The A-to-Z Guide to Wingfoil Jibes: Verified Techniques (2025 Update)
We verified every entry in this guide against current coaching standards. We referenced resources from ION Club, Duotone Wing Academy, and The Foiling Collective. Whether you are a beginner on a taxi ride or a pro looking for the latest 2025 race variations, this list covers it all.
A: Airborne Jibe (Air Jibe)
The Move: This is a dynamic essential for advanced riders. You leave the water mid-turn to reduce drag.
- Execution: Gain heelside speed and sheet in. Pop the foil hard to launch. Rotate downwind in the air while keeping the wing high. Land toeside and pump immediately.
- Why Do It: It maintains speed in chop.
- Watch: Air Jibe Tutorial by Duotone Wing Academy
B: Basic Jibe (Heelside-to-Toeside)
The Move: The foundation. You carve a smooth arc from heelside to toeside without changing your feet until the end.
- Execution: Bear away. Level the board. Release the back hand and swap the wing. Ride away toeside. Swap feet last.
- Why Do It: It is the safest way to turn without falling.
- Watch: Basic Wingfoil Jibe by MACkite
C: Carve Jibe
The Move: An efficient variation where you prioritize the board turn over the wing handling.
- Execution: enter with speed. Bank the board hard into the turn. Let the wing drift neutral. Grab the wing on the new side as you exit.
- Why Do It: It looks stylish and keeps flow in waves.
- Watch: Carve Jibe Tutorial by Yann Rifflet
D: Duck Jibe
The Move: A freestyle classic adapted from windsurfing. You push the wing under your arm rather than flipping it.
- Execution: Initiate the turn. Throw the wing trailing edge first under your back arm. Catch it on the other side.
- Why Do It: It keeps the wing low and powerful in strong wind.
- Watch: Duck Jibe by Wingfoil Learning
E: Extended Jibe (Downwind 360)
The Move: You keep turning past the 180-degree mark to complete a full circle.
- Execution: Start a standard jibe. Do not stop the rotation. Backwind the wing slightly to push the tail around. Exit where you started.
- Why Do It: It builds board control and disorientation recovery skills.
- Watch: Downwind 360 by Duotone Academy
F: Foot-Switch Jibe
The Move: The standard jibe finish. Learning when to swap your feet determines your success rate.
- Execution: Complete the turn. Stabilize on the new tack. Unweight the board. Quickly shuffle or hop to switch your stance.
- Why Do It: Riding "toeside" (twisted) is tiring. This returns you to your strong stance.
- Watch: Foot Switch Jibe by Naish
G: Gybe-to-Backwind (Race Jibe)
The Move: A slalom racing staple. You backwind the wing to brake and snap the turn tight.
- Execution: Enter fast. Push the wing against the wind (backwind). Use the resistance to pivot the board sharply. Flip the wing late.
- Why Do It: It creates the tightest possible turn radius for racing markers.
- Watch: Race Jibe Backwind by The Foiling Collective
H: Heineken Jibe
The Move: A stylish maneuver where the hand-pass happens behind your back.
- Execution: Bear away. Pass the control bar behind your back like a basketball player. Grab it on the new side.
- Why Do It: It looks incredible and keeps the wing out of your face.
- Watch: Heineken Jibe by The Foiling Collective
I: In-Air Foot-Switch
The Move: A hybrid air move. You swap your feet while the board is disconnected from the water.
- Execution: Pop the board up. Switch your feet at the apex of the jump. Land in the new stance.
- Why Do It: It removes friction. You land ready to power away.
- Watch: In-Air Switch by Wingcollege
J: Jibe-to-Toeside
The Move: The "lazy" jibe. You turn but do not switch your feet.
- Execution: Carve downwind. Flip the wing. Ride away on your toeside edge.
- Why Do It: Essential for riding waves or when your legs are too tired to swap.
- Watch: Toeside Hold Jibe by North
K: Knee-Taxi Jibe
The Move: The first turn you ever learn. You do this on your knees before you can foil.
- Execution: Stay on your knees. Turn the board downwind. Drag the wing tip to flip it.
- Why Do It: It teaches you wind dynamics without the risk of falling off the foil.
- Watch: Knee Taxi Basics by The Foiling Collective
L: Light-Wind Jibe
The Move: A technique for marginal conditions.
- Execution: Keep the wing high. Carve a wide, flat arc. Pump the foil constantly through the turn to generate your own lift.
- Why Do It: If you slow down, you sink. This keeps you flying in 10 knots.
- Watch: Light Wind Jibe Drills (2025 Update)
M: Monkey Jibe
The Move: A rodeo-style variation.
- Execution: You flip the sail in a specific "under-hand" rotation while carving hard.
- Why Do It: It is a gateway to complex freestyle tricks.
- Watch: Monkey/Rodeo Elements by Wingcollege
N: Neutral Wing Jibe
The Move: Using the wing as a balance pole.
- Execution: Sheet out completely. Hold the wing overhead in the "umbrella" position. Let the board glide on the swell.
- Why Do It: It separates the forces. You focus purely on foil balance.
- Watch: Neutral Wing Jibe by How to Jibe II
O: Overhead Hand-Swap
The Move: An exaggerated, high-clearance swap.
- Execution: Lift the wing vertically. Pass hands directly over your head, not in front of your chest.
- Why Do It: Prevents the wing tips from catching the water in choppy seas.
- Watch: Overhead Swap by Zane Schweitzer
P: Pump Jibe
The Move: Using leg power to drive the turn.
- Execution: Enter the turn. Aggressively pump the board up and down. Use this rhythm to maintain speed while the wing is luffing.
- Why Do It: Essential when you mess up the wind angle and lose power.
- Watch: Pump Jibe Tutorial by TUTO 3 Étapes
Q: Quick-Switch Jibe
The Move: A rapid foot swap for racers.
- Execution: You swap feet before or during the gybe, rather than after.
- Why Do It: It allows you to exit the turn at full speed on your strong side.
- Watch: Quick Switch Jibe Series
R: Race Jibe
See G: Gybe-to-Backwind. This is the competitive terminology for the same high-speed snap turn.
S: Sitting Jibe
The Move: A low-profile freestyle trick.
- Execution: Crouch down until you are sitting on your heels. Carve the jibe while in a ball. Stand up on exit.
- Why Do It: It demonstrates immense core strength and balance.
- Watch: Sitting Jibe by Duotone Academy
T: Touched Jibe
The Move: A strategic reset.
- Execution: You intentionally touch the board to the water mid-turn to stabilize, then pump back up.
- Why Do It: It saves a crash. It is better to touch-and-go than to fall and swim.
- Watch: Touched to Clean Jibe
U: Umbrella Jibe
The Move: Vertical depower.
- Execution: Hold the wing shaft vertically like an umbrella handle. Pivot under it.
- Why Do It: It is the most relaxing way to turn in light wind or rolling swell.
- Watch: Umbrella Jibe by TUTO Tout Savoir
V: Vol (Full-Flight Jibe)
The Move: The goal for every winger.
- Execution: A jibe where the board never touches the water. You stay in "Vol" (flight) the entire time.
- Why Do It: It is the definition of foiling. Efficient, silent, and fast.
- Watch: Vol Jibe Elements by Wingcollege
W: Wave Jibe
The Move: Using the wave face to turn.
- Execution: ride up the wave face. Use the wave's power to bank the board around. The wave pushes you through the turn.
- Why Do It: It feels like surfing.
- Watch: Wave Jibe by Wingfoiler TV x Kash Kash
X: X-Factor Jibe
The Move: A complex cross-twist maneuver.
- Execution: You twist your body against the turn direction to torque the board around tighter.
- Why Do It: Used in surf-freestyle competition to fit turns into tight pockets.
- Watch: X-Factor Freestyle by GWA Tour
Y: Yoyo Jibe
The Move: A bounce variation.
- Execution: You pop the foil out of the water, bounce off the surface, and continue the turn.
- Why Do It: A playful trick adapted from kiteboarding.
- Watch: Yoyo Elements in Duck Adv by Duotone
Z: Zero-Touch 360
The Move: The master class.
- Execution: A full 360-degree loop where neither the board nor the wing tip touches the water.
- Why Do It: It proves total mastery of foil and wind control.
- Watch: Zero-Touch 360 by Duotone
New for 2025: Emerging Trends
We identified three new variations gaining traction on the GWA Tour this year.
1. Cleave Jibe (Race)
A speed-focused cut for slalom. You cleave the water with the rail to minimize drag.
2. Shuv Jibe (Freestyle)
An "Ollie-Shuv" mid-carve. You pop the board and flick the tail 180 degrees while the wing is overhead.
3. Takeloop Jibe (Wave)
A looping air entry. You front loop into the jibe carve for a seamless transition in big waves.
- Watch: Takeloop Jibe by Wingcollege