The one-footer belongs in VDWS Level 7. Learn what must be in place first, how to settle the strap question and why the air phase belongs with a coach.
The honest answer first: in a one-footer you take one foot out of the strap in the jump and stretch it away from the board while the other stays on the board. Visually a style element, technically a test: you need enough airtime, control of the kite and a landing in which the foot finds its way back. In the VDWS system "one foot" is in Level 7, together with rotations or kiteloops, grabs, board off and railey [1]. That is the highest of the seven levels.
I classify it as pro, not intermediate: it requires a reliable jump with a grab, and even experienced kiters get hurt while jumping. In the KITE study 49% of injuries happened during a jump or trick; foot and ankle were the most common region at 31.8%, and the authors suspect a link with landing and fixation of the forefoot in the straps [2].
This guide does not describe how to release the foot in the jump but how to prepare. It does not replace a coach.
Do you land jump and grab cleanly ten times in a row? Can you kick the board off and bring the kite overhead on a hard landing? [3] If not: a step back. IKO explicitly advises this when in doubt [4]. Milestone: ten clean jumps with a grab, on both sides (practical benchmark).
With your coach you check how the straps fit and that your foot does not catch when taken out. In measurements loop bindings produced lower forces on landing than fixed boot bindings [5]. That calls for care in the choice. Milestone: you can freely pull your foot out of the strap on the ground and slide it back in.
On calm water with little pull you ride a few metres with one foot out of the strap and slide it back in (practice). This trains the movement and re-finding without adding a landing. Milestone: you slide the foot back into the strap while riding without looking.
Your coach shows you the air phase in a lesson. I deliberately do not describe it step by step here: mistakes happen in the air, and a copy-cat manual without supervision would lead to exactly the risk the statistics show. Milestone: you explain to the coach what kite, bar and body do in each phase.
The landing decides. Bring the foot back before touchdown and plan space to roll out. On a hard approach the IKO rule applies: kick the board off and bring the kite overhead [3]. Milestone: one clean landing with both feet in the straps.
As with all tricks you begin on your strong side, you do not neglect the weak one [6]. Milestone: both sides with the same sequence.
In a one-footer part of your binding is missing during the landing. Peak loads of up to 3012 newtons (about 31.7 N/kg, around three times body weight) were measured on landing [8]. A recent survey names knee ligament injuries as those with the longest time loss [9].
When in doubt trigger the quick release and never let go of the bar in the air [3]. This guide does not replace supervised training or a coach.
Make re-finding the strap your warm-up: two lanes per side in which you do nothing but foot out, foot in. If you find the strap blind, you save a thought in the air. (practical experience)
A jump in which one foot is taken out of the strap and stretched away from the board. In the VDWS system it belongs to Level 7 [1].
When jump and grab are secure and you land cleanly in both directions. A fixed point in time is not documented. Ask your coach.
There is no risk figure for this trick. In general 49% of injuries happen during a jump or trick [2].
Not specifically. What matters is that your foot comes out and goes back in freely. A coach checks this on your setup.
Limit the risk by practising each part separately: jump with grab, foot-out drill on the water and landing. A coach with video spots mistakes you do not see yourself. IKO also advises listening to your body and ending sessions with easier tricks [4].
Strapless Air: Jumping on the Surfboard Without Straps