Grupo Mayan Resorts: Water Skiing
January 28th, 2009
The Grupo Mayan resorts are well known destinations for lovers of water sports. One of our guests’ favorite water sports is water skiing. Here, the Grupo Mayan water sport professionals share a little of the history of water skiing.
The Grupo Mayan pros tell us that water skiing first appeared in the United States in 1922 when Ralph Samuelson created the first pair of water skis. He put on his “new” water skis and was towed behind a power boat.
Water skiing soon became a demonstration sport throughout the world. It formally became a competitive sport in 1939. The American Water Ski Association was formed and the National Water Ski Championships were first held in New York.
Water skiing, say the Grupo Mayan professionals, is a family friendly water sport. Traditionally only enjoyed by those wealthy enough to own a boat, water skiing is now affordable for many families. If you do not own a boat, most marinas will rent boats on a daily basis. Some marinas and sports stores also rent the equipment you will need for water skiing.
The Grupo Mayan staff says that water skiing is not only a recreational sport; it is a very popular competitive sport. USA Water Ski hosts over 900 tournaments each year. These competitions range from small to large and are for every type of water skier, from the novice to the professional. Competitions traditionally include three events: the slalom, trick water skiing, and jumping. There are even water skiing tournaments for disabled water skiers.
The three events in a water skiing competition are slalom, trick skiing, and jumping, according to the Grupo Mayan water sport professionals. In slalom water skiing the contestant skis a crisscross course of six buoys. The boat speed is increased until a maximum rate for the competition is reached. The winner is the skier who makes the most buoys without a fall.
In trick skiing, the contestant performs two routines of tricks that each have an assigned point value, say the Grupo Mayan pros. Some of the most difficult tricks are wake flips and turns performed with the towrope attached to the skier’s foot.
In jumping the skier is going for distance. Some men skiers, according to the Grupo Mayan pros, jump more than 230 feet off a six-foot-high ramp. Women competitors are able to jump more than 170 feet using a five-foot-high ramp.
The success of water skiing and water skiing tournaments has led to the success of tournaments for other water sports such as knee boarding and wake boarding. The events and rules for these sports are similar to those for water skiing.
The Grupo Mayan staff hopes that you will take time to get in a little water skiing while on vacation at a Grupo Mayan resort. We have all the equipment you need and will be happy to offer instruction to any guests who are new to the sport. Our staff hopes to see you on the water!