Jem started a thread on that very subject in boards forum:

www.boards.co.uk/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=17485&PN=1

I've uploaded a clip of my first loop caught on video.

It is a very wet landing (done with zero height) but still passes the "feet in the straps" criteria needed for a claim!

www.windsurf.me.uk/cpg133/displayimage.php?album=13&pos=0

Sorry Mike,

You can call me a philistine if you wish but to me (a bloke who spends most of his time trying to stay dry and on the board) it looks like you fell in and after the wipe out were lucky enough to be able to water start as you'd got your feet caught in the foots straps.

But hey, what do I know.

Ah, but it was an impressive wipeout and recovery at that.

The loop is a slightly funny move in that anyone who can do them or has tried them regards a success as going all of the way around and with feet never leaving the straps (hands must also stay on the boom but that's rather more obvious). How wet you get isn't too important to start with but as you get better you learn to refine the technique and stay dry.

Early attempts usually look like a catapult where the board doesn't even leave the water and closer attempts look something like this:



Out at sea in the chop I had much better "looking" attempts due to greater height but that clip was the first one that could be claimed and in very flat water by the shore. Really just a case of popping the board and initiating an aerial flare gybe to get the rotation started.

Anyway, now that winter is setting in I won't be trying any more until Margarita in February. I'll be staying dry as much as possible by sailing my slalom kit over the winter. brrrrrr.....

Mike