Technique: the Thong Rolls

I had to perform 47 rolls on Saturday, plus one for good luck.
In my paddling circles that’s the norm.
On one’s birthday, we don’t just eat cake or get drunk, we get wet.
The celebrated paddler must execute a roll for each year of his/her age.
Adventuretess started the trend last January and now we all do it.

Despite the rather cold temperatures, 7 other paddlers joined me for the on-water celebrations.
While my rolls were not really a great challenge I was glad that I wore a neoprene hood: water was nippy in the bay.
After my mandatory rolls my friends performed the “Mexican Roll” where, all lined up in a row, they rolled in sequence like in a Mexican wave, then back again.
It was good to see that the skill level of my paddling circle has advanced to the point that we now all roll consistently.
Interestingly enough we were all in rudderless kayaks too …

Vanilla wanted to gift me with a special roll.
Never performed before he proceeded to execute the “Thong Roll”.
As a true Queenslander he wears thongs (flip flops, in US and A), and wanted to see if one could be used as a norsak.
His Thong Roll worked well and he was ecstatic about it, while I captured it on film.
Adventuretess was a bit miffed about Vanilla’s success and decided to demonstrate her version of the “thong” roll: she went for the American “thong”.




Following the famous Magnum roll, the Thong Roll is now part of a new movement: The Australian Rolling style :-)