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Original source: TWS Tenerife Windsurf Solution
This video from TWS Tenerife Windsurf Solution covered a lot of ground. Streamed.News selected 4 key moments and summarises them here. Everything below links directly to the timestamp in the original video.
If Thomas can correct his boom grip and body position, his coaches believe he can raise his landing rate from roughly two in ten to eight in ten — a transformation built entirely on posture, not power.
Coaches Pinpoint Three Mechanical Errors Undermining Thomas's Back Loop Landings
Thomas's back loop failures trace to a single recurring flaw: his body position stays open and he hangs off the front of the boom instead of tucking into it at the top of the rotation. That open posture means that when wind reloads the sail on the way down, it drags him over the rig rather than allowing a controlled, nose-first landing. The fix requires gripping further back on the boom, actively pushing the rig forward while spotting the landing over the shoulder, and keeping the sail closed — letting the board's momentum open it naturally on touchdown.
The coaches' emphasis on sail closure challenges a common assumption in windsurfing: many riders believe opening the sail during a back loop landing cushions the impact, but the panel argues the opposite is true. Keeping it closed preserves control of the power surge that hits on re-entry.
"People think you have to open the sail on the back loop for landing, but it's the opposite — you have to keep it closed, and when the board touches down, it's going to open by itself."
Wave Selection and Board Placement Are the Twin Keys to Thomas's Stalled Wave 360
Thomas has landed a wave 360 only once, and footage review reveals why the trick eludes him: he repeatedly attempts it on the wrong section of the wave, hitting a clean face rather than positioning the board flat into breaking whitewater, which is the actual power source needed to generate backward projection. When the board rides on its rail instead of lying flat, the surface contact is too small to pop him back into the wave. The corrective sequence the coaches prescribe is a simultaneous push with the front hand, pull with the back hand, and tuck of the back leg to bring the tail directly underneath the body and complete the rotation.
The lesson extends beyond a single trick: wave reading is as technical as body mechanics in wave sailing, and attempting advanced moves on unfavorable sections costs riders progress regardless of how refined their movement patterns become.
"You don't want to be scared of over-rotating a 360 — it's almost better, because then you're going to do the push, pull, and tuck movement that brings the board underneath you."
Kuba's Back Loops Gain Height but Lose Control Through a Faulty Arc
Kuba is sending his back loops high and keeping himself upright, but his mechanics follow a straight-drop path rather than the curved arc that defines a clean rotation. By hanging off the front of the boom instead of falling back with the rig extended in front of him, he generates pressure he then has to fight through the landing rather than ride out smoothly. Two specific corrections stand out: extending the front leg forcefully at the top of the jump to initiate the arc, and looking over the shoulder toward the intended landing spot to redirect the body's rotational path.
The coaches note that in strong, gusty conditions — which the footage clearly shows — Kuba is actually handling the consequences of his flawed technique impressively well, suggesting that cleaner mechanics could unlock consistent, controlled landings rather than controlled escapes.
"When you get to the top, you tuck yourself into the boom, you attack yourself, look over the shoulder, spot the landing, and as you start rotating you bring the gear in front of you and keep the sail closed."
Mario's Wave Turns Show Polished Flow but Lack the Commitment Needed to Maximize Power
Mario's wave riding draws genuine praise from the coaching panel, but two correctable habits limit his top-turn potential. His back hand sits too far aft on the boom, preventing him from pulling the sail cleanly across his body at the critical moment when the sail is open — a sliding adjustment that would convert adequate turns into sharp, whipping finishes. On a second wave, he stands too upright through the bottom turn, sacrificing the rail drive and chest commitment needed to reach a better section of the lip and extend the maneuver.
The coaches' recurring theme is commitment: Mario exits turns early by looking away from his intended direction, which causes him to open the sail prematurely and cut the arc short. Keeping his gaze forward and pressing through the front foot would let the rest of his body and equipment follow.
"He should have just prepared the bottom turn a little more, committed with the chest facing into the wave, pushed the sail forward — then he had time to smack that section and keep going."
Summarised from TWS Tenerife Windsurf Solution · 26:12. All credit belongs to the original creators. TWS summarises publicly available video content.
