The art of wiping out.

Whatever watery activity you indulge in there’s no question that at some point you’re going to stack it. Falling in’s par for the course and should be embraced. As the old saying goes, ‘if you’re not falling you’re not trying’.

Wiping out can happen for a variety of reasons. Lack of concentration on the rider’s part. Unexpected performance from the gear you’re riding, interference from others or foreign objects or just plain bad luck. In all cases how you handle the bail will determine what you glean from the session for follow on rides. Learning through failure is a natural cycle after all.

There’s certainly a safety element to consider, however. Watersports (in fact, all activities) carry some inherent risk. That’s one of the appeals to these sports. But sometimes the wipeout you take can lead to far more serious situations. So our advice is to take as many precautions as you can to minimise the risk.

Wiping out stylishly is an art. All the pros do this, often getting straight back up, brushing themselves off and carrying on. You may need a breather after stacking it hard but within no time at all it’ll be back to riding, laughing at the comedy of what just happened.

Of course, some watersports have much more sedate wipeouts. Speed (and potential height if you’re jumping) dictate how quickly you’ll end up wet. Stand up paddle boarding on flat water, for instance, will see much slower and lower falls. Whilst windsurfing/kitesurfing/foiling are quicker and feature much more rapid forward momentum ending with higher speed stacks.

Ultimately wiping out is a good thing and will accelerate your learning curved. Embrace it and fall with style.

For more articles like this hit up the NCW blog here.