Editing Water skiing (section)

==Disciplines==
===3-event tournament water skiing===
In the United States, there are over 900 sanctioned water ski competitions each summer.<ref name=ws-profile/> [[Orlando, Florida|Orlando]], Florida is considered to be the competitive 3-event waterskiing capital of the world.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.waterskimag.com/features/2015/08/05/how-orlando-became-the-mecca-of-water-skiing|title=How Orlando Became the Mecca of Water Skiing|work=Waterski Magazine|access-date=2017-05-02|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160904012142/http://www.waterskimag.com/features/2015/08/05/how-orlando-became-the-mecca-of-water-skiing|archive-date=4 September 2016|df=dmy-all}}</ref> [[Competitive]] water skiing consists of three events: slalom, jump, and trick.<ref name=ws-profile/><ref name=iwsf-history>{{cite web | url = http://www.iwsfranking.com/WSWC/history.htm | title = World Championship History | publisher = Water Ski World Cup (WSWC) | url-status = live | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061019114906/http://www.iwsfranking.com/WSWC/history.htm | archive-date = 19 October 2006 | df = dmy-all }}</ref>

====Slalom====
[[File:Slalom Good Pic.jpg|thumb|17-year-old Toronto skier [[Chantal Singer]] slaloming at the 2012 Canadian National Waterski Championships in [[Calgary]], Alberta]]
In an attempt to become as agile as possible, slalom water skiers use only one ski with feet oriented forward, one in front of the other. Slalom skis are narrow and long, at {{convert|57|-|70|in|cm|0}} depending on the height and weight of the skier. The two forward-facing bindings vary: they can be made of rubber or thick plastic, and they can be designed more like a [[Ski binding|snow ski binding]] or more like a [[Inline skates|roller blade boot]].

Slalom skiing involves a multi-buoy course that the skier must go around in order to complete the pass. A complete slalom water ski course consists of 26 buoys. There are entrance gates at the beginning and end of the course that the skier must go between, and there are 6 turn buoys that the skier must navigate around in a zigzag pattern. The remainder of the buoys are for the driver to ensure the boat goes straight down the center of the course. For a tournament to be sanctioned as 'record capable' by the [[International Waterski & Wakeboard Federation]] (IWWF), the entire course must be surveyed prior to competition by a land surveyor to ensure its accuracy. The drivers boat path must be verified as well to ensure that all skiers are getting a fair pull.

Every consecutive<ref name=iwsf-history/> pass is harder than the pass before it. When a pass is completed, the boat is sped up by {{convert|3|km/h|mph|0}} or the rope is shortened by specific increments. The rope is usually not shortened until the maximum speed has been reached for the division, based on the skier's gender and age ({{convert|55|km/h|mph|0}} for women and {{convert|58|km/h|mph|0}} for men). In a tournament, the boat speeds up or the rope shortens until the skier fails to complete the slalom course by falling, not getting around a buoy, or missing an entrance or exit gate.<ref name=iwsf-history/>

A skier's score is based upon the number of successful buoys cleared, the speed of the boat, and the length of the rope. In a tournament, skiers choose the starting boat speed and rope length (with a maximum length of {{convert|22.86|m|ft|0}}). Professional water skiers will typically start at the max speed of {{convert|58|km/h|mph|0}} with a rope that has already been shortened to {{convert|13|m|ft}}. The skier with the most buoys wins the competition.<ref name=iwsf-history/>

The turn buoys are positioned {{convert|11.5|m|ft}} away from the center of the slalom course. As the rope is shortened beyond that, the skiers are required to use the momentum generated through their turns to swing up on the side of the boat and reach out in order to get their ski around the next buoy. At these rope lengths, the skier's body is experiencing intense isometric contractions and extreme upper body torque with loads of up to 600&nbsp;kg as they begin accelerating after rounding a turn buoy. Their top speeds will generally be more than double the boat's speed, which means that the Pro men can reach speeds in excess of {{convert|116|km/h|mph}} and each turn will generally generate around 4 [[g-force|g of force]]. Essentially, slalom water skiers are using their body as a lever, which allows them to withstand loads that would otherwise not be possible for the human body.

====Jump====
Water ski jumpers use two long skis to ride over a water ski jump in an attempt to travel the longest distance. In a tournament, skiers are given three attempts to hit the ramp. The winner is the skier who travels the farthest calculated<ref name=manual-2003/> distance and successfully rides away.<ref name=ripnride>{{cite web|title=Jump Gold|work=Rip 'n Ride|publisher=Water Ski and Wakeboard Canada|url=http://www.ripnride.ca/#!__the-program/jump-gold|access-date=1 October 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004222034/http://www.ripnride.ca/#!__the-program/jump-gold|archive-date=4 October 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref> There are no style points, simply distance.<ref name=iwsf-history/>

Water ski jumps have specific dimensions and the ramp height is adjustable. Skiers may choose their boat speed and ramp height, although there are maximums based the skier's gender and age. Professional ski jumpers have a maximum boat speed of {{convert|58|km/h|mph kn|abbr=on}}. The ramp height must be between {{convert|5|and|6|ft|m|1|abbr=on|order=flip}}. As a professional jumper approaches the ramp they will zigzag behind the boat in a series of cuts<ref name=ripnride/> to generate speed and angle. When the jumper hits the ramp they will generally be going over {{convert|112|km/h|mph|0}} and the load they have generated on the rope can be over {{convert|600|kg|lb}}.

====Trick====
[[File:Fischlham Mevisto Cup 2017 Trickski Theresa Schmidberger1-1.jpg|thumb|A competitor at a trick skiing event in Austria in 2017]]
The Trick competition has been described as the most technical of the three classic water skiing events.<ref name=iwsf-history/>

Trick skiing uses small, oval-shaped or oblong water skis. Beginners generally use two skis while more advanced skiers use one.<ref name=iwsf-history/> The shorter, wider Trick ski has a front binding facing forward and a back binding facing at a 45°. It has a smooth bottom that allows it to turn over the surface of the water. According to official 2013 Tournament Rules for 3-event competition in the United States and the Pan-Am Games, skis used in the Tricks event must be a single ski without fins, although molded rails/grooves less than {{convert|1/4|in|mm|abbr=on|order=flip}} are allowed, as are a foot pad cemented to the ski as a place for the rear foot; in addition, the ski must float with all bindings, fins, etc., installed.{{citation needed|date=October 2013}} The ski's configuration allows the skier to perform both surface and air tricks in quick succession.

In a tournament, skiers are given two 20-second runs during which they perform a series of their chosen tricks. In most cases, one pass is for hand tricks, which includes surface turns, rotations over the wake, and flips. The second pass is for toe tricks, which are done by doing wake turns and rotations with only a foot attaching them to the handle; the foot is either in the toehold part of the handle or, professionally, attached to the rope.<ref name=iwsf-history/> The toehold part of the handle does not allow the skier to let go of the handle if they lose their balance and fall into the water, therefore a person in the boat is required to release the rope from the boat using a quick release mechanism installed on the ski pylon. A trick cannot be repeated.<ref name=iwsf-history/> Each trick has a point value. A panel of five judges assesses which tricks were completed correctly and assigns that predetermined point value to each successfully completed trick. The skier with the most points wins.<ref name=iwsf-history/>

===Barefoot water skiing===
[[File:Barefoot Waterskier Michael French.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Barefoot skiing]] on [[Lake Ozonia]] in the Adirondacks]]
{{main|Barefoot skiing}}
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. The [[wetsuit]] also allows the skier to do starts in the water where they lie on their back. Unlike a normal life jacket, the "barefoot wetsuit" allows the skier to glide on their back on top of the water once they reach a high enough speed. 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. A rule of thumb for barefoot water skiing speed in miles per hour is (M/10)+18=S, where M equals the skier's weight in pounds. In other words, a {{convert|175|lb|abbr=on}} person would have to divide 175/10, which is 17.5; then simply add 17.5+18 which equals {{convert|35.5|mph|km/h}}.

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. Once the bare footer is good enough, he/she will go behind the boat with a long rope.

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===
[[File:4high.jpg|thumb|right|Water ski pyramid with 18 skiers Lake Zumbro, Minnesota, August 2010]]
Show skiing is a type of water skiing where skiers perform tricks somewhat similar to those of [[gymnasts]] while being pulled by the boat. 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 US, each team member must be a member of [[USA Water Ski]] to compete.

The first organized show occurred in 1928.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.usawaterski.org/pages/divisions/showski/ShowSkiHistory.htm | title = National Show Ski Association: A Brief History of Show Skiing | publisher = USA Water Ski | url-status = live | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131105211331/http://www.usawaterski.org/pages/divisions/showski/ShowSkiHistory.htm | archive-date = 5 November 2013 | df = dmy-all }}</ref> The bi-annual World Show Ski Championship was inaugurated in September 2012 in Janesville, Wisconsin.<ref name=2014tournament>{{citation | url = http://www.iwsf.com/dbheadlines/headlinefiles/2014%20Show%20Ski%20Tournament.pdf | title = 2014 WORLD SHOW SKI TOURNAMENT | author = Rock Aqua Jays Water Ski Club, Inc. | publisher = International Waterski & Wakeboard Federation | access-date = 29 October 2013 | url-status = live | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131022053225/http://www.iwsf.com/dbheadlines/headlinefiles/2014%20Show%20Ski%20Tournament.pdf | archive-date = 22 October 2013 | df = dmy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.usawaterski.org/pages/calendar.html | title = Master Calendar of Events | date = 28 October 2013 | publisher = USA Water Ski | quote = 9/12 – 9/14[2014] &ndash; 2nd IWWF World Show Ski Tournament &ndash; Janesville, Wis. | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131020030123/http://www.usawaterski.org/pages/calendar.html | archive-date = 20 October 2013 | df = dmy-all | access-date = 29 October 2013 }}</ref> Past competition included teams from Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, and the United States.<ref name=2014tournament/>

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

===Ski racing===
[[File:Women's round of the Barry Carne Interstate Ski Challenge.jpg|thumb|Ski racing in Australia]]

Water ski racing consists of 1 or 2 skiers per boat who race around a set course behind boats set up for this type of event. It can occur in a 'circle' or lap format type racing or on river courses offering longer distances and higher speeds. Races can be timed events such as 20 minute races and up to 1 hour or on courses where race distance can be over 100&nbsp;km in length.

Speeds vary by classes but can reach up to 200&nbsp;km/h. Boats can be inboards or outboards and are generally between 19 and 21 feet in length. Outboards are commonly 300HP and Inboards around 1,300HP (majority are turbocharged).

Current format world championship racing involves men's and women's open (unrestricted), and men's and women formula 2 (limited to single rig, 300&nbsp;hp outboards, as well as junior classes for under 17's. The World Championships are held every 2 years with the most recent being 2019 in Vichy, France.

Major events include the [[Southern 80]] (Echuca Victoria Australia), the Diamond Race (Viersel Belgium), the Catalina ski race (Long Beach CA United States), and the [[Bridge to Bridge]] (Sydney Australia). Races can have anywhere from 10 boats to 150 boats competing (grouped by engine size and age classes).

===Disabled===
[[File:Sit-ski-slalom.jpg|thumb|A disabled water skier on a slalom sit ski]]
Disabled water skiing uses equipment or other adaptations to allow disabled people to compete in standard 3 event skiing. Seated water skis, special handles, audio slalom gear, and other adaptations are all used for different disabilities.