Snaps or cutbacks, when to perform them
When surfing down the line, surfers are faced with different sections where various manoeuvres can be performed.
Sally Fitzgibbon choosing to perform a forehand snap
A choice must be made as to what is the best manoeuvre to perform for the section faced, as often, there a number of manoeuvres that could be performed, but which is the best one to display power, maintain speed, and to be consistently successful.
A case in point is when surfers are choosing between the performance of snaps or cutbacks. Many surfers haven’t learnt to recognise the signs or cues that indicate which is the most appropriate manoeuvre to perform. They often perform snaps in cutback sections resulting in a significant loss of speed and flow, or more rarely, perform cutbacks in snap sections which cause the surfer to get held up in the foam, also resulting in a loss of speed, but also a significant loss of control.
The cues I am talking about are the shape of the wave, and the position of the surfer in relation to the foam. If a surfer comes around a section and they are faced with a tapered wall that is steep with no lip to hit, it is usually the time when a snap could be performed. So setting up off the bottom is a major cue when deciding between the two manoeuvres, along with the “look” of the wall. Ask yourself - Is it steep, and is it tapered? Answering yes to both questions indicates that a snap should be performed.
Fanning setting up his snap by performing a quality bottom turn
If on the other hand, a surfer enters a flat section, where the wave is backing-off, then they should consider performing a cutback, as a cutback will maintain the surfer’s speed [ because of the longer, drawn-out arc ], and return the surfer back to the power source of the wave. So a flat entry into the section, rather than performing a bottom turn, is a major cue to performing a cutback. A good saying to help surfers decide when it is appropriate to perform their cutback is - “If fat, Cutback” Meaning if the wave goes flat/fat perform a cutback.
Obviously, the decisions we make on the waves we ride are instantaneous, directed by what we face when surfing down the line. “Reading” the cues correctly will significantly help with choosing the right manoeuvre to perform, and with that, more enjoyable surfing performances on a daily basis.
Thinking while surfing seems to be too hard for most of us,cue words really do work !! (one or two words at the most seems to be enough for me).Good one Martin,choosing the correct manouver in the right place seems to be a major issue especially with so many new moves being seen.Look forward to more on this subject.
Thanks for the great explanation. So would it be correct to say, if “steep and tapered” (it has a lipping shoulder), you will need to quickly initiate a quality bottom turn with speed to get into the right position for a snap?
I definitely suffer from not having the correct trigger phrase in my head to make the correct call… for instance, given a certain section and placement, should I:
1. generate speed (arm lift) to then commit a floater or quality bottom turn; or,
2. initiate a cutback
3. attempt a quality bottom turn to snap/reo. by the way, I’m struggling to see the difference between a snap/reo, their purpose and correct wave condition for each manoeuvre.
Normally I realise I’ve made the wrong call about 3 seconds too late. This happens especially when I’m trying to focus on a single skill (cutbacks) when the conditions really don’t allow for it (sucky wave faces).
Thanks,
Ian