A Quick Note Before We Start
The Learmann twins, Jannes and Felix, are widely regarded as the most dominant competitive kitesurfing duo in modern Freestyle history. They built their reputation primarily through back-to-back World Championship titles spanning from roughly 2014 into the late 2010s, competing at the highest level of the PWA tour. Their style is grounded in massive, technically precise trick sequences with a level of consistency that separates them from the flashier riders who land one big move and fade out. If you want to study how they approach competition runs, there is not a single magic drill. What works for them comes down to sequence construction, kite positioning, and managing the wind window under pressure. I spent years riding alongside competitors at events like Sylt and Tarifa, and the difference between a solid run and a DQ is usually nothing dramatic on paper, but devastating in practice. The Learmann twins share a training philosophy that prioritizes sequence flow over individual trick difficulty alone. In a standard Freestyle judging scenario, judges score based on a combination of trick variety, amplitude, rotation, landing, and overall consistency throughout the run. A run filled with five 900s on a single board will often score lower than a run with six distinct tricks across multiple rotations and switch landings. This is something most beginners completely misunderstand.
Their kite choice typically runs between 9m and 12m depending on conditions, paired with directional boards in wind under 20 knots and twintips in stronger gusts. The real technical advantage comes from how they position the kite during transitions. While most riders let the kite drift down in the window between tricks, the Learmanns keep it loaded in the power zone, usually just above 12 o'clock, to maintain forward momentum and reduce the recovery time before the next takeoff. I noticed this firsthand during a session in El Quisco, Chile, where the wind was gusty and inconsistent around 25 knots. One of the local riders was struggling with sequence flow despite landing clean individual tricks. He kept dropping his kite between attempts, and by the time he repositioned it, he had lost all his speed. I suggested he try keeping the kite stationary at the top of the window for two full seconds between each launch rather than cycling it. His run time improved noticeably within thirty minutes, and his landing consistency went up because he was hitting each trick with actual forward velocity instead of a static pop.
Building A Sequence That Actually Scores Well
Start by mapping out your trick inventory on paper. Write down every rotation you can reliably land, including switch landings if applicable. Then arrange them in order of confidence. The first trick sets the tone for the judges and the run itself. Putting a risky variation first is a common mistake that leads to early bail and a truncated sequence. A typical competition layout might look like this: an invert or big jump to open, followed by a double frontside, then a triple backroll or similar high-rotation trick, and finishing with something that showcases landing control, like a switch double or a clean inverted landing. The total run time on the water is usually between 60 and 90 seconds, so spacing matters more than raw volume. Their secret weapon has always been switching landings. Most riders specialize in either regular or Goofy foot, but the Learmanns train both stances seriously. A switch double cab or a backflip taken off a switch stance will carry significantly more weight in judging than a same-stance repeat of the same trick. They do not attempt these under pressure unless they have drilled the landing surface repeatedly in controlled conditions.
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What They Do Differently In Marginal Conditions
Competitions do not always give you ideal wind. When conditions drop below 15 knots, the trick palette changes entirely. The Learmann twins shift toward bigger aerial rotations that rely less on kite pop and more on board release timing. In choppy water, they also shorten their approach lines. Longer approaches in messy sea states increase the chance of a messy landing or a crash that takes points away. I learned this the hard way at a regional event in Morocco where the offshore wind had built a choppy, uneven surface by midday. I was running a sequence designed for flat glass and ended up bailing on a triple because my takeoff angle was thrown off by the wave pattern. The workaround was to pick a much tighter corridor closer to the shore break line, where the chop was less organized but also less steep, and to use a smaller kite with a wider spread of bar pressure to absorb the inconsistencies. It cost me some amplitude, but my landing rate climbed from roughly 40 percent to about 75 percent on my attempted tricks.
Common Pitfalls That Kill Runs Early
Kiting out of bounds is the fastest way to lose points. This happens when a rider commits to a rotation too early and the kite dips below the safe operational arc, usually into the dead zone near 6 o'clock. Judges do not tolerate this. The fix is straightforward but requires drilling: practice your initial pop with the kite held fixed at the edge of the power window rather than letting it swing freely. Another frequent error is overloading the board before takeoff. Riders will press too hard on the heel or toe edge in an attempt to gain height, which actually compresses the ride and reduces pop. The Learmann twins tend to use a lighter edge pressure entering the jump, letting the board snap off the water naturally. It looks less dramatic until you see the consistency of their landings. Gust management is also undervalued. In wind that fluctuates by 5 to 8 knots, a run built for peak gusts will fall apart when the wind drops mid-sequence. I keep a simple mental note of this during competitions: if the wind has been steady for five minutes and then suddenly drops, I immediately simplify my next two tricks rather than attempting my hardest rotation. It is better to finish clean and bank solid points than to blow a big trick and score zero.
Training Drills That Actually Transfer To Competition
One drill I found useful involved recording your runs on a waterproof camera and reviewing the footage immediately after each set. The Learmann twins do this religiously. You will spot issues in your kite path, your body position mid-air, and your landing preparation that you cannot feel while you are riding. Another practical drill is the sequence repeat under fatigue. Set up a full competition run, ride it once cleanly, then immediately ride it again without rest. The second attempt usually reveals where your technique falls apart when your arms are pumped and your focus slips. This mirrors actual competition pressure far better than practicing individual tricks in isolation. Board switching drills matter too. If you plan to use a switch stance in competition, you need to practice takeoffs and landings from that stance repeatedly until the muscle memory is automatic. A common failure point is riders who can switch-land in flat conditions but freeze when the water is uneven or the wind is gusty. The fix is to gradually introduce variables: start on flat water, add light chop, then add wind variability before attempting it under scored conditions.
The Real Limitations Of Their Style
Even the Learmann twins have a ceiling. Their approach relies heavily on consistent wind and manageable sea states. In violently gusty conditions or when the wind shifts direction rapidly, their preference for keeping the kite loaded and high in the window can become a liability. A sudden direction shift catches an elevated kite faster than a low-stalled one, and that can lead to a loss of control that costs the run entirely. They also do not dominate every discipline equally. Their strength is Freestyle, where trick sequencing and variety matter most. In Slalom or Wave riding, other competitors have found success by leveraging different skill sets. If your goal is purely Speed racing, their training methodology offers limited direct transfer. Knowing where their model applies and where it does not is important for anyone studying it. The equipment side has also become increasingly standardized. Rider differences now come down to fine-tuning: line length, bar pressure, board flex patterns, and personal preference in trim settings. No single piece of gear gives you a decisive edge the way it might have five years ago. The real advantage is in repetition and decision-making under race conditions.
Practical Takeaways
Study their runs at major PWA events, but focus on the transitions between tricks rather than the tricks themselves. Watch how they keep the kite moving and how they manage their body position on landing. Record your own sessions. Use a simple underwater and above-water camera setup if you can, because footage reveals what the body never feels. Build your competition sequence around your highest-confidence tricks first, and save your riskiest variation for a spot where a bail still leaves you enough time to recover and finish cleanly. Keep your approach lines shorter in chop. Simplify rather than expand when the wind starts to behave unpredictably. The Learmann twins did not reach the top by chasing difficulty for its own sake. They reached it by mastering consistency, sequence construction, and conditions management. That is the part that actually translates to your own riding.
