Ailsa Harvey
You may have encountered water skiing in its recreational form, but have you ever seen a water ski competition?
Water skiing is a surface water sport involving an individual being pulled at high speeds behind a boat, whilst on one or two skis. The skier needs good balance and great upper body strength to stay upright on the water.
For this event to take place, an area with calm waters and adequate space is required. In competitive water skiing there are seven different disciplines to compete in; speed skiing, trick skiing, show skiing, slaloming, jumping, barefoot skiing and wakeski.
Trick skiing is often known as the most technical discipline and uses smaller, oval shaped skis. Competitors are given just two twenty second runs to perform both ‘hand tricks’ and ‘toe tricks’, with only one chance to perform each trick. Each trick is scored by a panel of judges, with the highest scorer winning.
Did you know…
– The world record for the most water skiers to be towed by a single boat is 145. This was accomplished by Tasmania’s Horsehead Water Ski Club in 2010 .
– Water skiing was added as an Olympic event in 1972, two years prior to snow skiing.
– The sport was invented in 1922 by an American, Ralph Samuelson, who used two boards and a clothes line to attach them to the boat.
– One of the world’s best water skiers is Canadian athlete, Jaret Llewellyn. Jaret has had 106 professional wins, with 11 World Records and 9 World Titles in the sport!
15th October 2018 at 7:03 pm
Loving Sport of the Day!!! Don’t know which I want to try out first!