The Whirlybird is one of the "prettier" tricks in the sport of wakeboarding if done right,
due to it's smooth looking spin combined with a flip. It's simply a Tantrum with a Backside 360
while keeping the rope above your head instead of doing a handle pass.
Prerequisties
Before trying the Whirlybird you should be able to do the following things:
1. Be very comfortable with Tantrums, be able to
get a good pop without having to cut super hard.
2. Be able to do a Backside 360
Approach the wake just as you would for your normal tantrum. Come in with a good strong edge, and get ready
to back off and stand tall off the top of the wake.
As you stand tall off the top of the wake, turn your body a little more then you do on a tantrum, so that your
back starts to head towards the boat a little bit (notice the position of the rider in the picture). This
helps you have a bit of rope slack.
Keep your arm bent and the handle in tight, and initiate the rotation by throwing your arm, shoulder, and
head away from the boat.
Keep your arm and elbow up longer then you think you should, if you bring your arm down early, you'll only
rotate 180 degrees. As your legs catch up to your upper body, start to spot your landing.
Bring your arm down to the middle of your body to stop your rotation to land. The landing is similar to a tantrum
landing, so getting the rotation down is the hard part of this trick.
Style additions
1. Learn it switch
2. Once you've got it down, take it super big by taking a big hard cut at it.
Moving On
The Whirlybird helps you do the following tricks:
1. Switch Whirlybird
2. Whirybird 540
3. Whirlybird 720
If you have specific questions about this trick or would like to discuss it further, talk about it in the Trick Talk Forum.
