Water skiing

Water Skiing
Water skiing on the Yarra River in Melbourne
Highest governing bodyInternational Waterski & Wakeboard Federation
First performed1922, United States
Characteristics
ContactNo
Mixed-sexNo
TypeAquatic
EquipmentWater skis, motorboat, towline
VenueBody of water
Presence
OlympicDemonstration sport, 1972 Summer Olympics
World Games1981 – 2017
Water skiers performing at Sea World on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia

Water skiing (also waterskiing or water-skiing) is a surface water sport in which an individual is pulled behind a boat or a cable ski installation over a body of water, skimming the surface on two skis or one ski. The sport requires sufficient area on a stretch of water, one or two skis, a tow boat with tow rope, two or three people (depending on local boating laws),[1] and a personal flotation device. In addition, the skier must have adequate upper and lower body strength, muscular endurance, and good balance.

There are water ski participants around the world, in Asia and Australia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas.[2] In the United States alone, there are approximately 11 million water skiers and over 900 sanctioned water ski competitions every year.[3] Australia boasts 1.3 million water skiers.[4]

There are many options for recreational or competitive water skiers. These include speed skiing, trick skiing, show skiing, slaloming, jumping, barefoot skiing and wakeski. Similar, related sports are wakeboarding, kneeboarding,[5] discing, tubing, and sit-down hydrofoil.

  1. ^ "State Boating Laws: Water Skiing". U.S. Coast Guard's Boating Safety Division. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
  2. ^ "Regional Sites". International Waterski & Wakeboard Federation. Archived from the original on 4 October 2008.
  3. ^ "USA Water Ski Profile". USA Water Ski. Archived from the original on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 1 October 2013.
  4. ^ "About Us". Australian Waterski & Wakeboard Federation. Archived from the original on 24 January 2014. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
  5. ^ Ritchhart, Mark (September 2009). "Kneeboarding – Fun For Everyone" (PDF). The Water Skier. USA Water Ski: 46–47. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 January 2011.