scarecrow

Scarecrows have been a problem for me. I can land toeside fronts, but when I go for the crow, I fail. I really like when people rotate the scarecrow a little laid out (like most people do). I don't like throwing a scrarecrow like a front roll with a quick 180 at the last minute.

That being said, I come into the wake toeside, really strong and edging hard. My pop is normaly big, and rotate it very slow and laid out like I want, but I always land more towards my butt. For some reason, i'm not getting the board underneath me at the last minute to complete this trick.

Am I not standing tall enough at the wake when I initiate this trick? I like the way some people hold the handle low all thru the trick, with both hands. However, when I do this, I get stuck with the board position almost horizontal to the back of the boat (which is NOT good). heheh

Maybe I should just let go with my back hand and land the damn thing finally. I just didn't want to give up trying to use both hands.

Ok i recently got crows dialed and for a while I had been trying them and doing them much as you said, landing on my heels and popping the handle, sometimes riding away and others just cartwheeling into oblivion haha.. I try to think about doing the technically "proper" crow where you pop like a ts front and about halfway through the rotation you pull the handle to your back hip with two hands..

I got 2 pieces of advice that lead directly to me landing my crows big and clean.. First one was to put as much weight as i could on my front foot.. It took a few goes but eventually I got it and it helped my ts front become bigger and cleaner too.. But by doing this I was landing wake to wake and not popping enough.. Second thing was to make sure you ride all the way up the wake and take it right off the top.. I tried riding a little faster and rode right to the top of the wake and thought about popping up and over a big bar and then just drop out of the flip..

As soon as I got that dialed I landed 3 big, clean crows well into the flats clean as, two hands on handle riding away.. Have since got them dialed in less-than-ideal conditions..

So jus to recap most important things I found and all I really think about cutting in is::
>Cut in front foot heavy loading it up with as much weight as you can
>Ride right up the wake and take the trick straight up off the top of the wake

Good luck with it mate, let us know how you go

I'll be working on this today.

Cameron, that was it dude. I stood as tall as I could and put a LOT of weight on my front foot when I hit the wake and it threw me into a nice smooth crow, landing like I should. I didn't ride away, but I now realize what I was doing wrong.

Thanks!

yeah,those are some good pointers, I am right w. you Keith. My problem is closing my damn eyes and not absorbing the landing properly. Hope you land yours soon Keith.

Landed the Crow today, Yes!!!!!! all about the weight on the front foot.

booty. I need to try this trick more often, I really want the TS front though too...which should I focus on first?

I would focus on the TS front first because (my opinion) it provides you the basics to step into a scarecrow later on. Plus, the TS front is not that hard of a trick (trip flip type invert).

By knowing both of these and having the understanding of knowing what to do with the rope/handle with either the crow or TS front will help you understand how to throw elephants as well.

i landed my first frontrolls, and elephnats screwing up my crows, but i have both of them under control, but i just huck it, i really couldnt tell you what to do...

I have been doing toeside fronts for 2 years now, they were a stepping stone trick to get to the Scarecrow. They were easier for me because I didn't have to land switch. All about getting that pop off the wake.

Well, maybe I'm not standing tall enough thru the wake still. Also, now that I started trying Scarecrows and got frustrated with them, my TS fronts look like Elephants now. Now I hang on to the handle too long for fronts. UGHHH

Scarecrow attempt from Sunday. I ended up landing it, but it was actually an elephant!! Now i'm pulling it back into a front (felt like an elephant). I'm just wondering if I should just start letting go with one hand and it will automatically pull me around to crow and forget about hanging on with two hands for the crow.

I know elephants have more point style, but I would rather get the crow down than step into an elephant of some sort.





(Message edited by hawaiianstiln on April 30, 2007)

(Message edited by hawaiianstiln on April 30, 2007)

Keith, it might have to do with the position of the handle. To me, it looks high and at the wrong hip on landing. I've noticed that I slide out on my arse when I get lazy and let the handle out. Give it a try pulling harder to your left hip when coming around. Just my two cents....

actually that may be a great tip. I never focus on the handle when attempting a crow. It does look like the handle is high and at the wrong hip. I'll give it a good yank next time. Thanks!

I approach the Scarecrow entirely different than the TS Frontroll.

Standing tall, come in with most of your weight on your front foot and stay that way. As you hit the wake it should feel like hitting a curb. The flip happens naturally so just keep the handle tight against your belly. That's it.

Weight on front foot. Handle tight to belly.

Just drop your front hand from the handle at half way, that should get you around

Does anyone have any tips on how to keep the handle in tight to your body? I always let the handle out which causes me to spin out the back versus over the top. The result is that I usually end up sliding out on my butt as I come around. I think if I can keep the handle in tight to my body it will allow me to land in a more upright position.
Any tips would be appreciated.

As you come in, pin the handle to your front hip and stomach. Try to keep it touching your belly as you hit the wake. Really focus on forcing that bugger to stay against your belly (with both hands) as you get inverted. Think Austin Powers...get in my belly.

Both thumbs should be touching your belly (or at least try).

Good luck!!

Thanks for the input Steve. I was riding at the delta a week or two ago with Mark and Scott and they seem to think that if I can keep the handle in tight to my body I will land the trick in no time. I guess I just need to focus on that part of the trick and then see what happens.

If you are riding with Scott (Andrea & Scott) and Mark, you don't need my input. They rip. Do what they say.

Mark only rips because he rode with you all last year before you moved. Before that he was only a heelside hero.

He called me last night and told me he nailed the TS backroll to revert on Monday so I need to nail the scarecrow to keep up.

well, I tried and am comming pretty close, I am rotating pretty early, that just feels more natural to me. I have landed it, and think I will be able to dial it this way. But check out the vid, any info would be appreciated.

http://www.blackwaterrydas.com/SC.mov

You're there! But like Steve said, really try to keep that handle in and low. By doing this, you'll stop going out the back and landing on your arse.

nice, looks good!

lyle, bend your knees a bit more when you land. the crow looks great through