Number of people who can pull off a clean backflip

[todc207]

Had an interesting question asked tonight at my daughters baseball game. Talking with another dad in his 40s who used to ride 550s years ago. He was amazed its even possible to backflip a jetski let alone how common it seems to be these days. He asked " so world wide how many people would you guess can backflip and ride away clean?" My guess was 1000? When you think about it that way that is quite an elite group. I'm curious if my guess seems high or low??

 

[Pnutt]

low for sure . I figure in 10 years you will see used after market hulls for sale on craigs list there are 10 times the amount of diferent am hulls compaired to 40 plus years of production hulls and more people are joining the sport. So I would bet at least 250 people a year are learning the flip and within the last 5 years the numbers of freestyle riders has grown so your 1000 mark is a little low but you should grow extremly in the next 10 years. the more people that get into the sport the more am hulls we will see in the affordable price range <----(relative remark)and that will cause a great increase in flippers.
If you where to say how many can flat water back flip your number would be close but there is a large number of people flipping surf on stock hulls with minimal mods.

 

[Philip Clemmons]

Good question.....surf or flat or both

 

[Fro Diesel]

The number of people in the USA right now who can successfully pull off a clean flatwater backflip is 57.

Can't believe you didn't just use the backflip registery which can be found here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player

sent from Fro Diesel using tapatalk2

 

[Matt_E]

Backflipping is easy.
Needs money or skill on flat and balls in surf. That's all it is. If you cannot figure out how to flip with a short hull and 900+cc motor, ur doin it wrong
There are 3 people just in my very small riding group that fw flip.

 

[DangerBoy]

In 1998 the answer would be
1

 

[ProSouth]

ill tell you who cant... this guy

 

[Tommygunz]

Mark Powerhouse down for 3 guys on that count! Flatwater and surf

 

[todc207]

I would agree in 10 years then bet will be much bigger due to aftermarket hulls and big power but as of today those are to expensive for most guys. I would count surf and flat water but if only 57 are registered as of now then I'm thinking 1000 is way high?

 

[zimmy]

The number of people in the USA right now who can successfully pull off a clean flatwater backflip is 57.

Can't believe you didn't just use the backflip registery which can be found here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player

sent from Fro Diesel using tapatalk2

There was a back flip at 2:25 and another at 2:48....

 

[Big Kahuna]

I agree. The flip is easy with these short hulls and a lot of power. Most these guys doing flips I want to see learn to roll.

 

[Tommygunz]

I agree. The flip is easy with these short hulls and a lot of power. Most these guys doing flips I want to see learn to roll.

Very true! I spent over a year learning to flatwater roll my roundnose sj and only a few rides to flatwater flip an a/m hull

 

[TheBuzzard]

i started basically the same kind of thread about rolls and got very low numbers. i did get a bunch of other sideways answers about rolling joints, liking chicks over men and even how they wipe their ass with TP. i agree, flips take HP and money. 10 grand minimum i always say. rolls take skill and are way more dangerous. since you have to hit it with speed, you need balls also. i think 1000 is high but will be low very soon.

 

[Proformance1]

Team xtreme has, to the best of my knowledge, 8 surf/Boat wake and 3 FW BF guys in the group. Soon to be 9 and hopefully 5 FW BF

 

[surfjunkie]

i think the number is small worldwide but only because our sport is small worldwide.

i would bet that of hardcore(ride most weekends) stand up riders the percentage starts to get pretty high. i'm starting to feel like i'm in the minority of regular riders since i cant backflip or roll.

 

[joe b]

i'm starting to feel like i'm in the minority of regular riders since i cant backflip or roll.

I think your in the minority of riders with style... You can't learn style!!!

 

[NVJAY775]

I'm still a newb, but I do have way more respect for a clean roll over a flip like others have said. But I think the number of current riders flipping is a bit under 1000.

I'm more nervous of the roll than the flip. Like said above the roll takes speed and balls. Flips on the other hand... And for the record I haven't rolled yet and haven't plate to plated a fw flip either. Nosed in a few and only rode out one.

Also for guys riding at higher altitudes it's WAY harder, due to lack of hit. I'm at 5,000' and it's friggin depressing after getting close to sea level riding, then coming back up here.

 

[ocdfreeride]

I'm with you Joe B on that

 

[N3vrSat1sfied]

I think there is a big difference in numbers between surf and flat. The only thing i have plate to plate under my belt is a surf roll on a SJ. I'm in the learning process of flat water flips, but haven't attempted any rolls.

 

[ChadGnarly]

How about fixed steer backflips, ive cleanly landed backflips in the surf on my GTX-2 and not so cleanly landed backflips in the surf on my rockered blaster.