A decade ago water skiing, surfing, and wake boarding were almost non-existent but with improvements in sports gear and the safety measures, these wind and water sports are coming into demand. Such activities have transformed from being mere recreational activities to full time sports activities.

Some of the wind and water sports that are increasingly gaining huge popularity through out the world are as follows:

Wake Boarding: It is a surface water sport which involves riding a wake board over the surface of a body of water. It was developed from a combination of water skiing, snow boarding and surfing techniques. The rider is usually towed behind a motor boat.
For easy wake boarding, this is normally done in lakes. The two important components of wake boarding are the board and the boat. The most important part of the board is the fins. The wake boarder adjusts the fins according to the type of tricks he has to perform. Shallow fins are best suited for tricks. The speed of the boat plays a very important role in the performance of wake boarder and the kind of tricks he can do. The speed of the boat is altered in accordance with the water body.

Water Skiing: It’s a sport where an individual is pulled behind a boat or a cable ski installation on a body of water, skimming the surface. Water skiing usually begins with a deep water start, with the skier crouching down in the water. When the skier is ready, the driver accelerates the boat to pull the skier out of the water. In addition to the driver and the skier, a third person known as the spotter/observer should be present. The spotter’s job is to watch the skier and inform the driver if the skier falls.

Tubing: It is a recreational activity where an individual rides on top of an inner tube, either on water, snow air through air. Tubing on water generally consists of two forms: towed and free-floating, also known as river tubing. Towed tubing usually takes place on a large body of water such as a lake or river. One or more tube riders tow their tubes to a powered watercraft such as a motor boat. The riders are then towed through the water by the watercraft. In free-floating tubing, the tube riders are not towed to anything or motor boat. They are then conveyed by the current of the waterway. This is still in its nascent stage and is gaining popularity. To encourage this sports artificial rive/ courses are made in water parks to enable tubing.

Kite Surfing: It is an adventure surface water sport that is a combination of wake boarding, windsurfing, paragliding and gymnastics. The power of the wind is harnessed to propel a rider across the water on a small surfboard. A kite boarder uses a board with or without foot-straps or bindings, combined with the power of a large controllable kite to propel the rider and the board across the water. Power kites can be dangerous. Because of strong forces that can be generated by sudden wind gusts, people can be lofted, carried off, dashed against water, buildings, and terrain. But its safety record is improving due to advances in hybrid and bow kite designs and the ability to control the power that they provide, effective safety release systems, and wider availability of kite boarding schools.
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Article compiled by Vignesh Iyer

 

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