a fully extended raley position, grab Indy at the peak, then pull the handle back to your hip to swing the board underneath you and ride away on your toes.
You want a clean toeside jump off the kicker dialed in before trying this, and a raley helps enormously - the second half of a batwing is exactly a raley recovery. A nollie start off the dock builds the same commitment, and you'll obviously need a comfortable Indy grab.
Set up on the opposite side of the cable from the kicker you're approaching, and roll into a progressive edge that builds to a medium one. A gentle edge works but you won't get much pop; a really hard edge gives you a lot of tension to fight. Medium is the sweet spot. Edge all the way to the kicker and only flatten off right before it - that's also where you drop your rear hand.
Ride up the kicker squatted, then stand taller and taller so you're pushing hard off the very top for maximum pop. As you pop, let the board drift out behind you and reach down with your rear hand for Indy, keeping line tension on the front hand. At the peak, with the board fully extended behind you, push down on the handle while pulling it toward your front hip - that's what swings the board back underneath you. Let go of the grab, spot the landing, bend your knees on impact, and ride away on your toes.
Watch more here:
Video by Aarhus Watersports Complex (AWC)
Key tips
- Squat going up, stand tall at the top - the push off the lip is your pop
- Commit and let the board drift all the way out on the first try. Halfway out is much harder than fully out
- Maintain line tension with the front hand the whole time
- To recover: push down on the handle and pull it toward your front hip, same as a raley