Handcuff Roll

What!? A new roll... on the competition list?

Yes, this is a spoiler... well not for long. The Handcuff roll together with the Reverse Sweep Elbow roll is introduced to the Swedish Greenland Rolling competition in 2025. 

A rope loop is now part of your personal equipment (TBC, To be confirmed) and the diameter should be around 20cm (TBC). The roll is like a version of the Straight Jacket roll so basically everything from that post applies.
The new difficulty is that as I now have my hands behind my back, basically knuckle to knuckle, it is harder to "slide" up on the back deck than in the Straight Jacket. I have my arms in a better position so I can get "wide on the water" or at least wider... I need to arch my back a lot more than in the SJ so the "Camel" and "Cobra" pose will be used a lot during yoga practice. I started out holding my hands at my side, knuckles in. Then I moved the hands closer together behind my back until my fingertips touched. After that I thought I was home free - not so! It is harder than I thought to form fists or at least hold the rope loop as the final step. Now I haven't practiced more than one session but I would hold this roll almost, or as hard as the Straight Jacket roll. That may be revised but now I really feel my years and stiffness. 

Update! Now I've had another session and found some tricks that work for me. The capsize can be slow if I do a "faceplant" with shoulders flat on the water. I find it hard to crunch with my hands on my back so I knife my shoulders until I reach the surface. I discovered that since my cockpit coaming is very far back my hands catch on it. In my qajaq I need to raise my hands rather high on my back to avoid getting stuck. When I got this worked out the Handcuff roll isn't that mysterious any more. Still not an easy one!