Surfing Waves

Hey

Im 17 now and I've been surfing for five months and is very happy with my progress.

I'm capable of doing carving top turns, cutbacks and floaters with ease now. I guess its because i surf everyday almost.

The only move im struggling with is the re-entry. I cant seem to get verticle enough, so instead i just do an carve off the top, otherwise i will lose the wave.

How do i turn on the wave to get more verticle?

you'll need a steep bottom turn. tbh if you've only been surfing for 5 months then to do any of that stuff is unbelievably good so wouldn't worry about much else atm

The people at my break are very competitive and you have to rip or you won't get your wave. I want to surf more competitively and maybe start doing contests. The problem is, most of the u18 have been surfing for years and are capable of much more than me. That drives me to improve, since I want to be better than them and prove I can also surf and be aknowledge by them.

Anyone else have any input on this? I can't seem to get my bottom turns vertical as well.

You could start off by doing two bottom(?) turns in a row.
That is bottom turn, project out of it upwards, dig inside rail again halfway up the face to go steeper and higher and project out of it before throwing the fins out or doing whatever you want to do.
Some pros do this but i have read a few interviews where they try to minimise this into one turn..Or join both bottom turns into one. For now try two turns to go higher..Its what i do anyway.

I can only do this sort of thing on certain boards, especially throwing the tail.. If you are on the wrong board it wont work. (like a board with a wide point forward or twin keel)

I'm 5'4 surfing a 5'8 shortboard.
Anyway, ive manage to go up more verticle, not as much as i would like though. Dont know if im doing it correctly, but i noticed that i always dig a rail and fall if I try to go verticle. What I do know is unweight the nose more so it doesnt dig and that helped me turn more up the wave. I would say, Im putting more pressure on my backfoot, but it doesn't feel like it

Is it ok to practice going vertical on a closing section ahead? I'm scared that my board will fly up and smack me in the face, if I try to do it on closing sections.

Nope, not so easy to hit youself on the face if you are just starting out, takes years of practice to get stiches.

More than likely you will fall backwards and such, just go for it and have a great time.

I was trying aerials today, did not land a single one and not once did the board and I go in the same direction, but it was fun getting air flying around. The board didn't hit me once. Then again, at 43yrs old I think I'm to old to learn aerials, but I keep trying to LOL

And if it does hit you on the face, chicks dig scars...

I was practicing the other day, and it was really fun. Hitting the lip and then the feeling of being thrown over the top. Luckily it wasn't shallow, so I don't have to worry about some coral chunks being lodged into my head.