The Correct Way
A scarecrow (which is a toeside front roll to revert) is one of the easier inverted tricks. It doesn’t require great gymnastic skill or the special intuitiveness of a Shaun Murray. You just need to edge right, and it kind of happens.
First, edge from far outside to build speed, and then cut hard. As you approach the wake, start to flatten off and stand tall. Ride up through the top of the wake keeping your head up and handle centered. When you get to the top of the wake, give a little extra push with your toes and duck your inside shoulder while looking at the transom of the boat. Keep your elbows in, head up and eyes open as you rotate around the handle. Spot the landing, and keep edging away from the boat as you land.
Problem #1
Edging through the wake.
This is one trick (tantrums are the other) where you do not want to edge through the wake. You want to flatten off so the board stops, bounces off the water and kicks you over. Ideally, when the board stops – you go over the top. If you edge through the wake, the board maintains momentum causing you to line drive the move, causing the board to uncomfortably fly behind you instead of over your head. You need the board to go up and over.
Problem #2
Throwing your arms out.
You do not need to “throw” this move. If you do this move right, it should be especially easy. When you let off your edge, the trick happens. Throwing it causes you to do more of a s-bend. Keep thinking: “elbows in,” and “hands below head.” If you let the rope out, you lose your axis for rotation and the move gets all laid out and hairy.
Problems #3
Throwing your head down.
People think in order to rotate this move you must throw your head down. You don’t. Go up first with your head up, eyes at the boat. This will cause you to rotate over the top and around the rope. Throwing your head down causes you to lose your vision, and then you have to look for the water again. It also sends your rope out of axis.
