| However you approach this discussion, the obvious | | | | the slightly more complicated wakeboarding method. Is |
| similarities are unavoidable. Perhaps all the wake | | | | waterskiing based less on tricks and so not as cool? |
| boarders and water skiers out there can fight it out | | | | Many would argue, yes! Is wakeboarding a more |
| amongst themselves? | | | | technical sport? |
| Obvious similarities include: | | | | I can hear the debates raging already! |
| - Water - I don’t think either side can dispute this | | | | What is an extreme sport and why is wakeboarding |
| one! The only slight advantage water skiers have here | | | | considered extreme and waterskiing not? After all, |
| is that the word is used in the title of their sport. Other | | | | both involve clinging to a rope tied to a speeding boat, |
| than that, the water is generally considered a | | | | hurtling across the water! |
| prerequisite for both sports. | | | | I read an article recently that tried to define what the |
| | | | | extreme in “extreme sports” is. I wasn’t |
| - Boats - This may be another tie. Waterskiing and | | | | entirely convinced with the answers provided, such as |
| wakeboarding generally require a boat with a motor, | | | | it’s related to demographics etc. Surely an extreme |
| going quickly to be effective. The horse drawn | | | | sport needs to be, well, extreme, regardless of |
| wakeboarding championships, down the canal are yet | | | | demographic and era? |
| to take off. Although that might be fun to see. | | | | What do you call a fan of extreme sports anyway, an |
| | | | | extremity perhaps, an extremist or maybe an |
| - Equipment – Wakeboards and Water Skis are | | | | extreme-ite? |
| likely to share some main ingredients such as carbon | | | | Are people still learning to water ski? Or is |
| fibre, although whether you could make a pair of | | | | wakeboarding (known to be currently one of the |
| water skis by cutting a wakeboard in half is | | | | fastest growing sports) going to make waterskiing |
| debateable! The days of wooden water-skis are long | | | | redundant? Which sport is more televised? I know |
| gone. | | | | during my growing up days there used to be plenty of |
| | | | | waterskiing on television. Does wakeboarding have the |
| Oh here’s a good one! Which is easier to perform, | | | | same pulling power to be a mass spectator sport? |
| wakeboarding or waterskiing? Some will say | | | | Over to you sports fans, the ball is in your court, and |
| waterskiing is easier to grasp especially at beginner | | | | the board is in your wake. One plank of wood or two? |
| level, straight arms; knees bent and up as opposed to | | | | Let’s have an extreme argument! |