Water Skiing

What is water skiing?

Water skiing is a water sport, and is similar to winter’s downhill skiing. A water skier, wearing two skis, is pulled by a fast boat while standing up and will race across the water in competitions designed for speed or artistic jumps.

How to water ski

The skier is pulled behind a boat and must keep their balance on the two skies without falling in the water.

How to win

Water skiers have a variety of races, including slaloms, jumping and tricking.
Slalom – as in the slalom race in snow skiing, a water skier will weave between obstacles on a course, and the skier with the fastest time wins.
Jumping – the water skier will be pulled up a ramp and the skier with the longest jump away from the ramp wins
Tricking – the water skier will perform a series of difficult moves or “tricks” and judges will award points for the degree of difficulty of the moves. The skier with the highest scores wins. The moves include jumping a wave and doing a somersault in the air, landing back on the water skis first and continuing on to do another trick.

Equipment

Boat – a fast boat to pull the skier
Water skis – skis look like snow skis but these help the skier perform on water
Life jacket – helps the skier float in water when he/she fall
Helmet – usually worn in jumping to prevent a head injury should the skier fall going up the ramp or into the water