Three event waterskiing is an international competitive sport. The three events of waterskiing are Slalom, Trick, and Jump.
Trick Skiing: Skiing with short flat skis without rudders on the bottom. These skis slide easily on top of the water allowing a skier to turn 360 degrees. Trick skiing can be done on one or two skis and is a popular competitive sport among waterskiers.
Slalom Skiing: Skiing on a single ski! This type of waterskiing is usually a competitive sport. Skiers compete in a slalom course where they attempt to ski around buoys at high rates of speed with decreasing lengths of rope for additional challenges. Slalom skiing can easily be identified by the big spray of water created as the skier cuts back and forth across the wake of the boat.
Jumping: The ski jump is performed on two long skis, with a specialized tailfin that is somewhat shorter and much wider. Skiers towed behind a boat at fixed speed, manuever to achieve the maximum speed when hitting a ramp floating in the water, launching themselves into the air with the goal of travelling as far as possible before touching the water. Professional ski jumpers can travel up to 70 meters. The skier must successfully land and retain control of the ski rope to be awarded the distance.