We've talked at length in the past about barriers to entry and growing the sport. Those are great topics to talk about but in this post I just want to focus on how "cool" waterskiing is/has become based on my observations over the past 10 or so years. There are a number of people, organizations, and corporations who are injecting incredibly POSITIVE and FRESH mojo into the scene, and it's exciting. As an "average Joe(l)" skier, I'm picking up vibes that others are putting down, and I love it.

Style: This sport is dripping with style these days. I feel like this is a somewhat recent trend in 3-event, but style is hitting critical mass and it's awesome. BIG sunglasses, FLAT cap visors, LOUD board shorts, flip-flops, awesome bikinis, designer t-shirts, visors, hoodies (hood up!), and big headphones. I'm typically a khakis & polo kinda guy but put me near a ski lake and out comes the trucker cap, Mick Fannings, and the Oakley Gascans. I know that cap's gotta go LOW and I can't go over a 30" radial bend on the visor or I'm going to get written up by 3-event style mafia. If I feel cool and feel into the scene, it must be working. Take a look around next time you're at a pro tour stop or at ski school. This sport is not just about skiing well- it's about looking damned good while you're at it. We get fashion trends from around the world in real time by being such a global sport, and it shows.

Art: Kick-ass logos. Striking websites. Amazing ski and vest graphics. Breathtaking photo and video. Art is going hand in hand with our sport. Everything from boats to skis to vests are becoming works of functional art. Eagle Sports are making awesome looking equipment that I WANT TO BUY. Slalom skis and trick skis are looking awesome, as well. The Radar Strada's bright flourescent bottom is AWESOME and makes me want to buy it. I have to admit it. Somebody thought that not only does this piece of equipment have to ski well, but it has to look awesome as well. Art and skiing, again, hand in hand. I love my D3 Trick ski. The ski looks so cool (even though it's the now-old 2009 "paintbrush" design) that I have an emotional connection with the ski and the design, which makes me want to ride it even more. The HO A2 graphics, even down to the cool tri-tip nose design show that somebody is putting MAJOR thought into the art side of this equipment, and I LOVE it.

If your "stock" equipment isn't personalized enough out of the box, it's die-cut sticker time! Most skiers personalize their equipment with awesome decals from their favorite ski schools, brands, and sponsors. Again, cool looking stuff. Cool is good. Our equipment is becoming an extension of our own style and personalities, and that is cool.

Documentation: These days it seems like it's nearly required to have a big DSLR camera at a ski event based on the rigs hanging around everybody's necks. I'm not talking about entry-level stuff here either- I'm talking about L-glass and backpacks full of gear. Photography and videography are becoming tightly integrated with this sport, and THAT is awesome. Skiers love documenting what they do, and that helps show how beautiful the sport is, from a variety of perspectives. GoPro cameras are changing what we have traditionally been able to show about the sport, and it's blowing my mind. Wearing a GoPro, I can SHOW YOU exactly what I'm seeing when I start the morning by skiing 1 mile down the lake at 34mph. And THAT is amazing. Talk about bringing the sport to a computer near you! Documenting the sport is not only great for sharing it, but it's yet another example of art and skiing intermingling. 

The sport itself: All 3 events are incredibly cool right now. Trick skiing is just completely off the HOOK, as is jump. What I love about trick skiing is NOT just watching a 20-second rehearsed tournament run but also watching somebody just RIDE. Ride the water, ride the ski. Freestyle. Cut around, rip it. Trick skiers are breaking barriers by being less "heads-down" and just ripping it behind the boat. I feel like that's going to really help trick break through. Aliaksi Zharmasek was touching on this in a recent Waterski Magazine interview, and that was just awesome to read.

Jump is as hot as ever. I stressed jump when I invited my family to the 2011 Malibu Open- I knew that no matter what, these guys would love jump. It's easy to understand and the PHYSICS are just MIND-BLOWING. It's so big, so impressive, so amazing, and the personalities behind it compliment it perfectly. Old talent and new talent battling head to head, literally risking life and limb to hit that big red wedge at ludicrous speeds. Love it.

Slalom is also brimming with personalities and talent that will really continue to push it into the future. As a spectator sport, I've heard people say that it's tough to tell what's going on and what pass is being run, etc. That may be the case, but everybody understands head-to-head and everybody understands the plain physics involved in the sport. Walls of water and skis tearing through the water are amazing and impressive. I can tell you that the image of a skier carving dollar signs behind an inboard is one of the most powerful images our sport has to offer- I certainly haven't forgotten it from my childhood. It was such an amazing, powerful sight that I KNEW I had to get a ski boat at age 23 and learn how to do this. It had to happen! And, again, it's never left me. And that, is COOL.

The People: First of all, we have guys AND gals in this sport. We have AWESOME females in waterskiing, and let's face it: girls that ski are just plain sexy. We have girls that swerve, girls that fly, and girls that flip, and girls that can do all 3 events. Having both sexes involved in the sport makes it that much cooler and is absolutely key. Our pro scene is awesome. I've yet to meet a pro skier who hasn't been extremely easy to talk to and easy going. The PEOPLE behind our sport's manufacturers, distributors, tournaments, schools, etc. are, for the most part, completely amazing people.

So there. That's my spiel on waterskiing being downright cool. I've wanted to write this post since this summer, so I'm glad I got it out. What do you think is cool about waterskiing? Share it with us by commenting below!