Landing the Double Flip

Pierre Maixent Shows Us How He Did It, Step-by-Step

Text and Photography by Ludo Mouveau

As of recent, we have been witness to, truly, the next steps of evolution in freeriding. The latest technological innovations – sometimes coming straight from the riders’ imaginations themselves – push the limits of gravity as well as velocity. This is especially the case with the “Rickter,” from Rick Roy Products, featuring a hull specially designed, crafted and adapted for freeriding. So when such a ski was put in the hands of the triple World Champion Pierre Maixent, the sport would only have to wait a short while before something amazing happened.

Something that was considered totally undoable only a few years ago, the simple back flip came to reality when Rick Roy landed it for the first time in 1995. Since then, almost every freerider has mastered its execution. Improving on the backflip was the next obvious step. Unfortunately, it was almost impossible. The first person to finally complete the trick, in any sport, was Travis Pastrana, landing the first double flip at the X-Games in Los Angeles, California in 2006 – and that was with a motorcycle. The second person was Pierre Maixent on a ski.

We were able to interview Pierre the day he completed his first double flip.

[Personal Watercraft Illustrated] Pierre, after finally landed this crazy trick, can you describe it in different steps?

[Pierre] The start is crucial. You need to wear tight shoes and hold the handlebars like never before. The choice of the wave is crucial. In this case, I had a powerful engine, so I didn't pull too hard on my arms. After the take off, the first rotation is very fast, at the end of this first rotation, I am at the apex – which is the most difficult. You must be fully committed to start the second rotation, because it’s a blind moment. Then the visual comes back and you get ready for the landing. All through the two rotations I knew where I was but the height is more difficult to estimate. I thought I could land a little earlier on the third one. The inertia of the double rotation is very difficult to control; you're not quite sure of where you’re going to land or at the exact angle you wish. The last landing was extremely brutal.

[PWI] What did you feel like in the middle of the two rotations?

[PM] I felt like the amplitude was phenomenal and that it had all chances to succeed in the same way. But the notion to go for a second rotation at this height was very frightening.

[PWI] Do you think you can do it again in a competition?

[PM] Definitely! I won't do it for weeks – of course – because this is more like a stunt than a trick and extremely dangerous. But with a few more improvements on the ski and less amplitude, it will be an effective trick to win a final.

[PWI] Do you realize the scale of this stunt today?

[PM] I have a big feeling of accomplishment. It's been a while that I was thinking about this trick, and to land it took off an important pressure.

[PWI] What advice would you give to anyone who'd like to attempt the double flip?

[PM] I know just a few riders able to do it; I think we'll talk about it together. This is extremely dangerous, so one shouldn’t want to try without my help. This might sound conceited, but I don't want anybody hurt.

[PWI] Any final words?

[PM] Of course! A big thanks to my sponsors Jet Import France, Blowsion, Rick Roy, Yamaha, Fullgaz, X Metal, Hydro-Turf, Skat-Trak, 661, Oakley, Worx, Boxer Oil, Insane Underwear, and Van Heers Racing for giving me the opportunity to do it. A special thanks to the people who surrounded me that day.

Julien Chat, the videoman on hand for the first double flip had this to say: “Until that day, the most amazing vision of freeride I had was during the World Freeride Championship in Montalivet, when Jeremy Phillips catapulted himself in a back flip like a missile into the stratosphere.

“When we arrived, we were more than skeptical when we saw the surf conditions, destroyed by the wind, but Pierre was confident. After a few flips and barrels to warm up, he surprised us all by throwing the first double flip of the day. At the end of the first flip, he was so high that that it was unreal. Then Pierre turned the second rotation and then landed perfectly, nose first.

“Then he came back to the beach to check if everything was OK on the ski, and made us understand he was not quite done. He went back to the water for two more double flips. The last one was just unbelievable. I can still hear the 1000cc catapulting toward the clouds like a UFO.”