Wakeboarding is a surface Watersport. It was created from a combination of water skiing, snow boarding and surfing techniques. Before it was called wakeboarding it was called skurfing (skate + surfing). As in water skiing, the rider is towed behind a boat, or a cable skiing setup, but typically at slower speeds (16 - 23mph). Beginnners start at slower speeds such as 18mph with shorter ropes(60 - 65 ft). More experienced wakeboarders use faster speeds such as 25mph, but use longer ropes up to 80 ft long.''' Instead of using skis, the rider rides a single board, known as a wakeboard, with stationary non-release bindings for each foot, standing sideways as on a snowboard or skateboard. The boards, which can float, are typically 120 - 147cm long, depending on weight, and up to 45cm wide (shorter and wider than snowboards). Unlike snowboards, which are concave, they are convex (tips 15 - 25cm).

Wakeboarding

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Boats

A wakeboarding boat is similar to a water ski boat except that the rope is normally mounted on a tower about 2 metres above the water line and the boat is also weighted and trimmed, with strategically placed large water ballasts tanks, to give a larger wake. The wake is used as hits or ramps would be in other boardsports. Steering the board by a combination of direction and cutting the edges into the water, the rider can move outside of the wake, then cut rapidly in toward the wake, hitting it and launching himself into the air. Heading towards the wake chest facing the boat is known as heelside cutting; approaching from the other direction with chest facing away from the boat is known as toeside cutting.

Language

As with many freestyle sports such as snowboarding and surfing, there is almost a separate language of terms to describe various tricks ( Tantrum, Elephant, Backroll, 5, 7, 9, 10). Tricks can be performed from either heelside or toeside cuts, for example a toeside 360 is approaching the wake toeside followed by a 360 spin in the air.

More on [ Wakeboarding ]

USA Water Ski

Nationals' Registration Deadline Extended
Tue, 05 Aug 2008 12:02:05 -0500
The deadline to register for the 66th GOODE Water Ski National Championships, presented by Speedo, originally scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 5, has been extended to Thursday, Aug. 7. All entries will be accepted – without penalty – by USA Water Ski until 5 p.m. (EDT) on Thursday, Aug. 7.
Executive Director's Report, Aug. 5
Tue, 05 Aug 2008 08:15:30 -0500
As the 66th GOODE Water Ski National Championships approaches, we have heard through direct letters to us and on various Internet message boards, frustrations associated with the evolving GPS-based systems designed to provide accurate speed control. Within this report, I wanted to share with you a typical response being provided by USA Water Ski’s Competition Department.
Editor's Notepad, Aug. 4 Edition
Mon, 04 Aug 2008 09:32:38 -0500
My hat is off to Chris Sullivan and Radar Skis. The Open Men slalom head-to-head exhibition under the lights on Wednesday night (Aug. 13) during the 66th GOODE Water Ski National Championships, presented by Speedo, is another great way to promote the sport.
Can Am Invitational Seeks Skiers
Mon, 04 Aug 2008 09:08:33 -0500
The inaugural Can Am Invitational will take place Aug. 30-Sept. 1 at Lake of Dreams in St. Louis, Mo. Hosted by Water Ski & Wakeboard Canada, the three-event water ski tournament is a junior and 17 to 21 team competition (six skiers per team) with a two-round invitational format to be held annually. The tournament is not taking the place of the biennial Can Am Challenge, as the United States is expected to host the 2009 Can Am Challenge.
Arch Rivals Win D2 Show Nationals
Sun, 03 Aug 2008 22:41:12 -0500
The Arch Rivals of Lake St. Louis, Mo., won the team title at the eighth annual Indmar Marine Engines Division 2 Show Ski National Championships, Aug. 2-3, in Warsaw, Ind. Hosted by the Lake City Skiers, the tournament featured seven teams competing for the Division 2 show ski national title.
U.S. Dominates Pan Am Championships
Sun, 03 Aug 2008 22:12:33 -0500
All six U.S water ski teams – Elite, 17 to 20, Junior, Under 13, Veteran 1 and Veteran 2 – competing in the 2008 Pan American Water Ski Championships won gold medals at the biennial event held July 28-Aug. 3 in Medellin, Colombia. Athletes on the six U.S. teams combined to win 68 individual medals, including 33 of a possible 48 gold medals.

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