Water skiing represents movement on water on special water skis, while the athlete holds on to a cable connected to a boat or other watercraft that provides movement.
The first water skis appeared in America, in Minnesota in 1922. Ralph Samuelson decided to experiment with winter skis- put them on the water. He took two pine boards, equipped them with special fasteners for the legs, and then successfully tested his invention on the waters of a nearby lake. In 1925, Ralph first tried to jump over a springboard, which he invented himself. For even more adrenaline instead motor boat he used a low-flying plane that took off about 50 meters from the ground.
However, few people knew about this discovery, and in 1925, American Fred Walter filed the first patent for water skis with the name “Dolphin”. He is considered the official inventor of this projectile and, as a result, the sport.
The third inventor of water skis was Washington State representative Don Ibsen. He, not knowing about the discoveries already made, came up with his own design, which was in many ways similar to the previous ones.
Gradually, interest in this sport grew and, accordingly, its geography grew. As its popularity grew, the equipment for this sport changed and was modernized. The first competitions - slalom - were held on a track whose buoys were located in one straight line close to each other. Only men took part in the competition and had the right to make only three attempts. Figure skiing is another water skiing discipline. The most difficult figure was considered to be riding on one ski, holding the towing ring with your foot.
In the 30s, the Swiss Water Ski Federation was created, as well as the American Water Ski Association. The International Water Ski Federation was formed a little later - in 1946. The first world water skiing competitions were held in Geneva in 1948. After several world championships, it was decided to organize such events every two years, in odd-numbered years. This is how the development of water skiing began.
Currently, there are several disciplines that relate to water skiing. To begin with, it is worth saying that they are all divided into pairs (figure and jumping water skis) and singles (figure and slalom monoskis). Figure skis are short, wide, slightly curved at both ends. Jumpers have a strongly curved nose and great length. A slalom ski is long, curved at the front and tapered at the back.
In slalom, athletes compete (on one or two skis) to navigate a course on which six buoys are located on either side of the boat's line of motion; the result is determined by the number of buoys correctly bypassed by the athlete when the conditions of the race become more difficult. In figure skating competitions, in two periods of 20 seconds each, an athlete must perform as many different figures as possible (turns of 90, 180, 360 or more degrees, side slides), each of which is scored with a certain number of points.
For ski jumping, an inclined wooden flooring with a maximum height of 180 cm for men and 150 cm for women is used; boat speed is no more than 57 km/h for men and 45 km/h for women.
Of course, in some ways, water skis are similar to winter skis, but they are made of a special material, have a larger width and an unusual geometry. A slalom ski also has a keel. Modern water skis are made of polyurethane foam - foamed plastic, although old ones can still be found at water bases wooden skis.
It is worth noting that today water skiing has become so spectacular and interesting that already in 2004 one of the National Olympic Committees recommended including it in the program Olympic Games. Well, perhaps such a decision will be made very soon.
Water skiing is a beautiful and exciting sport. The combination of sun, blue skies and refreshing water when practicing water skiing gives this sport a feeling of constant celebration. This is one of the few sports that can provide constant pleasure from training.
Water skiing is a relatively simple types water sports.
For amateur riding they do not require any special special training or long training. It is enough to simply show how to place your feet correctly and make a strong grip with your hands. This sport does not require special physical strength and is available for both adults and children.
The principle of movement on water skis is that a person, being on a board or water skis, moves through the water due to the speed given to him. This speed can be the speed of a wave or a boat.
Water, having the property of volume, buoyancy force and surface tension force, creates an elastic base under a moving board and the higher the speed, the denser the water for the skier.
The most commonly used is the power and speed of the boat. Skis are attached to it using special cables.
There are paired and single ski options.
Among single options there are also types:
- curly
- mono (slalom) skis.
Paired water skis designed for making more complex geometric figures, pirouettes and jumps while skating.
water skiing similar to snow skis, but they are made of a special material and have their own geometry for gliding on water.
In figure skis Both sides are slightly bent, the jumping ones are only bent at one end and are long. The mono ski is also long and has a turned up toe and a slightly curved back.
Initially, water skis were made from carefully processed wood. Now skis are made from a special plastic that has a low coefficient of friction and glides well through the water. Plastic skis are more stable and stable on the water due to a specially made profile. In addition, they are more durable and reliable.
Basic rules of water skiing.
Water skiing is based on athletes skiing on the surface of the water.
Skis are attached to a moving boat, with which you can make various jumps from springboards on the water, figure skating on skis.
Professional athletes compete on the difficulty of completing routes. The competition on one or two skis takes place on a track where six buoys are located. They need to complete the course without mistakes.
Figure skating
A more skillful activity, since athletes need to perform many different interesting figures with turns at any degree.
It is advisable to perform as many different figures as possible in two approaches of twenty seconds. Each trick is worth a certain number of points. The complexity of the figures and pirouettes made is assessed.
By using wooden flooring perform ski jumping.
The length of the jump is measured from the edge of the feet leaving the springboard to the feet touching the water. In order to jump correctly, you must follow the jumping technique. To perform ski jumping, a springboard is pre-installed in the water, onto which the skier passes.
His main task is to show a “high-quality” jump with a good distance and quality of execution.
Water slalom is different maneuvering movements at speed, at a distance of buoys from each other.
There are many types of water skiing. One of them includes the famous surfing. Unfortunately, surfing in Russia is not popular enough, but no matter what water sport you take up, it will bring you many pleasant moments, health and a great mood!
Water skiing.
Water skiing is a competition of athletes moving on the surface of the water on water skis behind a tow, to which the athlete is connected with a halyard (flexible towing rope). The tow can be a watercraft, such as a boat, or a main tow rope, moved between fixed supports using an electric motor and a system of rollers.
Water skis come in singles and pairs.
Pair water skis include figure skis and jump skis.
Single water skis include figure and slalom (mono) skis.
Figure skis are short, wide, slightly curved at both ends.
Jumpers are long, with a strongly curved nose.
A slalom ski is long, with a curved tip and is tapered at the back.
At first glance, water skiing vaguely resembles winter skiing. But water skis are wider, have a special geometry and are made of a special material. In addition, slalom skis have a keel on their tails (the side that glides through the water).
At the dawn of water skiing, skis were made from specially treated wood. Nowadays, most water skis are made from foamed plastic - polyurethane foam, since it has significantly less weight and has better glide than wood (although wooden water skis can still be found at various recreation centers and rental points to this day).
Modern plastic water skis have a special groove-shaped profile sliding surface, which makes them more stable than wood.
History of water skiing.
The birthplace of water skiing is the USA, and by coincidence, the inventors of water skiing were three people.
The first was the American Ralph Samuelson, who loved to ride alpine skiing, but the mountains were far away, and his city of Lake City (Minnesota) is located next to the Great American Lakes. In 1922, Samuelson came up with a fantastic idea - to get on skis and ride them across the lake. I tried it and it worked.
So 1922 became the year of the birth of water skiing. Ralph's water skis were a little long by today's standards: length 244 cm and width 23 cm. But this did not stop Samuelson from successfully skiing on them on Lake Michigan and in Florida. Three years later, Ralph made a small wooden diving board and made his first water ski jump from it. On Lake Papin, Samuelson used an airplane flying over the surface of the water at a low altitude as a tow.
Not knowing about Samuelson’s invention, in 1925 Fred Waller (USA) received the first ever patent for a water ski model he had invented, also made of pine,
And in 1928, Don Ibsen from Bellevue, Washington, unaware of previous discoveries, invented his water skis and thus became the third person recognized as the inventor of this sport.
Water skiing quickly found many fans. And with the increase in the number and skill of water skiers, water skis and other equipment used began to improve, and special towing boats began to be built.
The first water ski slalom competitions were held on a track where the buoys were placed in a straight line with fairly small intervals.
Only men took part in the jumps. Each participant was entitled to three attempts.
IN figure skating One of the most difficult maneuvers was riding on one ski while holding the tow rope with the other foot.
At the end of the 1930s, the Swiss Water Ski Federation and the American Water Ski Association were created.
The International Water Ski Federation was officially proclaimed in Geneva in 1946. Its first president was the Swiss Andre Couto.
The first European Championship was held in Geneva in 1948. The first winners were Frenchman Jean-Pierre Musset and Swiss water skier Monique Grammont.
In 1949, the first World Championships were held in the French town of Juan-les-Pains. 19 people from 5 countries took part in it - 15 men and 4 women. The second World Championship was held in the famous American Cypress Gardens of Florida, and after the third World Championship in Toronto in Canada, it was decided to hold the World Championships regularly every two years in odd-numbered years.
The emergence of water skiing in Russia.
In Russia (USSR), the first water skis appeared in the mid-1950s. Pilots, cosmonauts, and academicians were fond of them. The first cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin was a great admirer of water skiing, on whose initiative the All-Union Water Skiing Federation was created in 1956.
It all started with the fact that the Queen of Great Britain gave Yuri Gagarin a boat, and water skiing became his favorite sport. Gagarin also got many of his colleagues interested in water skiing - pilot-cosmonauts Leonov and Demin took an active part in the work of the Water Ski Federation.
Interestingly, the famous Soviet figure skaters Belousova and Protopopov included water skiing in their summer training.
Types of water skiing.
Water ski slalom.
Of the three classical disciplines, the first competitions are held in slalom. To this day, slalom remains the most common sport among amateurs and professionals. Water ski slalom differs from alpine ski slalom in one significant detail, namely the absence of time calculation. The slalom course has standard sizes. The boat moves along the route at a constant speed, measured by an automatic device. At this time, the water skier must go around six buoys, evenly spaced to the right and left of the middle of the boat by 11.5 m. The athlete covers the distance multiple times in both directions, and the level of difficulty is constantly increasing, since the speed of the boat with each new passage increases by 3 km/h (max. up to 55 km/h for women and up to 58 km/h for men). If the skier goes around all the buoys at a maximum speed of 55-58 km/h, during the next run the halyard is shortened from 18.25 to 16 m. Further shortening: 14.25 - 13.00 - 12.00 - 11.25 - 10.75 - 9.75 m. The skier who circles all the buoys without skipping (1, 1/2 and 1/4 buoys count) is the winner. In case of a fall, all buoys passed so far are counted. The starting speed in the open class is 55 km/h for women and 58 km/h for men. In the junior class, speeds decrease accordingly.
Figure skating water skiing.
In figure skating, the athlete feels freer than in other disciplines. The athlete himself determines the length of the halyard and the speed of the boat. There is a list of figures approved by the International Federation that a water skier can include in his two programs of 20 seconds each. Each figure is counted once, i.e. if an athlete performs a figure a second time in one of the programs, it is not counted again. Figure skating is judged by total points. Each of the figures in the list has a certain “cost” depending on the complexity of the figure’s execution. So, for example, figures with “waves” (performed while lifting off the water) are more complex and therefore rated higher than “smooth” figures performed without lifting off from the water. Figures on one ski are valued higher than figures on two skis. The degree of difficulty increases with increasing number of revolutions. Rotations are carried out at 90, 180, 360, 540, 720 and 900 degrees. The skier must show maximum quantity figures in both programs. In case of a fall, all figures completed before the fall are counted. Judges on the ground record the figures and evaluate their correct execution. The points are summed up and the winner is the athlete who scores more points (higher results were shown, the issue of assigning record status is being considered).
Jumping water skiing.
The most spectacular discipline in water skiing is ski jumping. This discipline requires from the athlete not only great endurance, but also enviable courage. In competitions, the athlete is given three attempts to jump. The length of the jump is the distance from the edge of the diving board to the point where the skier touches the surface of the water. An attempt is counted if the skier was able to reach the 100-meter gate while standing on his skis. Maximum speed boat speed for women is 54 km/h, for men - 57 km/h. The length of the halyard is 23 m. Women choose a springboard height of 1.5 m or 1.65 m, men - 1.65 m or 1.8 m. To make the jump as long as possible, the athlete first goes as wide as possible to the right of the boat, turns skis in the direction of the jump as late as possible and rides, crossing the line of the boat to increase its own speed. The world's best jumpers reach speeds of 120 km/h. The skier's splashdown point is visualized by instruments from the shore, and the degree of angle is transmitted to the computer, which calculates the length of the jump with an accuracy of 10 cm, or the length of the jump is calculated by connecting 2 video cameras and a computer. The farthest of the 3 jumps counts. The skier who jumps the furthest is the winner.
Water skiing. History of water skiing.
Have you ever seen water skiing? Admire how athletes glide through the water without visible effort and think: “I want that too!” Whether you are learning yourself or teaching your children, here are some tips and proper preparation will help you learn to ride without any problems. We will talk about pair skiing.
Steps
Part 1
Preparing for water skiingWear a life jacket. You need a life jacket that covers your chest, stomach and back. It needs to be sized and put on correctly so that if you fall, it will stay in place and not slide up.
Buy water skis. You're looking for a classic pair ski that's suitable for beginners. One of the skis in such a pair has a rear loop mount behind the usual binding (so that in the future, having mastered water skiing, you can ski on one ski). Beginner skis are usually wider and therefore more stable on the water. They vary depending on the weight of the athlete, so it is important to choose the right size.
Consider bolting your skis together. Training skis for children can often be joined together so that the child’s legs do not move apart. Children usually have difficulty handling skis and holding them together, so this type of connection will be of great benefit at the first stage.
Use the correct cable. The tow rope (halyard) for water skis stretches only slightly and has a length of 22.5 m from the handle to the opposite end. Do not use wakeboarding cable as it is too stiff or the cable is very elastic.
Learn the necessary signals. There are seven different signs that every water skier should know. They are important for providing signals to the boat driver while water skiing.
For safety reasons, get a water ski flag. The towing boat must have a special flag. It is usually brightly colored (orange) and serves as a signal to other vessels that a skier is in the water. Whenever a skier is in the water, but not skiing, the flag must be flown so that it can be seen by other boats.
Learn correct position, for starters, on the shore. The correct starting position in water skiing is a tuck while sitting on the skis (“bomb”).
Drive at a constant speed. It is important that the towboat driver does not change speed so that the skier can move smoothly. If there is a sudden change in speed or turn, it will be very difficult for a beginning athlete to maintain balance.
Choose a time when the water is calm. It is good to water ski in the early morning when there is complete calm. Later in the day, heavy traffic can cause the water to become choppy.
Maintain the correct speed. Towing speed will vary depending on the weight of the skier and their level of skiing, but there are general guidelines. Children should be towed at the lowest speed possible so that they do not become submerged. The speeds listed below are recommended for pair skiing.
Stay away from moorings and the shore. When turning, the athlete can be thrown sharply, so it is important to remain at a sufficient distance from the pier and other obstacles. Also, if the skier lets go of the line, it can fly quite far before it sinks in, so keep that in mind.
Make sure that the athlete is in your field of vision at all times. Usually there should be an observer on the boat to watch the skier in case he falls or gives a signal. It is difficult for the driver himself to simultaneously drive the boat and watch the athlete.
Stop the propeller completely when recovering a fallen skier. It is smarter and safer to always stop the propeller when there is a person nearby in the water. As you get closer, turn off the engine and let the boat move forward with momentum until it is level with the skier.
Part 3
Water skiing- While the cable is being tensioned, the skier can move forward slightly. Be careful to maintain your balance and starting position.
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Tell the boat driver "Ready!" to start moving. Shout “ready!” to the driver, signaling that you are ready to start. The boat takes off quickly. Stay grouped and remain calm and confident. In order to get into water skiing with ease, it is important to be relaxed and confident.
Lean back and let the boat pull you along. Maintain your initial tuck by leaning back slightly with your arms straight out in front of you and allow the boat to lift you to your feet. The skis should be directly underneath you, although you are leaning back a little. Don't get up right away.
Keep your knees bent. Bent knees mandatory both before the start and when you get to your feet on water skis. This will help you maintain the necessary balance and control your skis better.
Lift only when you feel confident and balanced. If you feel confident and don't lose your balance while towing a boat, try standing up. Your ski feet should remain directly underneath you; simply straighten your legs while continuing to lean back slightly and keep your arms straight out in front of you.
If you fall the first time, try again. When you're just learning to water ski, maintaining your balance can be difficult. Be patient and believe in yourself. If you start to feel frustrated, you can rest and then try again.
Use the EZ Trainer Ski to help your child get comfortable with water skiing. This simulator (the original name is “EZ ski trainer”) will help the child get used to towing before getting on real water skis. This device is similar to an inflatable jet ski that can be pulled on a cable. On it, the child will be able to gain confidence, learn to hold the handle correctly and maintain balance.
Put on your water skis. Sit on the boat or dock and put on your skis. They should be adjusted to fit your foot and you just need to slide your foot into the mount. The attachment should fit snugly around your foot, so you may have to wiggle your foot back and forth to get it in all the way.
Hold the cable firmly with your hands. Grasp the cable handle with both hands, keeping them next to each other. When pair skiing, the palms of both hands should face down. The grip must be strong. Stretch your arms straight out in front of you.
Pull your knees toward your chest, keeping your hands at the sides of your knees and the cable between your skis. Let your life jacket keep you on the water. Lean back. Pull your knees to your chest, clasping them with your arms outside as if hugging.
Point your skis straight ahead, keeping them together and tips up. While in the position described in the previous step (leaning back, knees pulled up to the chest), point the skis so that their ends protrude from the water. The skis should face forward and be close together. The distance between them should not exceed the width of your hip.
Stretch your arms forward so that the taut rope lifts you out of the water. The cable should be located between the skis. Extend your arms in front of you, holding the handle firmly with both hands between your torso and the ends of the skis. This point is of great importance for starting water skiing.
You can ask someone to help you until you achieve balance. If you are close to the shore, someone can hold you down to help keep your skis together and balance while you are in the starting position described above.
Make sure the cable is tight before starting. When the boat starts moving, the cable should not slack, otherwise the skier will be pulled forward strongly and lose his balance. When the athlete grabs the rope, the boat can move away at low speed until the tow rope is taut.
Part 4
Water skiingKeep your knees bent at all times. Bent knees will help absorb any shocks when the boat crosses waves or breakers, maintain balance and stay on your feet.
Keep your arms straight and let the boat pull you forward. Do not try to pull yourself forward or balance by pulling on the tow rope. You should simply allow the boat to pull you along the line.
Or another floating device that provides forward motion.
Riding on the Volga
Water skis come in singles and pairs. Pairs include: figure and jumping. For singles: figure and slalom (mono) skis. Figure skis are short, wide, slightly curved at both ends. Jumpers are long, with a strongly curved nose. A slalom ski is long, with a curved tip and is tapered at the back. At first glance, water skiing vaguely resembles winter skiing. But water skis are wider, have a special geometry and are made of a special material. In addition, slalom skis have a keel on their tails (the side that glides through the water).
At the dawn of water skiing, skis were made from specially treated wood. Nowadays, most water skis are made from foamed plastic - polyurethane foam, since it has significantly less weight and has better glide than wood (although wooden water skis can still be found at various recreation centers and rental points to this day).
Modern plastic skis have a special groove-shaped sliding surface profile, which makes them more stable than wooden ones.
Today this sport has become so spectacular and popular that in 1998 the National Olympic Committee of Greece recommended introducing water skiing into the program of the 2004 Olympics in Athens.
Story
Water skiing first appeared in 1922, when an American from Minnesota, Ralph Samuelson, experimenting with regular winter skis, decided to try them on the water. He equipped two wide pine boards with fasteners for the legs. After which the inventor successfully tested the skis on the waters of the lake Pepin (English). Archived from the original on August 17, 2012. near the city of Lake City.
Not knowing about Samuelson's invention, in 1925 Fred Waller (USA) received the first ever patent for the water ski model he invented, also made of pine, “Dolphin Akwa-Skees”.
In 1928, Don Ibsen of Bellevue, Washington, unaware of previous discoveries, invented his water ski and thus became the third person recognized as the inventor of this sport.
The three pairs of skis that appeared were very similar to each other: they were all made of pine, with a special impregnation, and had rubber fastenings for the feet.
Water skiing in the USSR began to develop in the late 50s - early 60s of the 20th century. In 1964, largely on the initiative of the first cosmonaut of the Earth, Yu. A. Gagarin, who was an ardent fan of water skiing, the country's Water Ski Federation was created, and in 1965 the first USSR water skiing championship was held. In 1977, Marina Cheresova, a student of the water ski school of the brothers Valery and Yuri Nekhaevsky from the city of Dubna (Moscow region), was the first Soviet water skier to set a European record in figure skating on water skiing; in 1979, her classmate Natalya Rumyantseva, also the first water skier of the USSR, set a world record in this event and became world champion. The name of this athlete is immortalized in the Hall of Fame of the International Water Ski and Wakeboard Federation (IWWF): she holds 5 world and 7 European records in figure skating in water skiing, 4 gold medals at the World Championships and 24 gold medals at the European Championships.
Links
See also
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
- Water tyrants
- Water Gate (Stargate SG-1)
See what “Waterskiing” is in other dictionaries:
Water skiing- Water skiing. WATER SKIING, a competition of athletes sliding in tow behind a boat on the surface of the water on special skis. As a sport, it was formed in the 1930s. in the USA; since the 1950s cultivated in the USSR. Founded in 1947... ... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary
WATER SKIING- WATER SKIING, a competition of athletes sliding in tow behind a boat on the surface of the water on special skis. As a sport, it was formed in the 1930s. in the USA; since the 1950s cultivated in the USSR. The World Water Ski Union was founded in 1947... Modern encyclopedia
WATER SKIING- a sport based on the movement of an athlete through the water on special skis with the help of a towing boat. As a sport, it was formed in the 1930s. in the USA. The International Water Ski Federation (founded in 1947) includes St. 60... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary
water skiing- a sport based on the movement of an athlete through the water on special skis with the help of a towing boat. As a sport, it was formed in the 1930s. in the USA. The International Water Ski Federation (founded in 1947) includes about... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary
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Water skiing- a sport based on the movement of an athlete on the surface of the water on water skis with the help of a towing boat; includes slalom, ski jumping, figure skating, and various all-around events. Usually… … Great Soviet Encyclopedia
water skiing- Moving on water on special skis with the help of a towing boat; kind of sport... Dictionary of many expressions
long distance water skiing- ilgųjų nuotolių vandens slidinėjimas statusas T sritis Kūno kultūra ir sportas apibrėžtis Vandens sporto varžybų rūšis – slydimas vandens paviršiumi kuo ilgesnį nuotolį nesustojant. Yra žinomas toks rekordas: slidininkas per daugiau kaip 35 val.… … Sporto terminų žodynas
water skiing with hang glider- vandens slidinėjimas su skraidykle statusas T sritis Kūno kultūra ir sportas apibrėžtis Pramoginė vandens sporto šaka – sportininko su skraidykle, tempiamo 50 km/val. (ir daugiau) greičiu, slydimas vandeniu, pakilimas į orą ir sklandymas.… … Sporto terminų žodynas
speed water skiing- greitasis vandens slidinėjimas statusas T sritis Kūno kultūra ir sportas apibrėžtis Vandens sporto varžybų rūšis – slydimas vandens paviršiumi, stengiantis įgyti kuo didesnį greitį. Geriausi sportininkai vyrai slysta iki 200 km/val., moterys –… … Sporto terminų žodynas
