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Waterski and Wakeboard
Disciplines at The World Games 2025: Cable Wakeboard, Wakeboard Freestyle, Wake Surf
Wakeboarding is a water sport in which an athlete riding on a wakeboard (a board with foot bindings) is towed behind a boat using a rope, or by a cable skimming the surface. It is attractive to spectators because of the spectacular performances of the athletes in performing tricks and jumps. The sport combines artistry with strength.
In Wakeboard Freestyle a boat is used to tow the athlete. In Cable Wakeboard riders are pulled by a specially set-up cable, encountering structures on the course – e.g. ramps, rails and ‘A-frames’ – to expand creativity of the runs. In both formats, athletes aim to perform a smooth-flowing routine with a wide variety of tricks and jumps.
In Wakesurfing, a rider trails behind a boat, riding the boat's wake. After getting up on the wake, typically by use of a tow rope, the wakesurfer drops the rope and rides the steep face below the wave's peak, as in surfing, for at least 45 seconds. The format at The World Games 2025 is Wakesurf Skim, where athletes use a thinner profile of surfboard (a ‘skimboard’) designed for riding wakes at high speed.
In all disciplines, riders score points in three categories: Execution, Intensity and Composition. Performances with much variety and clean action, often high above the water, score well. Athletes tackle the course twice.
Waterskiing is an outdoor surface water sport in which an individual is pulled behind a boat or a cable skimming the surface on two skis, or one ski (Slalom). It has strong spectator appeal because of the spectacular performances of the athletes. The sport combines artistry with strength.
Four disciplines have been on the programme during the period 1981-2022: Slalom (course with six buoys), Trick (creativity with complex manœuvres), Jump (acrobatic with impressive risks taken by athletes) and Barefoot waterskiing.
In the Trick discipline, the highest points score dictates the winner. Each trick has a designated points score. In Jump, the skier achieving the highest length wins the competition.
Federation: International Waterski and Wakeboard Federation (IWWF), www.iwwf.sport
