How to find it:
If you know anyone who skis tournaments, they can point you in the right direction. If not, go to TournamentWaterSki.com and view the tournaments in your area. The US is divided into 5 regions. They are the Eastern, Southern, Midwest, South Central and Western regions. Pretty much New England and the east coast is Eastern, Florida area and the southeast US is the Southern, Middle America is the Midwest, from Texas east along the gulf coast is the South Central and anything in Colorado, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, California and Hawaii is Western.

Select your area and view the tournaments in that region. The announcement will give you the dates, times, order of events, cost and where to mail your entry.

You can also go to USAWaterski.org for tournament information, download an entry form and become a member.

Don’t forget to join USAWaterSki because it’s required to enter a sanctioned tournament. There is also the INT League. These are new skier friendly tournaments and can be accessed at Intleague.com.

How to enter:
For AWSA tournaments, go to USAWaterski.org to join and then download the entry form. Mail it to the tournament sponsor along with your entry fee and a copy of your USAWater Ski membership card if you have it.

For INT League tournaments, go to Intleague.com

Most tournaments have no eligibility requirements, so anyone can enter. If you have never skied a tournament before, enter the novice division. If there is no novice division, enter your regular age group. Regional, National and Professional tournaments have pre-qualification requirements so these would should not be your first tournament.

What to bring:
You will need to bring your ski, vest, gloves and a regulation handle. You might want to bring some food, soft drinks, water, a chair, sunglasses and your cell phone (you’ll need to call your friends and tell them how well you did).

What you need to know:
Water skiers are mostly a friendly and helpful group. Anyone will answer your questions and help you if they can.

The tournament sponsors will provide the rope but generally not the 5’ handle. If you need soap to get into your bindings, it is normally provided as well. Be there on time – they will not wait for you. Check the running order well in advance and see who the 5 skiers are who will go just before you. Ask around if you don’t know them so you will be ready when it’s your turn.

Just before you ski, the driver or judge will ask for your perfect pass settings, starting rope length and speed. If you don’t know the perfect pass settings, tell them your weight and then “normal - zero”. This setting is the usual one used and since you don’t know what it is anyway, it won’t feel any different from your normal skiing.

Tournaments use one boat but use two ski ropes. One is used for the current skier and the other is for the next skier. The dock starter will attach your handle to the 2nd rope while the skier prior to you is skiing. When the boat returns to pull you, the 2nd rope will be given to the boat crew for your ride.

While you are driving to the tournament select a starting speed and rope length. Hopefully, you have been through a course before and have an idea of what you can make. If you don’t have any idea. Start at the minimum speed and longest line length allowed in your division. The boat judge or dock starter can tell you what that is.

So after giving the crew your settings, weight, rope length and starting speed you will ease into the water and slosh the soap out of your binding. The driver will tighten the rope and ask if you are ready. Don’t be a “Fred” and yell something dumb. Just tell them “Alright” or “OK” when asked if you are ready.

You get a second chance if you fall getting up, so don’t stress about it. Once you go through the slalom course starting gates though, your second chance has ended.

After going through the start gates, around the outside of all six buoys and through the end gate, the boat will stop at the other end of the lake. The driver usually indicates when you should swing out (normally to the right). The driver will swiftly stop the boat and you will coast to a stop. The judge will radio in your score and advise what comes next (faster speed or shorter rope). Remember if you fall getting up now, your ride is over (ok stress about it now).

This will continue until you fall or miss a buoy. If you fall, the boat will not come back for you. You must swim to the side of the lake promptly because the next skier will be coming out soon. If you miss a buoy but don’t fall, just stay inside the wake while you ride back to the starting dock and drop. Staying inside the wake is a courtesy to the next skier (the water will not be bumpy).

A friendly wave to the boat crew is a nice gesture too.

Unfortunately, you will probably now be hooked on skiing and can’t wait for the next tournament. Be sure to go to TournametWaterSki.com to see your results.