Overview and Structure
The KGB is an advanced freestyle trick that combines a heelside backroll with an aerial backside 360-degree handle pass.
Originally a maneuver invented in wakeboarding, the true origin of the name remains a mystery with various theories, but it is now universally recognized as the “KGB” in kitesurfing. It stands as a major gateway trick for riders aiming to compete at the top level of freestyle competition.
Mechanics and Tips
The success of a KGB relies not only on passing technique but also on the head movement needed to control hangtime and the rotational axis in the air.
- Approach and Pop: Unhook while keeping your arms (elbows) slightly bent to prevent losing the kite’s power, edge hard heelside, and kick off the water.
- Initiating the Backroll: Immediately after popping off the water, look over your front shoulder toward your direction of travel to initiate the backroll rotation.
- Shifting the Axis: When halfway through the backroll and at the peak of your jump, forcefully turn your head over your back shoulder to switch the direction of rotation to backside.
- Handle Pass: Pull your front hand forcefully down toward your front hip and pass the bar from your front hand to your back hand in the air.
- Landing: Focusing solely on the pass can cause rotation to stall, so ensure you look for your landing spot, complete the full 360-degree rotation with your whole body, and land heelside with your knees bent.
Variations
- KGB 5 / KGB 7 (High Rotation Variations): Adding an extra 180 degrees to the KGB results in a “KGB 5” (540 degrees, blind landing), while adding a full extra 360 degrees of pass creates a “KGB 7” (720 degrees). These high-rotation variations are essential for scoring points in world-class competitions like the GKA.
- Megaloop KGB: The ultimate combination trick in Big Air. It involves throwing a massive megaloop in strong winds and forcing a KGB (backroll + backside 360 pass) during the intense forward pull and hangtime. It is an extremely high-risk maneuver.
- Double KGB: Pushing beyond limits, this trick incorporates the KGB pass into a double backroll (two full backflips) instead of a single.
Notable Riders and Iconic Moments
In the freestyle scene, top riders like Carlos Mario and Liam Whaley consistently incorporate flawless KGB 5s and KGB 7s from incredible heights into their routines, fiercely competing on the GKA World Tour.
In the Big Air scene, the most legendary moment is undoubtedly Aaron Hadlow’s “Megaloop KGB”. At the Red Bull King of the Air (KOTA) in 2015 and 2016, he landed this incredibly dangerous trick flawlessly during the highest-pressure moments of the final heats, earning him back-to-back KOTA championships—an unprecedented feat at the time. This trick went down in history as a pivotal moment that pushed the boundaries of Big Air.
Search Aliases: Backroll to Blind Airpass, BackrolltoBlindAirpass, KGB