AccessoriesWater skiing - balance and body control on two skis

Jan-Ole Puls

 · 12.07.2024

The start is particularly important, and the skis and the view should be in the direction of travel
Photo: Malte Stolley
One of the classics: water skiing. Balance and body tension are required on two boards. Water skiing is not just a leisure sport, but also a competitive sport

Water skiing is a water sport in which the rider stands on skis and is pulled across the surface of the water by a motorised boat. Riding requires good balance and body control, as the rider has to remain stable on the skis while the boat travels at around 13 knots. The speed and physical demands are therefore very similar to wakeboarding.

You can ride on various bodies of water, preferably with water that is as shallow as possible. In addition to the water skis, the equipment also includes a life jacket and often a wetsuit to keep the rider warm. Beginners usually start with wider skis, which offer more buoyancy and are easier to control. Advanced riders can ride on monoskis or perform various tricks and jumps.

Water skiing is not just a recreational sport, but also a competitive sport in which athletes compete against each other in disciplines such as slalom, trick skiing and jumping skiing. If you want, you can also go barefoot water skiing, but then without skis. Take a look at it for yourself.

Valuation

  • Fun factor: 7/10
  • Difficulty: 6/10
  • Stowage size: 6/10
  • Train speed up to: 13 Knots
  • Price: 230 €

Conclusion

Similar to wakeboarding, it takes some practice. Anyone who has skied before will certainly find it a little easier


To the other test reports: Wakeboard, water ski & Co.


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Jan-Ole Puls

Jan-Ole Puls

Editor Test & Technology

Ole Puls was born in Schleswig in 1999. He quickly swapped the football pitch for the Schlei and grew up sailing a wide variety of dinghies and tall ships. From his grandfather's self-built wooden opti and a Europe to a 49er and an X362 Sport, there was a lot to choose from. After leaving school, Puls decided to train as a boat builder at the high-tech shipyard Knierim Yachtbau in Kiel in 2016. He successfully completed his training in 2020 and stayed at the shipyard as a bachelor. In 2022, he decided not only to build boats, but also to test them. Since then, he has been working for Delius Klasing Verlag in the Test & Technology section of BOOTE magazine. The training he received and the eye for detail and quality of workmanship he acquired help him immensely today. Even though he is a regatta sailor with heart and soul, he feels right at home on motorboats and enjoys separating his professional and private lives and yet combining them. Because we all know one thing: there is simply no better place to be than on the water.

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