Clean Blunt
Clean Blunt presented by 
Astral Buoyancy.
Definition- The Clean Blunt is an aerial blunt done without use of paddle or any paddle stroke. This is one of the more difficult clean moves because you have to initiate your bow without any pre-established momentum.
NOTE: To be a clean blunt the moves has to be completely unsupported by any paddle strokes.
Video-
Step 1: Carve up high on the wave and aim to shoot down the steepest part of the face with the foam pile behind you. As you slide down the face take a vertical power stroke and throw your weight forward to initiate a bounce while digging your downstream edge into the wave.
Set up high on the wave and shoot down the face (Photo Billy Harris)
Step 2: As your bow gets rejected from the green water throw your weight back and pull up with your knees. I’ll often curl my wrists back at this point to ensure that I don’t stick a blade in the water.
Initiate a bounce and be sure to keep your paddle clear of the water (Photo Billy Harris)
Step 3: Once your boat has reached the peak of its pop throw your weight forward and towards your inside edge. Basically you’re moving your weight from your back outside edge to your front inside edge.
Throw your weight forward and towards your inside edge (Photo Billy Harris)
Step 4: When your boat breaks free of the water unwind your legs under your body to bring your bow down to the water. Turning you torso upstream while taking a back stroke in the air helps drop your legs to the water and sets you up for your recovery stroke.
Unwind your legs under your body while taking a back stroke in the air (Photos Billy Harris)
Step 5: As you become vertical crunch forward and turn your shoulders and upper body downstream while taking a recovery back stroke to finish the move. This motion of moving your weight forward and turning your body downstream is the only way to get the power necessary to finish the move.
Finish with a back recovery stroke (Photo Billy Harris)
Common problems:
The most common problem with the clean blunt is leaning back! When you lean back two things can happen, you’ll either plug your stern when you land or you’ll fall vertically into the green water, which is called pogoing. Leaning back helps with your take off and execution of the move but makes it really hard to land without plugging your stern. Getting your weight forward early, and keeping it far forward when you land takes the weight off of your stern and taking a back recovery stroke forces your body to turn downstream allowing you finish the move.
See you on the river,
Kelsey Thompson
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