Water skiing

Water skiing is one of the most popular water sports. Sport involves the use of skis of a special shape that glide easily over the water surface. At the same time, the athlete is pulled by the halyard (rope) by a boat or jet ski. At first glance, it may seem that they look like regular winter skis, however, this is not so. Water skis are much wider and shorter, they can have a specially selected geometry, due to which they provide athletes with glide and stability on the water surface. This entertainment became so popular that they even wanted to make it an Olympic sport.

Water skiing was created in America at the beginning of the 20th century, and this sport came to the Soviet Union in the late 50s and early 60s. Gagarin was a big fan of this entertainment, who contributed to its popularization on the territory of our country. Initially, they were made of wood, but over time they switched to synthetic materials, in particular, expanded plastic (polyurethane foam), which are much lighter and stronger, and glide better in water. They are made with a special grooved profile that provides additional stability compared to old wooden skis.

The minimum set of equipment required for water skiing includes the skis themselves, a vehicle that will pull the athlete (boat or jet ski), a halyard, and a life jacket.