Slalom Skiing
Slalom skiing is about timing and rhythm. A skier negotiates his/her way through a slalom course by rounding six buoys in an alternating left-right pattern. To run the course, the skier must pass through an entrance gate, ski around all six turn buoys, and ski out through the exit gate. Once the maximum speed is achieved, the rope is shortened at the completion of each pass, thus making it more difficult to reach the buoys on each subsequent pass. A skier's turn continues until they miss or fall. An athlete receives one point for each consecutive buoy. The athlete with the most buoys wins the event.
At the collegiate level, the maximum speed for men is 36 mph (58 kph) and 34 mph (55 kph) for women. Once a skier is at the maximum speed, the rope is shortened to make the six buoys progressively harder. The minimum speed for both men and women is 19 mph. A typical collegiate tournament hosts skiers of ALL ability levels. At the elite level, the rope length of 11.25 meters (38' off a 75' rope) is shorter than the distance of the buoy from the boat, calling for hairpin turns and aggressiveness behind the boat.
The boats also have "cruise control" to regulate the speeds through the slalom course to make the conditions fair to all skiers. This system has been perfected over the years to get within 1/100th of an actual time through the slalom course. |
|
Trick Skiing
|
Trick skiing is the gymnastics of our sport. This event takes great coordination and balance to accomplish the intricate maneuvers. In collegiate events, a competitor has one 20-second pass to complete as many tricks as possible using one or two skis. Each trick had an assigned point value and can only be done once in the pass. Usually each pass is performed with "hand tricks," where the handle is held in the hands, or "toehold tricks" where the contestant's foot is attached to the handle. At the collegiate level, a wakeboard can also be used however tricks are scored at 1/2 the point value of a "one ski" trick pass.
Each trick run is scored by 3 judges who occupy an elevated platform onshore. The judges call out the tricks as they are performed and determine if they were done according to the rules. The competitor who earns the most points wins. |
Jump Skiing
The jump event is an extreme event for adrenaline junkies. This event generates a lot of excitement at tournaments because of the risk that an athlete takes to see how far they can fly. The object is plain and simple: jump as far as you can, and the longest jump wins. Each competitor has three passes through the jump course during his/her turn. For a jump to count, the skier must ride away from the landing. Collegiate competitions in the Midwest typically have a wide range of jumping abilities. Many of the skiers are just "riding over" the jump at speeds as slow as 24 mph while more experiences jumpers are making full cuts at the ramp at a max speed of 32 mph.
The boats are installed with "cruise control" to ensure the athlete gets consistent pulls on each of their jumps. High end jumpers are accelerating at speeds in excess of 65 mph, so it is very important that the boat and cruise control are setup properly to make the competition fair. Distances are computed instantaneously through video triangulation, and communicated to the jumper before the next jump. |
|