The toe-side turn takes you from toe-side back to heel-side. Prerequisites, a clean sequence and the mistakes that leave you sitting in the water.
The honest answer first: the toe-side turn is the change of direction from the toe edge back to the heel edge, i.e. the turn that brings you from toe-side riding back into your normal position. Without it, toe-side remains a one-way street. IKO lists toe-side riding and the toe-side turn together in Level 3M [1], right after sliding transitions in Level 3L.
This is where kitesurfers move from riding to playing. At the same time the risk changes: in the KITE study half of the injuries occurred during a jump or trick, 26% while cruising [2]. The authors suspect that contact forces on landing and fixation of the forefoot in straps during rotational manoeuvres are related to the common foot and ankle injuries [2]. Turns on the board are also moments when a foot gets twisted.
This guide explains the principle, it does not replace an instructor.
Ride straight on the toe edge with chest and body turned to the wind. IKO describes exactly this body orientation for the toe-side position [6]. Milestone: one long lane toe-side, calm kite, no slipping away (practical benchmark: 100 metres).
A turn needs residual speed. Too little speed and you sink; too much and you lose control. Milestone: you can hold your speed on the toe edge without the kite wobbling.
The kite moves first, your body follows. This order, kite before body, is the basic pattern you already know from the sliding transition [1]. Milestone: you move the kite in a controlled way towards the new side without turning the board.
Now you add pressure to the edge, let the board fall off under you and follow with your weight until you stand on the heel again (practice). A smooth pressure transition matters, not a jerk. Milestone: you arrive on the heel and ride on without stopping.
After the turn you build edge pressure again so you can hold height. More in the edging skill. Milestone: after the turn you ride height, not just direction.
Repeat everything in the other direction. IKO recommends trying new tricks first on the strong side but not neglecting the weak one [6]. Milestone: both directions with the same speed and the same calm.
Foot and ankle were the most commonly affected region in the KITE study (31.8% of injuries), followed by the knee [2]. A recent analysis names knee ligaments as injuries with the longest time loss [7]. This applies to all rotational movements with a fixed foot, not only to jumps.
When in doubt, trigger the quick release [5]. And: you do not train in a crowd. This guide does not replace supervised training or an instructor.
Practise the turn first at deliberately low speed until the sequence works, then increase speed. If you can do a movement slowly and cleanly you can do it fast later; if you learn it fast, you often learn the mistakes with it. Have someone film you from the shore: a video shows whether the kite really moves ahead of the body. (practical experience)
Toe-side is riding on the toe edge, the toe-side turn is the change from there back to the heel edge. IKO lists both in Level 3M [1].
You should master riding and turning. Toe-side is not a prerequisite for the first jump, but for many later tricks. Placement: IKO puts toe-side in Level 3 and jumps in Level 4 [1].
Usually because body and kite do not work in the right order or because there is too little speed. The best way to find the cause is a video review with your instructor.
It is not a jump, but foot and knee are at risk in rotational movements [2]. Good bindings, warming up and speed you control help. There is no documented risk figure for this specific turn.
There is no documented duration. It depends on how reliable your toe-side riding and gliding turns already are [1]. Orient yourself on the milestones: if you turn in both directions without stopping, you are further along than any stopwatch shows. Have your instructor check you by video from time to time.
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