Wakeboarder Lingo 101

If you walk up to a wakeboarder and ask them questions about their craft, they’ll begin talking in code about their stunts. You’ll hear phases like, “I landed a 7-20,” “I pulled off a whirly bird," and "I did a roll to blind.” To the uninitiated, this may sound like a new language, but it is actually English. With a few pointers, these statements will make sense. Pro wakeboarders Alex Brown and Justin Savich of Orlando, Florida helped me crack the code.
For starters, wakeboarders often think of turns in the amount of degrees they rotate. For instance, a “7-20” actually means a wakeboarder has rotated 720 degrees (two complete circles) in mid-air while traveling at approximately 20 miles per hour behind a boat.
Next, you may hear about tricks like the “Toe 540.” When a wakeboarder is preparing to do a stunt they will go into it either toe-side or heel side. Just like a snowboarder, their feet are strapped to a board and they move forward sideways. So, if they lean forward and put pressure on their toes, it’s called a “toe-side” trick. If they lean backwards and put pressure on their heels, it’s called a heel-side” trick.
If a wakeboarder “rolls to blind” they have pulled off a back roll (read how to) and launched themselves toward their blind side.
A toe-side Whirleybird is a back roll with a 360 degree turn while holding the handle over the performer’s head. If you want to learn more here's a site that should supply you with a more comprehensive list. These kinds of trick need to be seen to be believed. You can see them for free on Saturday (8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.) and Sunday (9 a.m. to 4 p.m.) at the Master Craft Pro Wakeboard tour. Don’t forget to bring sunscreen, a beverage and possibly your swimsuit. It’s hot out there.
Next, I’ll be blogging about wakeskating and the stories of some of the pros.