Waterskiing

THE majority of British waterskiiers ride for fun and to keep fit but as well as being a popular recreational activity it is also a competitive sport.

Competitive waterskiing is divided into seven sports divisions: barefoot, cable, kneeboard, racing, tournament, disabled and wakeboard.

Of these only kneeboard has no European or world titled events. The rest of the divisions have European and World Championships every one or two years.

To compete in any of the divisions you need to be a member of British Water Ski and hold a competitive licence (or boarding pass) issued by the relevant divisional committee.

Tournament water ski is the original form of waterskiing, from which all other forms have been derived. It has become one of the world's leading water recreation activities and a competitive sport enjoyed by men and women.

In competition, tournament water ski divides into three events: slalom, tricks and jumping with a winner in each event and an overall winner.

In the slalom section a boat is driven down the centre of a line of buoys at a speed of 58 km/h for men and 55 km/h for women.

The skier has to enter through the first set of gate buoys and then ski round six buoys, right and left alternately, exiting through the last set of gate buoys.

Places to waterski Llangorse Lake Water Ski Club Brecon Beacons National Park Brecon Deeside Waterski Club Connah's Quay, Deeside, North Wales

Once this has been done successfully the rope is shortened to make the next pass more difficult. In fact the line can get so short that the distance from the boat to the buoys that the skier goes round is less than the rope length.

For the tricks section each skier is given two 20-second passes in which he has the freedom to complete as many tricks as possible. The tricks may vary from simple 180 degree turns on the surface of the water to a somersault with twist. The points awarded for each trick are based on the difficulty of that trick.

Finally it's the jumping section when the skier passes over a ramp (six-foot for men and five-foot for women), lands and recovers to ski through a set course.

Each skier has three attempts at the ramp. The idea is to get as wide as possible to the side of the boat and cut as late as possible at the ramp to generate the most speed and then spring off the top of the ramp. All that matters is the distance jumped and not the style use to achieve that distance.

Overall after all three events are completed the results from each are combined, on the basis of a special calculating method, to give an overall result.