EPISODE 14 : How to do a Frontside Indy Straight Air with Eithan Osborne

Ventura’s Eithan Osborne is raw, explosive, and is following in the foot steps of Dane Reynolds in paving the way for what is possible in aerial surfing. Eithan surfs with commitment and aggression and is no stranger to launching himself off of heavy sections in the ocean, and going big in wave pools. Eithan was the winner of the Biggest Air in the 2018 Stab Big Air event at BSR Wave Pool in Waco Texas, boosting 14.3 inches higher than any other surfer.

In this tutorial, Eithan lofts one of the highest Indy Straight Air’s we have ever seen, and breaks down his approach from set up to launch. His tips include set up, eyeing up the section, launching and keeping the weight on the back foot, grabbing the rail late, to landing and riding out in front of the explosion.

Step By Step Coaching Tips

Step One:
The Set Up

Eye up where you want to hit it. Look for the ramp and steepest section of the wave.

Step Two:
The Bottom Turn

Draw a horizontal bottom turn and coil your legs, suck them up really tight.
The more compressed you are off the bottom turn the more explosion you will have into lip.

Step Three:
The Launch

Approach the lip with all of your weight on your back foot.
As you leave the lip look at the nose of your board.
Look up from the initial launch. Where you look is where you go.
If you look higher you go higher

Step Four:
The Grab and Peak High

Don’t grab too early or you will slow your momentum going up
The later you grab, the more that your body is upright which will pull you up higher.
Weight is still on the back foot while you are in the air. As soon as you feel yourself getting to the peak high, then the weight goes to the front foot.
This will help to level your board out.

Step Five:
The landing and riding out the explosion

As soon as you are at the peak high of the air and knee is sucked up, begin to look down.
Spot your landing.
Weight should be centered
You land pretty easily when the weight is centered over your board.
When you land, every air is different, it’s all about feel.
If you are landing on the lip keep the weight on the back foot a bit so you don’t nose dive.
Ride it out and that’s an Indy Straight Air!