Why does a wipeout happen?
A wipeout usually happens in such a way that you can't prepare for it. This can have various reasons but always ends with the same result, a wipeout. Most of the time, however, it happens because you lose your balance. Either you lean too far into a turn or the pull of the rope is suddenly stronger than expected and the balance is gone. It is rather rare to lose balance by hooking the surfboard or its fins. Stones or trees under the water surface are usually the triggers for such an abrupt stop. We now tell you how you can prevent this.
How do I prevent a wipeout?
Preventing a wipeout is not that difficult. The only thing you have to keep in mind is that you have to bring your center of gravity as close to the surfboard and thus to the water surface. This means as much as, you lose the balance then as quickly as possible to the knees. If you are not yet confident on the board, then we recommend you always stay in the squat position, so you have a better balance. If you feel that you are falling backwards, push with your back foot with a lot of force into the surfboard to make it cross and immediately go to your knees. This will stop you immediately and allow you to regain your balance. If you fall forward, try to get to your knees immediately and take the hand that is not on the handle and support yourself on the surface of the water. The more you push against the water with your hand, the faster you will be able to get back up. If you fall backwards or forwards, you can try to bend your knees, but it will be difficult to prevent a fall. If you do fall, we'll give you some tips on what to watch out for.
This is what you have to do if you do have a fall!
The balance is gone and you fall into the water. But how do you fall into the water correctly? In any case, you should make sure that you do not dive head first into the water. Try to dive into the water either feet first or you can also try to turn around so that you fall on your side. In either case, signal to your colleagues if everything is okay or if you need help. If you are not wearing a helmet, you can also use an arm or hand to protect your head. The best and always advantageous way is to swim down the river to see if there are any rocks or other obstacles. Most of the time you will see such obstacles on small waves that form on the surface of the water. Pay special attention to such places and either try to clarify what kind of obstacle is there or avoid this place while surfing.
What else do I need to pay attention to?
Holding the rope and pushing it under water before releasing it is very important. This way the bungee cord relaxes slowly and it doesn't spike back above the water surface. With the SeporFlow system, you can decide if you want to keep holding on or not. If you can hold on to the surfboard to keep surfing, then go ahead and hold on. If not, just let go and swim after the board.
But no matter what situation you are in, just try to stay calm and if you need help, don't hesitate and signal your friends that you need help.
If you're in the mood for some Riversurf wipeouts, visit our Instagram here and enjoy our wipeouts. We hope we could give you some good tips so that your next visit to the river will be a bit safer. Have fun.
