Rodeo flip
Also known as rodeo clown.
<html5media>File:Aerial rodeo flip jordy.webm</html5media> Jordy Smith performing a backside rodeo flip in the Mentawais in 2009.
History
The rodeo clown is typical of surfing progression in that its genesis is generally disputed. Bodyboarders call it an interpretation of the air-roll-spin (ARS) popularised by Australian bodyboarder Michael Eppelstun in the early 90s. Kelly Slater, who delivered his version at the 1999 Pipeline Masters, riding the most unlikely of progressive surfboards, a 6'10" pin-tail gun, says it was a spur-of-the-moment trick, a tweaked version of a spin he'd been trying in the Mentawais earlier that year but with a flat spin instead of being inverted.
"I don't remember seeing it anywhere. I discovered the manoeuvre on that wave," he said. Kelly named the move after his close friend Jack Johnson's song of the same name.
Even as this move has lost favour among the higher levels of the sport, it's still a remarkable example of board control, daring and a remarkable proprioception (an ability to sense the position of parts of the body during movement).
Frontside Rodeo flip
The basic frontside rodeo is all together a 540. It essentially falls into a grey area between an off axis frontside 540 and a frontside 180 with a back flip blended into it. The grab choice and different line and pop factors can make it more flipy or more of an off-axis spin. Frontside rodeo can be done off the heels or toes and with a little more spin on the Z Axis can go to 720 or 900. It is possible to do it to a 1080 but, if there is too much flip in the spin, it can be hard not to over flip when going past 720 and 900. The bigger the Z Axis spin, the later the inverted part of the rotation should be. Gaining control on big spin rodeos, may lead to a double cork or a second flip rotation in the spin, if the rider has developed a comfort level with double flips on the tramp or other gymnastic environment.;Rodeo flip; frontside rodeo: A frontward-flipping frontside spin done off the toe-edge. Most commonly performed with a 540° rotation, but also performed as a 720°, 900°, etc..
Backside Rodeo flip
A backward-flipping backside spin. Most commonly performed with a 540° rotation, but also performed as a 720°, 900°, etc..