20 Throwing Stick/Norsaq Front to Front

Oh how I struggled with this one! In my opinion the F2F Norsaq roll is the entrance to the difficult set of rolls. I tried and tried and failed and failed for the better part of a summer. Then I got it! Lost it, got it again.

Now I consider it quite easy which can explain my bad form in the video above. I really don't need to force anything since I got my basics right. So, what was the code I broke? 

First: "Chest sculling"! Make chest sculling with a paddle feel easy and don't put much force on the paddle. 
Second: Legs! This roll is hard so no cheating to start with. I really need to drive with my water leg quite forcefully. Make sure you have contact with the foredeck in your qajaq so your drive results in your qajaq turning over. 
Third: Reach up with the norsaq all the way to the surface. That was my biggest mistake I think, not to reach with my whole body. 
Fourth: Don't stop the pry as you get low in the water, keep pushing that norsaq all the way to the keelson. It might not do much use at the bottom, but some, and that may give you the leverage to pass the tipping point or "secondary stability" for your qajaq. 
Fifth: Flexibility! I don't think I could have completed the Norsaq front to front roll if I haven't stretched my backside. I'm still not that flexible but a bit more flexible than the normal middle aged man (or beyond). 

Judge notes: One hand holds the norsaq, which way you want. The other hand may not be used to push or slap the water, good form is to keep the non-sweeping hand along the gunwale. 

A view of how that summer looked like, and this was a good attempt.