A competitor has only 45 seconds to perform in a competition. They perform in what is called a “spot” which can be a hole or a wave, depending on the structure of the feature. During those 45 seconds you have to do the highest number of different and difficult tricks you can and you get extra points if you don’t use your paddle while performing the tricks or if you get more air than usual. There’s a list of all the tricks that can be done with a kayak, with a score for each one. If you invent a new trick you have to show the trick to the judge to score it during the competition. All the scores of the tricks performed and landed in the spot are added together to get the final score for your ride. The highest score wins.

You can choose the tricks you want to do, there are no rules or limitations on what you can do in the spot during your 45 seconds – it’s freestyle! You can choose to do tricks that are already set or you can do your own tricks and if they are good enough they might count.

Freestyle is exciting in that new moves are invented every year and what five years ago seemed impossible is now a must-do trick if you want to finish in the top spots in a competition. Right now freestyle kayaking is undergoing a huge revolution with tricks being linked in what are called ‘combomoves’

At the moment, Quim is working on the Fisherking to McNasty entry and the Trickwoo to McNasty, Lunar to Loop combomoves. In waves, the tricks he is trying to master are the Flashback into Airscrew and the Bread and Butter. He is also trying to perfect his own tricks but most of them need a lot of work.

Sportscene looks forward to seeing Quim master the Fisherking to McNasty entry, and the Trickwoo to McNasty, Lunar to Loop combomoves and the Flashback into Airscrew and the Bread and Butter – exciting and impressive challenges to perfect!

Here you can read an interview with Quim Fontane.