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This article is about the recreational activity. For the airline with the callsign, see Trans States Airlines.

A slalom skier making a turn

Water skiing on the Yarra River in Melbourne

Water skiing is a sport in which an individual is pulled behind a boat or a cable ski installation over a body of water, skimming the surface. The sport requires exceptional upper and lower body strength, as well as good balance and muscular endurance.

History [edit]

Water skiing was invented in 1922 when Ralph Samuelson used a pair of boards as skis and a clothesline as a towrope on Lake Pepin in Lake City, Minnesota. Samuelson experimented with different positions on the skis for several days until July 2, 1922. Samuelson discovered that leaning backwards in the water with ski tips up and poking out of the water at the tip was the optimal method. His brother Ben towed him and they reached a speed of 20 miles per hour. Samuelson also achieved the first ski jump on July 8, 1925 using a greased 4 feet (1.2 m) by 16 feet (4.9 m) ramp. Samuelson spent 15 years performing shows and teaching water skiing to people in the United States. Experimenting further with the sport, Samuelson hooked up a line behind a World War I flying boat with 200 horsepower. He reached a speed of 80 miles per hour, making him the first speed skier.

Samuelson's first equipment consisted of barrel staves for skis. He later he tried snow skis but finally fabricated his own design out of lumber with bindings made of strips of leather. The ski rope a was made from a long window sash. Samuelson never patented any of his ski equipment. The first patent for water skis was issued to Fred Waller, of Huntington, NY, on October 27, 1925, for skis he developed independently and marketed as "Dolphin Akwa-Skees." Waller's skis were constructed of kiln-dried mahogany, as were some boats at that time. Jack Andresen patented the first trick ski, a shorter, fin-less water ski, in 1940.

The sport of water skiing remained an obscure activity for several years after 1922, until Samuelson performed water ski shows from Michigan to Florida. The American Water Ski Association formally acknowledged Samuelson in 1966 as the first recorded water skier in history. Samuelson was also the first ski racer, slalom skier, and the first organizer a water ski show.^[1]

Water Skiing gained international attention in the hands of famed promoter, Dick Pope, Sr., often referred to as the "Father of American Water Skiing" and founder of Cypress Gardens in Winter Haven, Florida. Pope cultivated a distinct image for his theme-park, which included countless photographs of the water skiers featured at the park. These photographs began appearing in magazines worldwide in the 1940s and 1950s, helping to bring international attention to the sport for the first time.^[2] He was also the first person to complete a jump on water skis, jumping over a wooden ramp in 1928, for a distance of 25 feet.^[3] His son, Dick Pope, Jr., is the inventor of bare-foot skiing. Both men are in the Water Ski Hall of Fame. Today, Winter Haven, Florida, with its famous Chain of Lakes, remains an important city for water skiing, with several major ski schools operating there.

Water skiing has developed over time. Water skiing tournaments and water skiing competitions have been organized. As an exhibition sport, water skiing was included in the 1972 Olympics. The first National Show Ski Tournament was held in 1974, and the first ever National Intercollegiate Water Ski Championships was held in 1979. The Home CARE US National Water Ski Challenge, the first competition for people with disabilities, was organized ten years later. The first patented design of a water ski which included carbon fiber was that of Hani Audah at SPORT labs in 2001. Its first inclusion in tournament slalom skiing was in 2003.^[4]

Technique [edit]

A water skier rising out of the water

Water skiing typically begins with a deep water start, with the skier crouching down in the water. The skier can also perform a "dry start" by standing on the shore or a pier; however, this type of entry is recommended for professionals only. When the skier is ready, the driver accelerates the boat to pull the skier out of the water.

In addition to the driver and the skier, a third person known as the spotter or the observer may be present. The spotter's job is to watch the skier and inform the driver if the skier falls. The skier and the boat's occupants communicate using hand signals.

Speeds vary from as slow as 22 kilometres per hour (14 mph; 12 kn), up to 58 kilometres per hour (36 mph; 31 kn) for slalom water skiing, approximately 72 kilometres per hour (45 mph; 39 kn) for barefoot skiing, and approaching 190 kilometres per hour (120 mph; 100 kn) in water ski racing.^[5] The length of the rope also varies widely depending on the type of water skiing and the skier's skill level.

Types [edit]

Ski Jump [edit]

Gainer performed at CatfishBay in Sioux Falls, SD

The ski jump is when a water skier leaves the surface of the water, with the use of a fiberglass ramp. It is performed using two long skis with a fiberglass exterior and a honeycomb interior, and skiers are towed behind a boat at fixed speed. The ramp height can be 5, 5 and 1/2, or 6 feet high. The boat's speed varies but may not be more than 58 kilometres per hour (36 mph; 31 kn). Professional ski jumpers can hit the ramp at speeds of up to 70 mph and travel up to 250 feet (76 m).^[6]

Freestyle jumping is often related to show skiing. The goal is to go off the jump and perform one of many stunts and land back on the water. The most common freestyle stunts would be (in order of usual progression) a heli (360), a flip (forwards), a gainer (a back flip), and a möbius (backflip with 360).

Barefoot waterskiing [edit]

A barefoot water skier should use a wetsuit instead of a life jacket because the wetsuit covers more of the body in case of a fall at high speed.

Barefoot skiing on Lake Ozonia in the Adirondacks

The "barefoot wetsuit" is generally thicker in the back, rear and chest for flotation and impact absorption. Barefoot skiing requires a higher speed because the skier's feet are smaller than skis, providing less lift.

Boat equipped with a Barefoot Boom

A rule of thumb for barefoot water skiing speed is (X/10)+Y= Barefooting MPH, where X equals the skier's weight and Y equals 18. In other words, a 175 lb person would have to divide 175/10, which is 17.5. Then simply add 17.5 + 18 which equals 35.5 MPH (57KPH).

Another tool used in barefoot water skiing is the barefoot boom. It provides a stable aluminum bar on the side of the boat where a short rope can be attached or the skier can grip the bar itself. The skier is within earshot of the people in the boat, providing a good platform for teaching. A beginner can wear shoes to decrease the necessary speed, lessen foot injury from choppy water, learn better technique, and master the sport.

Show skiing [edit]

Waterski pyramid

Show skiing is a type of water skiing where skiers perform tricks somewhat similar to those of gymnasts while being pulled by the boat. The first organized show occurred in 1928.^[7] Traditional ski show acts include pyramids, ski doubles, freestyle jumping, and swivel skiing. Show skiing is normally performed in water ski shows, with elaborate costumes, choreography, music, and an announcer. Show teams may also compete regionally or nationally. In the USA, each team member must be a member of USA Water Ski to compete. The Inaugural World Show Ski Championship is scheduled to take place in September 2012 in Janesville, Wisconsin. Teams from the United States, China, Belgium, Australia and Canada are expected to compete.^[7]

Slalom skiing [edit]

A slalom skier

Slalom water skiing uses only one ski with two plates, a front boot and either a toe plate, open binding, or another binding (similar to the front binding) behind the main one.

Slalom skiing on Lake Ozonia in the Adirondacks

The bindings are oriented so that both feet point forward, with one behind the other. Slalom skiing is done at higher speeds, up to 58 kilometres per hour (36 mph; 31 kn) per hour,^[6] and allows the water skier to be more agile.^[8] When slalom skiing is done properly, the skier will experience numerous isometric contractions (good training for core muscles), and extreme upper body torque, making it a good form of exercise.^[9] Competitive slalom water skiing involves maneuvering around six buoys that are placed equal distances on opposite sides on the wake from each other. The skier must maneuver around all six buoys while being pulled at a specific speed to complete one "pass."

Different techniques of tournament slalom skiing:

Carving

Leaning through wakes

Rounding buoys

Tournament slalom skiing [edit]

In tournament slalom skiing, a course is set up with buoys and water skiers navigate through and around six buoys using only one ski. Sanctioned competitions require official drivers and approved boats. A skier's score is based upon the number of successful buoys cleared, the speed of the boat, and the length of the rope. A higher speed and/or a shorter rope makes the task more difficult. A standard slalom ski rope, used in competition, is always 18.25 meters long. The current world record for competitive slalom skiing is 2 buoys at 43 off (43 feet removed from the 75-foot tow rope), or 9.75 meters, completed by Chris Parrish, the record was equaled by Will Asher.^[10]

Trick skiing [edit]

Trick skiing uses a smaller, oval-shaped waterski with a smooth bottom that allows it to turn over the surface of the water, giving the skier much more freedom to perform tricks. Trick skiers can use either one or two skis.

Tournament trick skiing [edit]

In trick skiing tournaments, skiers complete either one or two 20-second runs during which they perform a series of their chosen tricks. Judges asses the tricks, and the skier with the most points wins the tournament. The tricks are scored based on their difficulty, how well they were executed, and whether the skier used one or two skis.

According to official 2013 Tournament Rules for 3-event Competition in the United States (and Pan-Am Games)^[11]

• Skis used in the Tricks event shall not have fins.
• Trick skis with molded rails/grooves less than 1/4" are allowed.
• A foot pad cemented to the ski as a place for the rear foot is also permitted.
• With all bindings, fins, etc., installed, the ski must float.
• Attaching two separate skis together in any manner is prohibited.

Ski racing [edit]

Ski racing in Australia

Water ski racing consists of a number of water skiers who race around a set course.

A team consists of a boat driver, an observer and one to two skiers, depending on the race. The driver tows the skier behind a powerboat, varying the speed based on conditions, his or her knowledge of the skier, the observer's ability to read the skier and the skier's signals.

Safety Measures [edit]

As water skiing is a potentially dangerous sport, safety is important. There should be a 200-foot wide skiing space and the water should be at least five to six feet deep. The skier should know how to swim, but he or she should wear a life jacket regardless of swimming ability. The most common water ski injuries involve the lower legs, such as the knee, because a fall at high speed can create irregular angles of collision between the skier's body and the water surface. There are three essential people for water skiing: the skier, the boat driver, and the observer.^[12] The observer must relay the condition of the skier to the boat driver,^[13] since it is the boat driver's duty to maintain a steady course.

World Records [edit]

The most skiers towed behind one boat is 145, set by the Horsehead Water Ski Club in Strahan, Tasmania, Australia on 27 January 2012. The record stood at 100 for 24 years before a huge team lead by the ski club broke the record at 114 in 2010 and then increased the number to 145 in 2012. The skiers used 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) of ski rope and were towed by the 36 m 3000 hp World Heritage Cruises' catamaran Eagle.^[14]

On 31 August 1974, David Scott Munro of Ross-shire Caberfeidh Water Ski Club became the first person to water ski (mono ski) the length of Loch Ness, Scotland. From Lochend to Fort Augustus and back, he covered the 48 miles in 77 minutes at an average speed of 37 miles per hour.^[15]

Towboats [edit]

Towboats are boats made specifically for competition skiing. Most towboats have a very small hull and a flat bottom to minimize its wake. A true tournament ski boat will have a direct drive motor shaft which centers the weight in the boat for an optimal wake shape. However, some recreational ski boats will have the motor placed in the back of the boat (v-drive), which creates a bigger wake. The boat has a metal ski pylon placed in the center of the boat in front of the engine to connect the skier. This pylon is mounted securely, since a skilled slalom skier can put a considerable amount of tension in the ski rope and the pylon. Permitted towboats used for tournament water skiing are the Mastercraft ProStar 197, Mastercraft ProStar 190, Nautique 200, Malibu Response TXi, and Centurion Carbon Pro.^[16]

See also [edit]

References [edit]

External links [edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Water skiing

• World Championship History
• USA Water Ski
• Pro Ski Coach – Slalom Water Skiing
• History of Water Skiing
• History of Water Ski Racing in Britain
• History of Water Ski innovation
• World Waterski Record

References [edit]

^ 1. Corson, R. "International Waterski Federation" http://www.iwsf.com/rules2000/rules03v1.1.htm#Rule%201%20-. Tournament Rules, 2003.