A pop-to-blind is a very slick little trick that can be dropped in anywhere to add a new dimension to your straight line riding fun or later be incorporated to help you learn how to land your tricks to blind. You should enter this trick with a reasonable amount of speed and be heading slightly downwind - this will help increase the length of your ride. Keep your kite at around 10-11 o'clock or 1-2 o'clock before popping your board. Any lower than this your kite will be more prone to crashing into the water if something goes wrong, any higher and you'll have less control over your jump. Keeping your kite steady in this position will help your entry and exit of this trick.

• Make sure there is plenty of water downwind of you and take your back hand off the control bar, replacing it with your front hand. Always position your hand close to the centre of the bar to restrict your kite's movement as you will be steering the kite with one hand.

• From your downwind riding angle, edge upwind hard to generate your pop. A good way to help you to do this is by applying slightly more pressure to your back leg. Release your board pressure, pop your board up and throw your board and body around 180 degrees so that you and your board are facing the opposite direction. • It's important NOT to try to start the rotation with your pop. As with all moves on water you need to pop the board up out of the water before you start to turn it.

• Release your board pressure, pop your board up and throw your board and body around 180 degrees so that you and your board are facing the opposite direction. It's actually easier to land and be stable if you can rotate over 180 degrees so that you're heading downwind. • To help you do this try and lock the control bar to your hip and throw your other arm around to help rotate your upper body. Keep that arm extended as it will help you balance!

• At this point don't look down at your board - look up at the horizon to improve your balance. • Apply slightly more pressure to your back leg to stop the nose of the board sinking into the water. Whilst travelling in this slightly downwind direction slowly start to edge your board more across the wind and towards an upwind direction. Applying pressure on your back leg will help you do this while keeping your front leg straighter. If you feel yourself falling backwards, then push down on the control bar to balance yourself.

• Apply slightly more pressure to your back leg to stop the nose of the board sinking into the water. Whilst travelling in this slightly downwind direction slowly start to edge your board more across the wind and towards an upwind direction. Applying pressure on your back leg will help you do this while keeping your front leg straighter.

• Apply slightly more pressure to your back leg to stop the nose of the board sinking into the water. Whilst travelling in this slightly downwind direction slowly start to edge your board more across the wind and towards an upwind direction. Applying pressure on your back leg will help you do this while keeping your front leg straighter.

• To exit the trick pull the kite up slightly higher in the wind window so that you can rely on the kite's position to help you balance during the 180 switch back. • Basically, all you need to do then is turn your head back to the front. This will turn your shoulders and in turn, your hips, and then the board will easily slip around. • Also think about putting more pressure on your front leg than your back leg to help swivel the front of your board around, release the control bar from your hip and throw your upper body back around into your original riding position.

• To exit the trick pull the kite up slightly higher in the wind window so that you can rely on the kite's position to help you balance during the 180 switch back. • Basically, all you need to do then is turn your head back to the front. This will turn your shoulders and in turn, your hips, and then the board will easily slip around. • Also think about putting more pressure on your front leg than your back leg to help swivel the front of your board around, release the control bar from your hip and throw your upper body back around into your original riding position.

• To exit the trick pull the kite up slightly higher in the wind window so that you can rely on the kite's position to help you balance during the 180 switch back. • Basically, all you need to do then is turn your head back to the front. This will turn your shoulders and in turn, your hips, and then the board will easily slip around. • Also think about putting more pressure on your front leg than your back leg to help swivel the front of your board around, release the control bar from your hip and throw your upper body back around into your original riding position.

• To exit the trick pull the kite up slightly higher in the wind window so that you can rely on the kite's position to help you balance during the 180 switch back. • Basically, all you need to do then is turn your head back to the front. This will turn your shoulders and in turn, your hips, and then the board will easily slip around. • Also think about putting more pressure on your front leg than your back leg to help swivel the front of your board around, release the control bar from your hip and throw your upper body back around into your original riding position.

• To exit the trick pull the kite up slightly higher in the wind window so that you can rely on the kite's position to help you balance during the 180 switch back. • Basically, all you need to do then is turn your head back to the front. This will turn your shoulders and in turn, your hips, and then the board will easily slip around. • Also think about putting more pressure on your front leg than your back leg to help swivel the front of your board around, release the control bar from your hip and throw your upper body back around into your original riding position.

• To exit the trick pull the kite up slightly higher in the wind window so that you can rely on the kite's position to help you balance during the 180 switch back. • Basically, all you need to do then is turn your head back to the front. This will turn your shoulders and in turn, your hips, and then the board will easily slip around. • Also think about putting more pressure on your front leg than your back leg to help swivel the front of your board around, release the control bar from your hip and throw your upper body back around into your original riding position.

• Place both hands on control bar and ride away!

PROBLEMS: • If you're falling on your back all the time when you land in blind, remember to keep more weight on your toes to avoid catching the heel-side rail. • The reason you're falling in a lot could also be because you're not rotating the board far enough. Try to think about turning beyond 180 degrees so that you land pointing downwind towards the kite.