There was some pretty amazing moves pulled off in what looks like barely 15 knots. The step up from last year is huge and the top guys are now doing the same freestyle moves whether on Fin or Foil.
It's funny that the most impressive thing for most people is an old school move like a smooth duck tack. That's the problem with watching modern freestyle competitions is that the scoring nature takes out any flow between the moves......so its always get up to speed pull a big move (or crash), then do the same again on the other tack. That said, definitely worth watching the highlight reel once its online.
That would be a major highlight in my foiling journey these guys are already so good at switch stance and sail ducks that it's probably not a big deal for them.
I like the way Balz does it. He doesn't go to switchstance and he ducks much later than how it's classically done on a fin. So smooth! Maybe in my next life when I start foiling as a kid 
Balz is doing the old school duck tack, and quite beautifully. He's done the new school (switch stance) duck tack plenty of times in other videos, usually as the entry for a rotation power move. I think that on the foil, the old school duck tuck might be a bit harder, since you have to switch your feet while moving the sail, and you're doing it dead downwind, when the apparent wind is a bit stronger, and you have to slice the sail quite accurately. The switch version separates the feet and sail movement, and there's more room for variation in throwing the sail and getting away with it. I can do them on a big windsurf board with a fin in light wind, but could never convince myself to try them on a foil. Similar true wind but twice as much apparent wind, and no room for semi-random foot placements on the foil...
Select to expand quotethedoor said..
I screen capped this off the live stream video. Not trying to take credit for it. Just want to promote awesomeness
I am dreaming of this one! I started on the longboard. Now I can make them low riding on my foil board. Gotta grow a set and try it foiling!
Yeah separating foot switch and sail duck are key for me. Guess I am wondering if you could do oldschool ducktack (I cant do neither) and just ride away switch (something I can do)
I feel like I need to take big board out in heavy air and practice ducking, seems like most freestylers went through that phase
I don't think Balz's technique in this video is old school at all. Here is a real "old school" duck tack by Robby Naish from around 1984 at 3.12mins.
Robby changes to switchstance just before he ducks under the sail, then sails backwinded and only then carves upwind to complete the tack. The main difference to Gerdes and most other people's duck tacks is that Robby lets go of the boom completely and literally ducks under the foot of the sail whereas Gerdes throws the sail to windward, mast directly in to the apparent wind and then ducks around the clew, always (nearly) keeping a hand on the boom, more like in a duck gybe. But otherwise Gerdes' and Robby's duck tacks are similar.
Balz on the other hand stays with his foot in the front strap, carves hard upwind and only releases the boom and ducks as he is pointing dead upwind. He comes out of the duck on the new tack and hence there is no sailing backwinded. I have never seen anyone do this on a fin riding a wave or freestyle board.
Select to expand quoteholgs said..
I don't think Balz's technique in this video is old school at all. Here is a real "old school" duck tack by Robby Naish from around 1984 at 3.12mins.
Robby changes to switchstance just before he ducks under the sail, then sails backwinded and only then carves upwind to complete the tack. The main difference to Gerdes and most other people's duck tacks is that Robby lets go of the boom completely and literally ducks under the foot of the sail whereas Gerdes throws the sail to windward, mast directly in to the apparent wind and then ducks around the clew, always (nearly) keeping a hand on the boom, more like in a duck gybe. But otherwise Gerdes' and Robby's duck tacks are similar.
Balz on the other hand stays with his foot in the front strap, carves hard upwind and only releases the boom and ducks as he is pointing dead upwind. He comes out of the duck on the new tack and hence there is no sailing backwinded. I have never seen anyone do this on a fin riding a wave or freestyle board.
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Epic video. That was one mighty duck 
