Water skiing minnesota. Minnesota: The Birthplace of Water Skiing – A Thrilling Journey Through History

How did water skiing originate in Minnesota. What role did Ralph Samuelson play in the invention of water skiing. How has water skiing evolved since its inception in 1922. What impact has water skiing had on Minnesota’s recreational culture.

The Birth of Water Skiing: Ralph Samuelson’s Ingenious Invention

In the summer of 1922, an 18-year-old Minnesota resident named Ralph Samuelson revolutionized water sports with a simple yet brilliant idea. Inspired by snow skiing, Samuelson wondered if it was possible to ski on water. This innovative thought led to the birth of water skiing, a sport that would soon captivate enthusiasts around the world.

Samuelson’s journey to create water skis was not without its challenges. His initial attempt using snow skis proved unsuccessful, prompting him to rethink his approach. Undeterred, he crafted a pair of custom skis by steam-bending two nine-inch by eight-foot boards, creating curved tips that would prevent the front from submerging. This ingenious design was the key to his success.

On July 2, 1922, Samuelson made history on Lake Pepin in Lake City, Minnesota. Pulled by a 24-foot boat with a 24-horsepower inboard motor, he became the world’s first water skier. This groundbreaking moment marked the beginning of a new era in water sports and solidified Minnesota’s place in recreational history.

Pioneering Achievements: Samuelson’s Contributions to Water Skiing

Ralph Samuelson’s innovation didn’t stop with the invention of water skiing. Over the next 15 years, he continued to push the boundaries of the sport, showcasing his skills through exhibitions in Lake City and beyond, even reaching as far as Florida. His pioneering spirit led to several remarkable achievements:

• In 1925, Samuelson became the first person to perform a ski jump on water. After several failed attempts, he ingeniously covered a half-submerged raft with lard from a local butcher shop, enabling him to successfully complete the jump.
• That same summer, Samuelson achieved another first by “flying” on skis. He was pulled behind a restored World War I Curtiss flying boat on Lake Pepin, reaching speeds of 80 mph while skimming above the water’s surface.

Samuelson’s final water skiing run took place in 1937, marking the end of an era but leaving behind a legacy that would continue to inspire generations of water sports enthusiasts.

The Controversy and Recognition: Establishing Water Skiing’s True Origins

For many years, the origin of water skiing was a subject of debate. Some attributed the sport’s invention to the French Riviera, while others credited Fred Waller of Long Island, New York, who patented “Akwa Skees” in 1924. However, the truth about Ralph Samuelson’s pioneering role remained hidden for decades.

It wasn’t until the 1960s that Samuelson’s contribution began to receive proper recognition. A St. Paul reporter’s discovery of his story in 1963 sparked a thorough investigation into the sport’s true origins. This research ultimately led to the American Water Ski Association officially recognizing Lake City, Minnesota, as the birthplace of water skiing in 1966, with Samuelson acknowledged as the sport’s founder.

In 1977, Samuelson attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Water Ski Hall of Fame in Winter Haven, Florida, where he was honored for his groundbreaking invention. Tragically, shortly after returning to Minnesota, Samuelson passed away due to cancer, but his legacy lives on in the sport he created.

The Growth and Evolution of Water Skiing

Following Samuelson’s invention, water skiing rapidly gained popularity across the United States. Key milestones in the sport’s development include:

• 1939: Establishment of the American Water Ski Association in New Jersey
• 1939: The first National Water Ski Tournament held at Jones Beach, New York
• 1950s: Water skiing experiences a surge in popularity, with companies like Evinrude capitalizing on the trend through marketing and instructional materials

As water skiing gained traction, it began to inspire remarkable feats and records. On May 26, 1953, Frankie Beddor set a world record for non-stop distance covered on water skis, skiing from Memphis to Greenville on the Mississippi River—a staggering 229 miles in just 9 hours and 10 minutes.

Minnesota’s Continued Influence on Water Skiing

The North Star State’s impact on water skiing extended far beyond its invention. In the late 1950s, the Ski Antics Water Ski School operated on Cedar Lake in Minneapolis, embodying the spirit of inclusivity with their motto, “Anyone can water ski.” The school demonstrated this principle by teaching diverse individuals, including 14-year-old Bobby Ellis, who had only one leg, and Johnny Ross, who was completely blind.

Minnesota-based businesses also played a significant role in the water skiing industry. The Ski Antics Water Ski School utilized equipment from local companies, including Ski Antics skis, Nor-Craft fiberglass boats, and Scott-Atwater outboard motors, all manufactured in the Twin Cities area.

Water Skiing Equipment: From Wooden Planks to High-Tech Gear

The evolution of water skiing equipment has been dramatic since Samuelson’s original wooden planks. Modern water skis are typically made from lightweight, durable materials such as fiberglass, carbon fiber, or composite materials. These advancements have significantly improved performance and maneuverability.

Key developments in water skiing equipment include:

1. Specialized skis for different disciplines (slalom, trick skiing, jumping)
2. Improved bindings for better foot control and safety
3. High-performance tow ropes designed to reduce stretch and increase responsiveness
4. Specialized boats with wake-shaping technology for optimal skiing conditions

These technological advancements have not only enhanced the sport’s safety but also enabled skiers to push the boundaries of what’s possible on the water.

The Impact of Water Skiing on Minnesota’s Tourism and Economy

Water skiing’s invention in Minnesota has had a lasting impact on the state’s tourism and economy. The sport has become an integral part of Minnesota’s summer recreation scene, attracting visitors from across the country and even internationally.

Economic benefits of water skiing in Minnesota include:

• Increased tourism revenue for lakeside communities
• Boost to local businesses such as boat dealers, equipment retailers, and waterfront resorts
• Creation of jobs in the water sports industry, including instructors, boat operators, and equipment manufacturers
• Hosting of water skiing competitions and events, drawing participants and spectators

Moreover, water skiing has contributed to Minnesota’s reputation as a premier destination for water sports and outdoor recreation, complementing its famous “Land of 10,000 Lakes” moniker.

Water Skiing Today: Competitive Sport and Recreational Activity

From its humble beginnings on Lake Pepin, water skiing has evolved into both a competitive sport and a popular recreational activity. Today, it encompasses several disciplines, each requiring unique skills and techniques:

• Slalom skiing: Navigating a course of buoys at increasing speeds and decreasing rope lengths
• Trick skiing: Performing a series of complex maneuvers within a set time limit
• Jump skiing: Launching off a ramp to achieve maximum distance
• Barefoot skiing: Skiing without skis, using only the feet to glide across the water

Competitive water skiing has gained global recognition, with events featured in multi-sport competitions such as the World Games and Pan American Games. The sport continues to push the boundaries of human performance, with world records constantly being challenged and broken.

Water Skiing’s Enduring Appeal

Despite the emergence of newer water sports like wakeboarding and kitesurfing, water skiing maintains its popularity among enthusiasts of all ages. Its appeal lies in the unique combination of thrill, skill, and connection with nature that it offers.

Factors contributing to water skiing’s enduring appeal include:

• Accessibility: With proper instruction, people of various ages and abilities can enjoy the sport
• Versatility: From casual recreation to high-level competition, water skiing caters to a wide range of interests and skill levels
• Social aspect: Often enjoyed with family and friends, water skiing fosters a sense of community and shared experience
• Health benefits: Provides an excellent full-body workout, improving strength, balance, and cardiovascular fitness

Environmental Considerations and Sustainable Water Skiing Practices

As awareness of environmental issues has grown, the water skiing community has increasingly focused on sustainable practices to minimize its impact on aquatic ecosystems. This shift has led to the development of eco-friendly approaches to enjoying the sport:

• Use of cleaner, more efficient boat engines to reduce emissions and fuel consumption
• Implementation of designated skiing areas to protect sensitive shoreline habitats
• Promotion of proper waste management and pollution prevention among water skiers
• Development of biodegradable ski waxes and environmentally friendly equipment materials

These efforts aim to ensure that future generations can continue to enjoy water skiing while preserving the health of lakes, rivers, and marine environments.

The Future of Water Skiing: Innovations and Trends

As water skiing approaches its centennial, the sport continues to evolve and adapt to changing times. Emerging trends and innovations shaping the future of water skiing include:

1. Integration of technology: Use of wearable devices and apps to track performance metrics and improve technique
2. Virtual reality training: Simulators allowing skiers to practice and refine their skills off the water
3. Adaptive equipment: Continued development of specialized gear to make the sport more accessible to individuals with disabilities
4. Sustainable practices: Growing emphasis on eco-friendly equipment and environmentally responsible skiing practices
5. Crossover with other water sports: Incorporation of elements from wakeboarding, surfing, and other disciplines to create new hybrid forms of water skiing

These advancements promise to keep water skiing relevant and exciting for new generations of enthusiasts, while honoring its rich history and Minnesota roots.

Preserving Water Skiing’s Legacy

Efforts to preserve and celebrate the history of water skiing, particularly its Minnesota origins, continue to this day. Museums, historical societies, and water sports organizations work to document and share the sport’s heritage, ensuring that Ralph Samuelson’s innovative spirit and the early days of water skiing are not forgotten.

Initiatives to preserve water skiing’s legacy include:

• Exhibitions and displays at local museums in Lake City and other Minnesota communities
• Educational programs teaching the history of water skiing to young enthusiasts
• Restoration and preservation of early water skiing equipment and memorabilia
• Annual events and festivals celebrating the sport’s Minnesota roots

These efforts not only honor the past but also inspire future generations to appreciate and contribute to the ongoing story of water skiing.

Minnesota – Birthplace of Water Skiing

Minnesota – Birthplace of Water Skiing

by Andreas Jordahl Rhude

Water skiing seems so natural to those involved with boats and water activities. Who would think that this sport would have to be “invented?” That’s exactly what happened in the summer of 1922. Lake City, Minnesota resident, Ralph Samuelson, slapped a pair of wooden boards to his feet and was pulled out of the water behind a power boat. Lo and behold – a new sport was discovered.
It wasn’t quite that simple, however. Eighteen-year-old Ralph got the notion in his head that if one could ski on snow, why could one not also ski on water? An enterprising Scandinavian idea! So he started experimenting. His first attempt at skiing on the water’s surface was with snow skis, believe it or not! Failure ensued. He changed tactics.
His success came after he steam-bent the ends of two nine inch by eight foot boards to form skis with curved tips. This, like a snow ski, would keep the front of the planks from digging in. Viola! It worked! The world’s first water skier plied the surfaces of Lake Pepin at Lake City on the second of July, 1922. He was pulled by a 24-foot boat
powered by a 24 horsepower inboard motor. For the next fifteen years, Samuelson put on skiing exhibitions at Lake City and other areas, including Florida.
Samuelson, the consummate pioneer, was the first to ski- jump in 1925. He covered a half-submerged raft with lard from a local Lake City butcher shop after several failed attempts without the lubricant. The same summer, he was the first to fly on skis. He was pulled on the surface and then above the water behind a restored World War I Curtiss flying boat on Lake Pepin at a speed of 80 MPH!
Mr. Samuelson skied his final run in 1937. While helping to construct a boat livery in Florida that year, he broke his back when a construction failure toppled the roof onto him. He eventually settled down as a turkey farmer at Pine Island, Minnesota, succumbing to cancer in 1977.

For many decades, there was controversy as to the originator of the sport. One camp credited the French along the Riviera as the first. Fred Waller of Long Island, New York patented “Akwa Skees” in 1924 and was also credited with inventing water skiing. It took years before the truth was brought to light and accepted. The American Water Ski Association officially recognized Lake City as the birthplace of water skiing in 1966, attributing Samuelson with the founding of the sport.

Ralph never gave it a second thought that he did anything extraordinary until the 1960s. He was just having fun. It wasn’t until a St. Paul reporter stumbled upon his story in 1963 that the research into the true origins of the sport took place. He attending the ground breaking ceremony for the new Water Ski Hall of Fame in Winter Haven, Florida in 1977, where he was honored. As soon as he returned to Minnesota, his cancer got the better of him and he passed away.

The American Water Ski Association was established in New Jersey in 1939. The first National Water Ski Tournament took place that year at Jones Beach, New York with Bruce Parker taking home the trophy.

Skiing on the water was becoming quite popular by the fifties. Capitalizing on this surge were companies like Evinrude, the outboard motor manufacturer. What a good ploy to market their engines. They published their “How To” Book of Water Skiing several times during those years. It discussed the equipment needed from a boat and motor, Evinrude of course, to skis and tow ropes. It gave basic instructions with illustrations for the beginner right up through the expert.

On the 26th of May, 1953, Mr. Frankie Beddor set the world’s record for non-stop distance covered on water skis. He skied from Memphis to Greenville on the Mighty Mississippi, a distance of 229 miles. The elapsed time was 9 hours and 10 minutes. He skimmed over the water on Ski Antics skis, manufactured by the Nor-Craft Marine Division of Northwest Plastic Company, St. Paul (for more on Nor-Craft Boats, see the June 2000 issue of The BoatHouse, page 5).

The Ski Antics Water Ski School operated on Cedar Lake in Minneapolis in the late fifties. They used Ski Antics skis and a Nor-Craft fiberglass boat pushed by a Scott-Atwater 33 horsepower outboard motor. All were Twin Cities area businesses. “Anyone can water ski” was their motto. This was proven by 14 year old skier Bobby Ellis, who only had one leg, and by totally-blind skier, Johnny Ross. The club even had their 165 pound mascot, “Rowdy,” the Great Dane, up on skis! The club was a non-profit cooperative venture of the Minneapolis Park Board and several charitable organizations.

Is it not interesting that water skiing came about in the north where summer only lasts several months? It wasn’t perfected in a year-round warm spot such as Florida. As time went by, the name Cypress Gardens became synonymous with water skiing. Who amongst us hasn’t had a Florida holiday that included a stop at Cypress Gardens to witness a water ski show? Cypress Gardens also became a renowned name for water ski manufacture. This Florida hot spot also became the birthplace of collegiate ski tournaments when Samuelson’s cousin Stew McDonald, organized and participated in a tourney around 1948. Florida colleges were the only ones involved at that time; however, it grew to include schools from around the nation.

Wood, naturally, was the first material to be used to make water skis. Northern white ash became the species of choice for its toughness and shock absorbing characteristics. Most baseball bats were made of ash for these same reasons.
Some ski makers made snow and water skis. Northland Ski Manufacturing Company of St. Paul, Minnesota was one. I learned to downhill ski on a pair of their snow skis! They had various water ski models from trick skis and jumping skis, to banana slalom skis for experts, round saucers, and aqua planes as well as beginner skis. They also made the rubber bindings, tow ropes and handles. Water ski champion Warren Witherell designed them.
Northland claimed that you needed a minimum of a 22 HP motor for easy skiing! The greater the horsepower, the simpler it was to plane out of the water. At about the age of six, this writer learned to ski behind a 12-foot Thompson car topper boat powered by a 6 horsepower Mercury motor. Oh, by the way, the skis were Thompson too!

The Thompsons, never ones to be left out of an act, began to make wooden water skis around 1946 at Woodruff, Wisconsin. Roy H. Thompson, son of Chris, got the ski works up and running. By 1956 he was joined by his brother Grant. They moved to a newly constructed factory in Crivitz, and incorporated as Thompson Skis, Inc. In 1962 they were making 80,000 pairs of skis annually and selling them to Montgomery Ward along with fifteen other retailers. They also sold skis under the Thompson brand name, claiming to be the world’s largest exclusive water ski maker at that time. They sold skis in 27 countries with South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, the Bahamas, Norway, and Sweden being the big buyers. Thompson also made its own bindings, including the aluminum connecting plates, tow ropes, cast aluminum fins, surfboards, and round disks they called “sassy saucers.”
The Thompson ski factory employed up to 75 workers at the height of production. Grant became sole owner of the ski operation in 1971 and he sold out to Medalist the following year and it became Medalist-Thompson Skis. During the seventies, they made skis which were sold under brand names Medalist Cut’N Jump, AMF Voit, White Bear Skis, Pan Pacific, Taperflex, in addition to Medalist-Thompson. Ten years later, in 1982, Wellington Puritan Mills acquired Medalist Thompson and the ski works became the Cut’N Jump Division of Wellington Leisure Products. A few wooden water skis continue to be made at the Crivitz facility to this day.

Before water skiing became universally popular, large round disks and boards about six feet long and two or more feet wide were pulled behind motor boats. In 1933 Thompson Brothers Boat introduced the “Hawaiian Surf Board” and “Hawaiian Floater” in their catalog. They were basically flat boards 28 inches wide and six feet long with a rope hand hold. No foot bindings, you just stood on it, leaned back, and were pulled up out of the water. The first time an actual water ski appeared in their boat catalog was in 1950. One pair of skis sold for $24.79 and add another $4.95 for the towrope! The November 1959 issue of Boating Industry stated that there were over 100 water ski makers in the USA at the time. Some included Thompson, Northland, White Bear, Gull Lake, Cypress Gardens, Dick Pope, Maharajah, O’Brien, Connelly, among others.
The American Water Ski Education Foundation administers the Water Ski Museum and Hall of Fame at Winter Haven, Florida, just minutes away from Disney World. Included in their museum exhibit are those original water skis used by Samuelson nearly 80 years ago (www.usawaterski.org).
Lake City celebrates its water skiing heritage each summer by having Water Ski Days during the last weekend of June. As a tribute to water skiing inventor Ralph Samuelson, a monument hugs the shores of Lake Pepin just off of highway 61. The Lake City post office has a ten foot by ten foot mural of Samuelson being pulled behind the aeroplane in 1925 gracing its lobby.

Thanks to the Lake City Public Library for providing access to their collection on water skiing history.

Hit It! Minnesota’s Waterskiing Obsession

Photos by Ryan Taylor

The first time that Ralph Samuelson walked on water, in the summer of 1922, a small crowd had gathered to watch him break his neck. Samuelson had been trying to stand on Lake Pepin since the ice went out in April, holding on to a hundred feet of window sash cord while a boat dragged him around. He tried lashing his feet to curved boards from a barrel, then slender snow skis. But they may as well have been anchors.

Lake Pepin, a scenic bulge in the Mississippi River about 60 miles southeast of Minneapolis, is long and narrow, rimmed with bluffs and buffeted by wind—the profile of lakes such as Loch Ness, where massive waves bounce from shore to shore, stirring up debris and rumors of monsters. Explorers in the 1600s reported “a huge serpent” in Lake Pepin and called the place Lac des Pleurs: Lake of Tears. In 1890, a wave lifted a paddlewheel boat into the air above Lake Pepin as though it were popping a wheelie, killing 98 passengers.

Samuelson wasn’t deterred. His family lived in Lake City, on the Minnesota side of Lake Pepin, a block and a half from shore. He’d grown up diving for clams. “That lake had been almost a mystic force in my life,” he said many years later. “The good Lord must have kept his eye on me. I never got hurt, as long as I was on the water.”

Compelled by a sense of adventure and the girls watching from the beach, Samuelson ultimately took two eight-foot pine boards, boiled the tips until he could turn them up, and strapped them to his feet with two strips of leather. He painted his initials on the skis—RWS—as though they might be mistaken for someone else’s.

On July 2, one day before his 19th birthday, Samuelson tied his rope to the fastest boat in town, stepped into his new skis, and leaned back. Gawkers crowded a crescent of sand in Lake City, looking across Lake Pepin at the sheer face of Maiden Rock bluff, as Samuelson was pulled past the beach again and again. Then suddenly he rose out of the water and stayed there—“like Jesus,” he noted.

For the next 15 years, the inventor of waterskiing scarcely came down. He tipped over a diving platform, greased the top with lard, and skied off it—the first jump. He lost a ski and kept going on the other one—the first slalom. When an amphibious bi-plane came to town, he hitched a rope to it and skied at 80 miles per hour. He took his tricks on the road, to Detroit and Florida.

And then he disappeared. 

At 6 a.m., headlights flash on a gate in an industrial park in Prior Lake, near Valleyfair. Steve Melcher gets out of his sedan, opens the gate. A couple more cars arrive, rattle down a gravel road to a dock, where a single speedboat waits in the dark.

It’s cold, a Tuesday morning in September. “I’m usually in denial,” Melcher says of fall weather. Two shadows strip down to trunks and get in the boat. Dave Rutt—shaved head, energetic, owner of a women’s apparel boutique in Edina’s Galleria mall—jumps in the water. He gets his feet into a single ski and holds on to a rope. “All right,” he says, “let’s rock!”

Quarry Lake, as the name suggests, is a pit. When these guys started skiing here, dump trucks and bulldozers still drove around it. There are jumping carp, sunfish that bite, and not much else. “Our little utopia,” Rutt says.

A few years ago, feeling pressure from swarms of Jet Skis and wakeboard boats designed to create tsunami-size curls, the Shakopee Prior Lake Water Ski Association won permission to use Quarry Lake as a private park for its 200 or so members. Melcher, Rutt, and two other friends—Marty McAlpin, a financial planner, and Mike McCollow, who says he works in software—signed up for the early-bird special: sunrise to 9 a.m.

Melcher, an attorney, is silver-haired and avuncular, the de-facto coach of the quartet. He’s usually here four days a week and gently offers observations as McCollow takes the wheel and pulls Rutt down a gauntlet of 22 plastic buoys lined up like runway lights—a slalom course. Rutt squirts to one side, then the other, leaning to squeeze around the buoys while sending a plume of water about 12 feet in the air.

Then it’s McCollow’s turn. “Thirty-four off, right?” Melcher asks. The number is how many feet of a 75-foot rope are kept in the boat—taken off, so to speak. The higher the number, the less rope is at the skier’s disposal. At 38 feet off, the rope no longer reaches the buoys; to get around them, you have to stretch your body. The world record is 43 off, set by a 6-foot-2 Hoosier with arms like bungee cords. “Nate Smith,” says Melcher. “Really nice guy.”

As morning takes hold and the covert course is illuminated, the skiers are still playing in the water while commuters stream to work.

Minnesota Daredevil and Waterskiing inventor Ralph Samuelson, flying off a Jump (Circa 1922) and posing with his handmade skis (Circa 1970). Photos courtesy of Lake City Historical Society.

When Ralph Samuelson vanished, in the late 1930s, so did any hope of Minnesota becoming a hub of waterskiing. Samuelson never bothered to patent his skis. It was years before anyone skied on Lake Pepin again. Lake City forgot his claim to fame.

By mid-century, someone else was being hailed as the inventor of waterskiing, a guy from Long Island, New York, named Fred Waller. Waller had patented his skis in 1925, three years after Samuelson’s feat. He also invented an IMAX-like film technique called Cinerama, and one of the first things he shot, in 1952, was Cypress Gardens waterski park in Winter Haven, Florida, south of Orlando.

Cypress Gardens had elephants and hippos. It had Aquabelles—waterskiing beauties. And Waller’s film helped turn central Florida into the self-proclaimed Waterskiing Capital of the World. The American Water Ski Association opened its headquarters in Winter Haven, and celebrated Waller as the sport’s paterfamilias.

By the 1960s, waterskiing was an international phenomenon, at once wholesome and titillating, like hula-hooping. Its competitions were nationally broadcast. Yet time and again, Minnesota missed out. Tommy Bartlett, a Milwaukee native and early waterskiing star, settled his popular show in Wisconsin Dells, which was already a tourist mecca. Elvis Presley’s last big movie, about a playboy who becomes a waterski instructor, was set in Florida.

Waterskiing for tourists never really caught on in Minnesota. But waterskiing tourists—meaning any of us heading up north—have become as much a part of Minnesota’s cabin culture as knotty pine and Zorbaz. We have the lakes, the boats (most registrations per capita in the country), and the laws—among the nation’s most permissive, allowing skiing from sunrise to half an hour after sunset, the last possible wink of light. Waterskiing classes are among the first to fill up at summer camps, and there are more waterskiing clubs in Minnesota than in larger Midwest states such as Michigan and Ohio.

For some Minnesotans, like the quarry crew, waterskiing has become an addiction. There are “polar bears” who chip away the ice below Hidden Falls in St. Paul, opening a channel in the Mississippi River where they can waterski in winter. They used to haul a hot tub to shore and jump in after skiing.

There are guys like Roger Wahl, who built his own boat in the mid-1950s and started perfecting tricks. “You fool around,” he says, “starting with two skis, and then one ski, and then maybe someone would get a saucer and pull that behind the boat, and then someone would put a chair on the saucer. These are the things you did on a Sunday afternoon, and pretty soon you’re doing it after work every night.”

Wahl eventually bought a place on Prior Lake, to make things even easier. He started skiing in tournaments in 1959 and won nationals 10 times. He performed in shows—“a lot of double jumping with a woman on the front of my skis,” he says. He still competes at 82, training all winter on a lake near Fort Myers, Florida.

The advantage to Minnesotans’ do-it-yourself approach is a lack of hubris. In his 60s, Wahl broke both arms in a bicycle accident and skied anyway in the Midwest waterski regionals, where “some of the hot dogs didn’t pay attention to the wind,” he says. With his arms in casts, he won.

It’s lightly snowing outside the Twin City Twisters gymnasium in Champlin, and also inside the hangar-like space, it seems—the air is thick with chalk. A half dozen tweens bounce on the in-ground trampolines, including an 11-year-old girl wearing a T-shirt that says, “I waterski. What’s your superpower?”

It’s early April. Since January, the Twin Cities River Rats have been practicing for this summer’s waterski shows—on dry land. Waterskiing is the easy part. The real challenge is everything that happens above the skis.

Men grab ski ropes stretched across the gym and start hoisting women on their shoulders. In the water, they might wear harnesses so their hands are free to move the women around, as in figure skating. They might have swivel skis, so they can spin around. They might be skiing barefoot, which only works if the boat is going fast enough that the water acts—and feels—like cement.

Walker Judd, the Rats’ show director, is 25 and already a veteran. He started show skiing at age 4. Boyish and soft-featured, he has the dewy look of someone who has spent a lot of time in the water. “It’s a hard thing to get out of your system,” he says.

The River Rats have been performing since the 1970s. Every Thursday at 6:30 p.m., starting in June, they hit the Mississippi River north of downtown Minneapolis, playing to several thousand people for donations. In the last four years, with Judd’s prodding, they’ve taken things up a notch. Their tricks have become more creative, along with their storylines. Judd and his family “watch tape” every week like NFL coaches.

The Twin Cities River Rats

The team has been rewarded. In 2014, they placed 11th in the national show ski tournament. Last year, with a storyline involving the Teenage Ninja Mutant Turtles, they took ninth. Asked about whether they’re the team to beat, Judd says, “In this region, they’re gunning for us.”

Yet the traditional powers are all elsewhere, mostly in Wisconsin. No other state has so many teams, or so many good teams. In fact, the Midwest region doesn’t even include Wisconsin—the state is its own region. The national tournament is usually in Janesville, Wisconsin—House Speaker Paul Ryan’s hometown—where the local team has won four of the past five years.

“To compete, we need to do some things out of the box,” Judd says, watching a pyramid form on the shoulders of six broad men. Three young women stand on the men, two girls clamber atop the women, and finally the 11-year-old in the superpower shirt rises to stand alone—the “topper.”

Judd smiles. It’s a four-tier, not the tallest pyramid. But three pyramids of four, three, and four tiers each, skiing alongside each other, actually outscore a single five-tier. Still, Judd says, “we’re hoping to do a five-tier.” Wisconsin won’t see it coming.

Don Schwartz, of the Lake City Historical Society, leads the way to the ballroom in the upper reaches of the town’s city hall, turning on lights as he goes. The only notice that there’s anything up here is a flyer in the lobby, pinned to a bulletin board. “Sometimes these doors aren’t even open,” Schwartz says as he walks into a sunny space lined with glass cabinets.

Among Native American artifacts and memorabilia from the city’s bygone industries is a letter dated April 6, 1966. It’s from the American Water Ski Association, addressed to Ralph Samuelson.

Three years earlier, a vacationing reporter for the St. Paul Pioneer Press had found a pair of unusually large skis in a changing house by Lake Pepin, under a hand-lettered sign: WORLD’S FIRST WATER SKIS. She couldn’t find anyone who knew what had become of their owner, so she wrote an open letter in the newspaper, asking, “Where are you now, Mr. Samuelson?”

He was just 30 miles away. After breaking his back in 1937, while working in Florida, Samuelson moved west of Lake City to Pine Island and became a turkey farmer. When a terrible storm came through in the 1950s, Samuelson lost everything—his farm, his home, even his family for a while. In his memoirs, he compared himself to Job, the Biblical sad-sack.

The open letter drew Samuelson out of obscurity and into the surprised gaze of waterski officialdom. Lucky for everyone, he was a good sport. “One of the most significant developments in organized water skiing,” notes the president of the American Water Ski Association in his letter to Samuelson, “is the ‘rediscovery’ of your pioneering activities. … It is my real pleasure to recognize you as the first water skier of record.”

In 1972, the association installed a plaque in Lake City, honoring Lake Pepin as the “birthplace of waterskiing.” More tributes followed: a fountain sculpture of a wave, installed near the spot where Samuelson first rose out of the water; a mural in the post office; a plaque on his childhood home; an annual festival called Waterski Days, featuring ski shows and a re-creation of Samuelson’s historic glide, held the last weekend in June.

Samuelson became a pitchman for Lake City businesses and often posed with beauty queens, grinning like a man who had been buried alive and can’t quite believe he was resurrected. “Was he happy to be rediscovered? Oh yeah, was he ever,” says Roger Wahl, who often hosted the Lazarus of the sport at his home in Prior Lake.

“It’s an American story,” Schwartz says as he drives to the western edge of Lake City and turns onto a dirt road lined with tombstones. This is the old Swedish cemetery; among the Swensons and Petersons lies Samuelson. His grave marker is flush with the ground, and a few years ago the historical society hung a wooden sign nearby in case anyone comes looking.

Samuelson died in 1977, when the golden age of waterskiing was already waning, and by the 1990s, with Jet Skis rampant, the glamour was gone. National broadcasts slowed. Cypress Gardens closed in 2009. The wave fountain beside Lake Pepin has fallen into disrepair, and although the historical society is determined to restore it, there are some in town who feel that the waterskiing connection is now too narrow a draw. That it doesn’t entice anyone, say, to shop.

“There are probably more fans now of cigarette boats than waterskiing,” Schwartz jokes. But he thinks it’d be a shame to forget the state’s connection to waterskiing—again. “There’s something so graceful, so inspiring about it,” he says. With the money and magnetism gone, all that’s left is what Samuelson wanted, what Minnesotans have kept alive: the thrill.

On Samuelson’s grave marker is an epitaph—“Father of Waterskiing, Witness for Christ”—and an engraving of a waterskier. He is going off a jump, one arm raised to the sky, into the unknown.  

Digital Extra: Go behind the scenes of our photo shoot during a Twin Cities River Rats practice

By Tim Gihring

Test Drive: First Time Waterskiing

The ultimate Minnesotan summer exploits involve being towed behind a boat on a water apparatus (skis, tubes, boards). Anything semi-floating that you can stand or sit on is fair game. Water activities are core to the state identity—almost equal to lutefisk, fishing opener, and long underwear. And the holy grail of water sportsing? Waterskiing.

Now, I’m a born-and-raised Twin Citian but I’ve always been a little skittish of water sports—I didn’t beg to go tubing like other eight-year-olds. My family wasn’t a cabin-owning family for most of my life and we haven’t accumulated all the toys that come with a legacy cabin on Leech Lake. So, I haven’t yet had the courage (or opportunity) to pop up on skis.

In MN, you’re in one of two mutually exclusive groups: You’re either a water-skier or you’re not. There’s no overlap in that Venn diagram.

But, during the last week in May my time came—this scaredy-cat tried waterskiing. What can I say? Quarantine makes us do crazy things.

They say the hardest part of skiing is getting up and while it may be true, that was not my problem. (My only previous waterskiing trial was seven years ago at a friend’s cabin, where I got up over and over and over again and went down within 10 seconds each time. )

When I hopped in the water of a small private lake in Maple Grove on a sunny Wednesday evening, it wasn’t so much that I was dying to try my ski legs, but more so that my boyfriend (an avid water and winter skier) was determined to teach me.

Contrary to popular practice (and Jaws logic), you do not need a bigger boat. While zippy new Malibus are arguably better, an ‘89 Sea Ray works just fine too. I refused to go first—in hindsight, probably not the best choice—and watched my boyfriend and his dad slalom (!!) ski before agreeing to try.

In the water, the rubber shoe part of the ski is easier to get on and should fit your foot snuggly—you don’t want to lose one and end up learning to barefoot ski instead. There are particular styles of skis meant for learning that have a removable plastic bar toward the front to ensure the skis are correctly distanced, preventing a mid-lake center splits.

Once your skis are on, you wait for an eternity (okay, about 60 seconds) while the driver pulls the rope tight. While bobbing, your job is to pull your knees into your chest so that your skis are at about a 45-degree angle with the surface of the water. The only lesson I remember from my first skiing attempt years ago is to keep the tips of the skis out of the water. I kept those tips out of the water like my life depended on it, y’all! (It felt like it did!)

Try number one was unsuccessful: I popped up, leaned too far back and just sat right back down. Plop!

Try number two was of equal failure: I popped up and fell to the right in a flurry of flailing arms and lake spray.

Third strike and I’m out, I thought. (Plus, I don’t want to prolong my embarrassment in front of my boyfriend’s entire family!) I popped up and wobbled a bit but suddenly, I was doing it. Tips out of the water, knees slightly bent, leaning back a little: I was ACTUALLY waterskiing, folks!

The appropriate Minnesota exclamation at this very moment is “You guys!”

Ten seconds go by, then 20, then a loop around the lake. The Rocky theme song is playing in my head. (duh-da-daaa-dun-duh…) This is the Minnesotan dream.

Waterskiing first-timers, take it from me, that first 20 seconds is the most gratifying moment of your lake-bound life. I was grinning ear to ear and looking like an absolute dork with my non-waterproof mascara running all over my face and neck, and my wet ponytail glued to the top of my head. But I couldn’t care less because I was skiing (!!)

Exactly two loops around the lake and my legs started to shake from the constant squat position. It’s no wonder people who ski into their 60s and 70s are in incredible shape. I’m 23 and I can hardly go at it for 10 minutes.

I pat my head—the universal signal for “going home,” aka, driving by the dock—and swing in and drop the rope. Sliding back into the boat with all the grace of beached walrus, still with that ridiculous grin plastered across my face.

I’d done it.

(And my biggest fear of all, losing my bottoms in an epic wipeout, had not been realized—whew. )

I had earned a major hole punch in my MN Card—and it wasn’t even June yet! The best part about this exercise-entertainment mashup is that there’s no membership required, no class times, no studio. Just a lake, a boat, and you (plus some equipment). And you likely know at least 16 other people with boat/lake/ski equipment, so really, all you need for the ultimate must-try Minnesotan venture is a friend. 

Oh, and last tip! You must always pronounce it as “bow-t” with an excessively strong “o” sound. That’s how you know you’re doing it right.

How a Minnesotan taught the world to water ski

Lake City, Minnesota’s, Ralph Samuelson invented water skiing // Photo courtesy of Minnesota Historical Society

The date is Saturday, July 22, 1922. The place is Lake City, Minnesota, on the waters of Lake Pepin, the largest naturally occurring lake on the Mississippi River. The time is 4pm. The scene is set for Lake City native Ralph Samuelson to carve his name into sporting history.

Samuelson, who is just one day away from his nineteenth birthday, is submerged up to his shoulders in Lake Pepin’s waters, the early summer sun shining down on him. Strapped to his feet are twin planks of pine, each 8 feet long and 9 inches wide. Ralph adjusts his grip on the end of the rope he’s holding, and glances 100 feet up the lake to where his brother, Ben, idles the 14 foot launch boat to which the rope is attached.

For the past five days, Ralph had tried and failed to get up on his homemade water skis. But today, he had a new idea: Instead of starting with the ski tips level with or underneath the water, he would lean back and raise his tips above the surface. Ralph takes a deep breath to collect himself, then yells to his brother at the top of his lungs: “Hit it!”

Ralph Samuelson with his original water skis // Photo courtesy of Minnesota Historical Society

With that, the launch boat  takes off and Ralph braces for the inevitable as the slack of the line is quickly taken up. In mere seconds, the rope goes taut and Ralph rises from the waters of Lake Pepin until he’s standing upright, skimming across the lake’s surface as though it’s solid ground.

Such was the birth of water skiing.

Prior to that afternoon in 1922, Samuelson had been an “aquaplane” enthusiast, reveling in cruising atop Lake Pepin aboard a sled-like device that resembles the kneeboards of today. But the young Lake City native yearned to push the limits of what was possible on the surface of his watery habitat. He longed to achieve something new, something bold, and something that he would be able to hold up to his city and friends as uniquely his own.

Legend has it that after the 18-year-old Minnesotan of Swedish stock had tried wooden barrel staves and alpine skis to no avail, he spent a total of two dollars on pine boards he bought at the lumberyard. He boiled the boards and clamped them to create a revolutionary “tip rocker” bend on the top of each ski—a feature that allowed for him to rise up out of the water with only the aid of a motor craft.

To keep his feet in place, Samuelson fixed scrap leather from Henry Baester’s local harness store to the skis with wood screws to create bindings. Skis in hand, he gathered 100 feet of rope from Ruechert’s hardware store in Lake City, fixed it to a 4 inch iron ring from Pearson’s Blacksmith Shop, and secured everything to a launch boat, which he recruited his brother to drive.

The boat was equipped with a converted Saxon truck engine that could reach speeds of just around 14 knots (or 20 miles per hour). But if Samuelson’s theory was right, the launch’s engine, coupled with the unique shape of the pine skis, would allow him to not only rise up from under the surface, but cruise atop the waves of Lake Pepin. Later that afternoon, that theory proved true. And while his inaugural trip only lasted a short while, it was enough: a new summer sport and beloved pastime was born.

Pages: 1 2

Four drown, 2-year-old hurt in Minnesota lakes, rivers over weekend

It was a tragic and deadly weekend for some Minnesota families who sought refuge from the heat in lakes and rivers, as water-related incidents claimed four lives and left one seriously injured.

In separate incidents, from lakes in northern Minnesota to the St. Croix River near the Twin Cities, authorities have recovered the bodies of three men since Friday who drowned while recreating with friends and family. In Anoka County, a 2-year-old was airlifted to Children’s Minnesota Hospital in Minneapolis on Saturday evening after being found unresponsive in a pond. Another man had to be resuscitated and flown to a hospital after he lost control while water skiing on a lake and suffered a serious blow to his head.

On Sunday evening, a 9-year-old was reported missing at Carver Lake Park Beach in Woodbury. A police officer dove into the lake and found the child, who was later pronounced dead.

The rash of drownings and near-drownings come as thousands of Minnesotans have flocked to lakes, rivers and pools to escape the record-setting heat that has blanketed the state for much of the past two weeks. The tragedies have cast a shadow over what otherwise has been a celebratory return to normalcy after more than a year of COVID-19 restrictions. As coronavirus infections decline and vaccination rates rise, Minnesotans have been eager to return to public spaces and the summer rituals of fishing, swimming and exploring the outdoors.

In the waters of Long Lake, near the town of Remer in northern Minnesota, a 24-year-old man from Chaska had to be pulled into a boat by friends and family on Friday morning after he struck his head while water skiing and lost consciousness. Deputies with the Cass County Sheriff’s Office performed CPR until the man regained his pulse, and he was airlifted by helicopter to a hospital in the Twin Cities. The Sheriff’s Office did not respond Sunday to calls seeking information about the man’s condition.

Near midnight that same day, authorities in Aitkin County were responding to a report of a man who had fallen off a pontoon on Big Sandy Lake near Hillcrest Resort in Shamrock Township. Witnesses said that the man, Nathen Norman Waldo, 34, of North Branch, was swept underneath the boat as it continued forward and they believed that Waldo was struck by the motor. Deputies and fire department responders searched the shoreline but were initially not able to find Waldo. Crews returned the following day and recovered his body in about 30 feet of water late Saturday afternoon, according to the Aitkin County Sheriff’s Office.

The driver of the boat, Joshua Mark Harvey, 34, of Maplewood, was arrested and charged with operating a boat while intoxicated. Harvey remains in custody ahead of his first court appearance.

Just hours after that discovery, Stearns County officials were patrolling the popular Quarry Park and Nature Preserve in Waite Park when they were notified that an individual had jumped off a floating dock into the waters and never surfaced. A diver quickly found the man, Zakariya Aden Odowa, 18, of St. Cloud, in about 25 feet of water. First responders tried to revive Odowa, but he was rushed to St. Cloud Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Tragedy struck again on Saturday when a 46-year-old father from Plymouth died while splashing in the St. Croix River at William O’Brien State Park. Authorities said that Chandra Mohan Laghuvaram was swimming in water 4 to 6 feet deep when he went under. The man was at the park with family members.

As of June 6, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources had counted six fatalities related to boating accidents — the most boating-related fatalities at this point in the year in at least the past decade, according to DNR data. The tragedies are spread across many age groups and the victims tend not to be wearing life jackets, state records show. In a May 29 incident, a 36-year-old drowned after jumping into the water to save his girlfriend. Earlier in May, an 88-year-man from Cochrane, Wis., drowned in the Mississippi River after falling overboard from his motorboat.

Ski Boat Rentals in Minnesota

Ski boats are packed with fun! All of the boat rentals offered at Bremer Jet Ski & Watercraft Rental, Inc. are fully loaded and kept in tip-top condition for your satisfaction and convenience. They’re large enough to seat a family or group of eight, yet they’re the perfect size for easy handling and fast speeds! Think about taking the kids to “The Land of a Thousand Lakes” for a fun ski boat trip on one of the many lakes in the Twin Cities region.

See the sights while swimming in a Minnesota lake right from the boat rental, have a wild time water tubing, or sunbathe right on the spacious sundeck. Contact us at (612) 298-7055 to find out more about our popular ski boats!

23′ Sea Ray Ski Boat Rental

Request Reservation Now!

The 23′ Sea Ray comes fully equipped with a 5.0 ltr V-8 engine as well as an AM/FM CD Player, MP3 compatible. There is plenty of room for passengers and storage. You will need a full size SUV or minimum 1/2 ton pickup to pull this one!

*Late fee, $1. 00 per minute after scheduled return.
*2-day minimum rental for July & August.
*A $500 damage deposit is required on all boat & watercraft rentals.
*Limited delivery drivers available on Saturday and Sunday.

19′ Glastron Ski Boat Rental

Request Reservation Now!

The Glastron gx comes fully equipped with a 4.3 ltr engine and sundeck. The boat can accommodate 8 people max. The Glastron really is a stylish ski boat rental option with lots of plenty of power!

*Late fee, $1. 00 per minute after scheduled return.
*2-day minimum rental for July & August.
*A $500 damage deposit is required on all boat & watercraft rentals.
*Limited delivery drivers available on Saturday and Sunday.

20′ Glastron Ski Boat Rental

Request Reservation Now!

Perfect for up to 8 adults, the 20′ Glastron is equipped with a sundeck CD player and a 4.3 L Mercruiser Engine. Powerful, stylish, and exceptionally elegant, the Glastron makes any marine adventure something exciting.

*Late fee, $1. 00 per minute after scheduled return.
*2-day minimum rental for July & August.
*A $500 damage deposit is required on all boat & watercraft rentals.
*Limited delivery drivers available on Saturday and Sunday.

20′ Tahoe Q4 Ski Boat Rental

Request Reservation Now!

The 20′ Tahoe Q4 comes fully equipped with a 4.3 ltr V-6 engine as well as an AM/FM CD Player, MP3 compatible. There is plenty of room for passengers, seats up to 8 people. The Tahoe Q4 is a very stylish boat with a lenghty sundeck!

*Late fee, $1. 00 per minute after scheduled return.
*2-day minimum rental for July & August.
*A $500 damage deposit is required on all boat & watercraft rentals.
*Limited delivery drivers available on Saturday and Sunday.

20′ Tahoe Ski Boat Rental

Request Reservation Now!

The 20′ Tahoe has a 3.0 ltr engine. This beautiful, fun, and sporty looking boat rental boasts both a sundeck and swimdeck. Seats up to 7 people.

*Late fee, $1.00 per minute after scheduled return.
*2-day minimum rental for July & August.
*A $500 damage deposit is required on all boat & watercraft rentals.
*Limited delivery drivers available on Saturday and Sunday.

17.5′ Bayliner Ski Boat Rental

Request Reservation Now!

With all the amenities you could ask for, the 17.5′ Bayliner boasts a powerful 120hp outboard engine, tow bar, CD player, and seating for up to 7 passengers. Face the waves with some sophistication.

*Late fee, $1.00 per minute after scheduled return.
*2-day minimum rental for July & August.
*A $500 damage deposit is required on all boat & watercraft rentals.
*Limited delivery drivers available on Saturday and Sunday.

18′ Bayliner Ski Boat Rental

Request Reservation Now!

The 18′ Bayliner is a beaut with a 3.0 ltr engine, bimini top, and swim deck. This model is very fuel efficent!

*Late fee, $1.00 per minute after scheduled return.
*2-day minimum rental for July & August.
*A $500 damage deposit is required on all boat & watercraft rentals.
*Limited delivery drivers available on Saturday and Sunday.

Boat rentals are one of the most enjoyable ways to spend time with the people you love in Minnesota; and at Bremer Jet Ski & Watercraft Rental, Inc. , we love making your best-laid plans come to life. We guarantee your boat rental will be well-maintained and given to you right on time. And this doesn’t just apply to ski boats; check out our jet skis, catamarans, pontoon boats, and our huge list of water toys to make your vacation or weekend getaway exactly the way you planned it!

We even provide snowmobile rentals to Minnesota’s brave winter visitors. Contact us today at (612) 298-7055, and you’ll be well on your way to a vacation you’ll never forget.

Waterski Accident Injury Lawyer | MN Boat Skiing Attorneys

INJURED IN WATER SKIING BOAT ACCIDENT – MN ATTORNEYS

Water-skiing is a great sport and a fun activity in our land of 10,000 lakes.  There are obviously some natural risks associated with waterskiing (like falling, not wearing a life jacket, etc.) and people are usually careful to avoid those risks and avoid injury.   Unfortunately, however, there are some dangers that the water-skier cannot control.  If the driver of the boat pulling the water skier does not drive safely and responsibly, a water ski accident injury can result.  Another uncontrollable danger is if another boat on the lake fails to keep a good lookout and hits the water skier or the boat pulling him or her.

It is important to remember that the skier behind the boat if vulnerable. Serious injury can result from a waterski accident where the skier is hit by another boat.  A lawyer from our office was involved in one case where a water ski accident resulted in the loss of a leg of the skier after the water skier was hit by a boat.

If you are injured in an accident while water skiing in Minnesota, such as being pulled into a dock or other object, or being hit by another boat, please call us as soon as possible and speak with an attorney for a free consultation. Many times, conducting an early investigation and getting witness statements can be crucial to your case. Hopefully the DNR will do a proper investigation and at least get the names of witnesses, but you can never be sure. If possible, you should take many photographs and get the names and contact information for all witnesses. Our lawyers can also help you with water ski accident insurance issues for medical bills and other compensation, which can be complicated at times.

The Rochlin Law Firm, Ltd. has successfully represented people injured in waterski accidents, boat crashes, and other watercraft related cases for more than 25 years. Pam Rochlin and David Rochlin are personal injury attorneys with more than 25 years’ experience, handling hundreds of accident injury cases. Pam was a former partner at Meshbesher & Spence, and offers small firm attention to her clients. Our lawyers can meet you to discuss your water skiing accident at our offices in Edina, Woodbury and Minneapolis. Our water-skiing boat accident lawyers also meet people at their homes to discuss injury cases in St. Paul, Rogers, Elk River, Maple Grove, Brainerd, Rogers, St. Cloud, Chanhassen, Chaska, and other cities throughout Minnesota.

Please call us and speak with an experienced lawyer for a free consultation if you would like to discuss the specific facts of your case. Our best attorneys are very willing to answer your questions, and we never charge anything unless you receive compensation for your injury. We also represent people injured in snowmobile accidents, ATV accidents, etc.

Page Not Found | ShareAmerica

Every four years, fans all over the world with bated breath watch the competitions of the best athletes of the planet at the Summer Olympic Games. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this time they had to wait for five whole years. Until July 23, when the Tokyo Olympics begin, American athletes are counting the days.

At the current Olympics, in addition to traditional sports such as gymnastics and swimming, new ones will also be presented, including surfing, skateboarding and sport climbing. Today we introduce our readers to the American Olympians, the favorites of the upcoming competitions.

Juvon Harrison

This 22-year-old athlete (pictured above) will perform in Tokyo in both long and high jump. This is the first time since 1912, when the legendary Jim Thorpe competed for the US national team in several athletics events.

Simone Biles

Simone Biles performs the balance beam during US Olympic Qualifiers (© Jeff Roberson / AP Images)

The most decorated gymnast in history, four-time Olympic champion Simone Biles, 24, remains best placed to add to her medal collection at the upcoming Games.Simona recently mastered the vault with a double back somersault, which entered artistic gymnastics as the “Yurchenko jump” [named after the legendary Soviet gymnast Natalya Yurchenko – ed.], So difficult and dangerous that other gymnasts never try to repeat it.

In addition to the sports arena, Simone Biles, who lives in Texas, can be found at a hurricane relief center where she volunteers. The athlete is also known for her statements on such sensitive social topics as gender equality, racism, and offensive actions against female gymnasts.Before her grandparents were able to take her with them, Simone was an adopted child in various families, and she frankly talks about her experience. The champion established a scholarship to support foster children, students of the University of the People, a non-profit online popular university.

Karissa Moore

April 9, 2021. Karissa Moore, four-time Women’s Super League Surfing Champion, competes in the Rip Curl Newcastle Cup in Newcastle, Australia. (© Cait Miers / World Surf League / Getty Images)

Four-time world champion Karissa Moore, 28, was born in Honolulu.Already in 2014, her name was inducted into the Surfing Hall of Fame. Karissa was addicted to surfing by her father when she was only four years old. Until 2010, when Karissa became a professional surfer, she had eleven amateur championships to her credit. She graduated with honors from the Punahou School in Honolulu (at one time Barack Obama studied at this school), and here she met her future husband.

Karissa Moore is committed to protecting the environment and strengthening health systems.She devotes a lot of time to mentoring: with her father, she established the Mur-Aloha program aimed at developing self-esteem in girls and young women.

Jordan Windle

Jordan Will dives from the 10m platform in the qualifying round for the 2021 US Olympic Team. (© Dylan Buell / Getty Images)

George Windle is twenty-two years old. He was born in Sihanoukville, Cambodia, lost his parents at the age of one and ended up in an orphanage in Phnom Penh.He was adopted by an American named Jerry Windle and taken to Florida. In the summer camp, the coach drew attention to the future champion – seven-year-old George knew how to dive perfectly. Two years later, “Little Luganis” (as he was nicknamed in honor of the outstanding American diving four-time Olympic champion Greg Luganis) won his first championship title. Since those in his asset – many titles, medals and awards. A student at the University of Texas, he became a two-time National Collegiate Athletic Association Champion. – National Collegiate Athletic Association, NCAA).

After two unsuccessful attempts, George Windle won a spot on the US Olympic team in 2021. Although not regarded as the most likely Olympic winner, he has many fans in the United States and Cambodia (in whose capital, Phnom Penh, he organized a scuba-themed exhibition for orphans in 2016). Best of luck in Tokyo!

Kira Condi

Kira Condi qualifies for sport climbing in Salt Lake City on May 21 (© Rick Bowmer / AP Images)

When Kira Condi was eleven, she joined the St. Paul, Minnesota climbing team, but after training she was constantly haunted by back pain.It turned out that she had scoliosis. Kira underwent surgery, after which her height increased by as much as 7.5 cm. Doctors warned that she had better give up climbing, but Kira did not give in: after a few months she moved to Salt Lake City and continued training in the USA team Climbing under the guidance of experienced trainers. Today Kira is one of the strongest sports climbers in the world. She successfully qualified for the Tokyo Olympics.

Kira competed with refugee athletes.In addition, she starred in the TV series “Inspired by Sport” on the Olympic TV channel. Kira intends to continue this work, the important task of which is to support those who decided to change their lives through sports.

Caleb Dressel

In qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics, Caleb Dressel set the US national 50m freestyle record (© Maddie Meyer / Getty Images)

24-year-old American swimmer Caleb Dressel, record holder in butterfly and freestyle short distances, won two gold medals at the previous Olympics and won 13 world championships.He holds US records at distances of 50 and 100 meters freestyle, as well as at a distance of 50 meters butterfly. According to coach Bob Bauman, who also worked with swimming legend Michael Phelps, there is every reason to believe that Dressel will continue his winning streak.

Dressel believes that people should learn from each other and that when they learn something new, their day is not wasted. “Swimming,” he told FINAAquatics World magazine, “there are things that an eight-year-old can do better than me.I am sure about that”.

Nija Houston

Nija Houston will represent the United States in Tokyo in the new Olympic sport of skateboarding. (Photographed on June 3 at Foro Italico Stadium in Rome, Italy, hosting the World Cup this year). (© Tiziana Fabi / AFP / Getty Images)

Professional skateboarder Nija Houston is 26 years old. He is a five-time world champion and the highest paid skateboarder in history. He is often called the “LeBron James of Skateboarding” [American basketball player LeBron James is the highest paid player in the National Basketball League – ed.] Houston, the inventor of more and more skateboarding techniques, says that his favorite places to skate are handrails and steps.

Although Nija was born in Davis, California, he spent his early childhood in Puerto Rico, where access to drinking water was often difficult. In 2009, he and his mother, Kelle, founded Let It Flow, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing clean water to vulnerable communities. With the help of fellow skateboarding stars including Tony Hawke, Houston has refurbished water systems in several rural communities around the world, from Ethiopia to Haiti.

Delilah Muhammad and Sidney McLaughin

June 27, 2021. American women Delilah Muhammad and Sidney McLaughin compete for the US Olympic 400m hurdles team. (© Andy Lyons / Getty Images) 400 meters with hurdles. Delilah lives and trains in New York. And in 2019 at the World Championships, she set a world record by running the distance in 52.16 seconds, and before that she won gold at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.McLaughin of New Jersey set a new world record in the pre-Olympic qualifiers on June 27 in less than 52 seconds – 51.9.

Delilah Muhammad contracted the coronavirus in February, but was able to recuperate by the qualifying tournament. According to her, she is thinking about ending her sports career. And Sidney McLaughin is still ahead, as she is the youngest American runner to compete in this athletics at the Olympics since 1972.

Katie Ledecky

Katie Ledecky in the 800m freestyle (pre-Olympic swimming qualifier, June 19) (© Maddie Meyer / Getty Images)

Catherine Genevieve (Katie) Ledecky, 24, is a five-time Olympic swimming champion and 15 gold medals at the World Championships – is the most titled swimmer in the world. She has set world records in freestyle swimming 14 times. A graduate of Stanford University this year, Katie earned her BA in Psychology.In Tokyo, she will perform in five forms, four individual and 4 × 200 meters freestyle relay.

Katie Ledecky was born in Bethesda, Maryland. Her Olympic teammate Mike Phelps called her “the greatest swimmer of our time.” Ledecky, in turn, calls her 15-year-old teammate Katie Grims, who will compete for the first time in an Olympic tournament, as “the future of women’s swimming”.

Katie Ledecky’s free time devotes to charities such as the Catholic Charities, Shepherd’s Table, Bikes for the World and the Wounded Warriors Project, as well as the Walter Reed Medical Center in Bethesda.

Adeline Maria Gray

American freestyle wrestler Adeline Maria Gray celebrates her victory in the 76kg division at the 2019 World Championships in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan. (© Anvar Ilyasov / AP Images)

30-year-old freestyle wrestler Adeline Maria Gray became the first American (both women and men) winner of the World Wrestling Championships. She began her career at the age of six under the influence of her father, and since then has not parted with the sport.The Tokyo Olympics will be her last international tournament. At the end of the performances, Adeline is going to return to Colorado, where she lives with her husband, a US Army soldier.

She grew up competing in this sport with boys and was thrilled when women’s wrestling competitions were included in the Olympic program. “Women’s martial arts have changed the concept of what women can and cannot do in sports,” Adeleine said in an interview with NBC. In May, she became the winner of four fights at the Pan American Championships, and on the eve of the Tokyo Games, this gave her confidence in her abilities. Adeleine Maria Gray speaks highly of her Japanese rivals, with whom she has befriended and who, she says, bring “happy energy” to the sport.

The history of water skiing

The history of water skiing

Water skiing first appeared in 1922, when an American from Minnesota, Ralph Samuelson, experimenting with ordinary winter skiing, decided to try them on the water. He fitted two wide pine planks with fasteners for the legs. After that, the inventor successfully tested skiing on the waters of the lake in Lake City.

Unaware of Samuelson’s invention, in 1925 Fred Waller (USA) receives the first ever patent for a water ski model he invented, also made of pine, “Dolphin Akwa-Skees”.

In 1928, Don Ibsen of Bellevue, Washington, ignorant of previous discoveries, invented his water ski and thus became the third person to be recognized as the inventor of the sport.

The three pairs of skis that appeared were very similar to each other: they were all made of pine, with a special impregnation, and had a rubber mount for the legs.

Water skiing in the USSR began to develop in the late 50s – early 60s of the XX century. In 1964, largely on the initiative of the first cosmonaut of the Earth, Yu. A. Gagarin, who was an ardent admirer of water skiing, the Federation of Water Skiing of the country was created, in 1965 the first USSR Water Ski Championship was held. In 1977, Marina Cheresova, a pupil of the water ski school of the brothers Valery and Yuri Nekhaevsky from the city of Dubna (Moscow region), was the first Soviet water skier to set a European record in figure skating on water skis, in 1979 her teammate Natalya Rumyantseva, also the first water skier of the USSR, set a world record in this form and became the world champion.The name of this athlete is immortalized in the Hall of Fame of the International Waterski and Wakeboard Federation (IWWF): she has 5 world and 7 European records in figure skating in water skiing, 4 gold medals of the world championships and 24 gold medals of the European championships.

Information taken from the site http://ru.wikipedia.org/

In the mid-60s in the USSR, thanks to Yuri Gagarin, the Water Ski Federation appeared. Gagarin could become its president, but due to his employment he became only the chairman of the technical committee.The astronaut was very worried that many called water skiing “Western foppishness.”

In the photo – Yuri Gagarin, water skiing in the Crimea. They say he traveled non-stop from Yalta to Alushta.

Source: http://www.sports.ru/tribuna/blogs/fotoblog/584079.html

Water skiing. Description and history of the appearance of water skiing. Equipment

Nowadays water skiing is not only a popular type of water sport, but also a way of active recreation and pleasant pastime

The history of water skiing

Some believe that the pioneers of water skiing were the inhabitants of the Alps, who adapted their usual skis for this business, others believe that the first water skiing appeared as a kind of surfboards – a long-standing entertainment of the inhabitants of Hawaii.

But according to official data, three people from the United States are independently pioneers of water skiing. The first was Ralph Samuelson of Minnesota, who fitted regular wooden winter skis with leg bindings. After that, he successfully tested them on the waters of the lake in Lake City. Regardless of Samuelson, the American Fred Waller in 1925 received the first ever patent for the water ski model he invented. And finally, in 1928, a certain Don Ibsen from the town of Bellevue (Washington state), not knowing about the models invented before him, proposed his own version of water skiing, which makes him another person who is considered the inventor of this sport.All three models were very similar and consisted of a pine winter ski, covered with a water-repellent substance and with a special rubber mount for the legs.

At present, due to its spectacularity and popularity, water skiing is officially included (since 2004) in the program of the Summer Olympic Games. And various championships, including the world championship, have been held since the 50s of the last century.

Introduction to water skiing

Water skiing is driving after a boat or any other high-speed floating craft with which you are connected with a special cable: one end is attached to the side of the boat, and the other you hold in your hands.

To an ignorant person, water skiing may resemble alpine skiing, but in reality they are somewhat wider and have a different geometry. The first skis were made of wood, which was covered with water-repellent impregnation, but nowadays the main material for their manufacture is polyurethane foam. Skis made of this material have a number of advantages over wooden skis: they are lighter and have better handling.

Water skiing, unlike many other water sports, is a relatively simple type that does not require you to be in good physical shape and serious efforts to master the technique of skiing.Therefore, it is with water skiing that it is recommended to start learning water sports.

Types of water skiing

Slalom on one or two skis. In this type of water skiing, the cleanliness of the passage of the selected route is taken into account.

Ski jumping. In this type of skiing, the winner is determined by the length of the jump.

Figure skating on one or two skis. In this form, the style of performance and the complexity of the executed figures are taken into account.

Depending on the type of skiing, there are some differences in the shape and geometry of the skis.

Equipment

The main thing to look for when choosing water skis is their flexibility. Skis with low flexibility, they are also called “hard”, allow you to develop high speed, but they are less stable when cornering, and with more flexible skis (“soft”) – the situation is the opposite. Therefore, beginners are recommended to learn on “soft” skis, as they are more stable on the water and easier to handle.

After you have decided on water skiing, we recommend that you pay attention to other items of equipment – a halyard, a life jacket and a helmet.

The halyard is a cable, one end of which is attached to the side of the boat, and the other ends with a special handle that the skier holds in his hands. The main requirement for the halyard: it must be bright (so that it can be easily seen on the water), durable and inelastic. The halyard is made of lightweight materials (most often polypropylene) so that it does not sink. The length is selected individually, depending on the weight and skill of the rider. Beginners are advised to choose a shorter halyard (usually about 16-18 meters).The halyard handle is a hollow plastic handle covered with foam rubber for convenience.

Lifejacket is an obligatory piece of equipment. It does two things: it prevents you from drowning and when you fall, it reduces the risk of injury. The vest should be soft and free of movement.

Helmet is an important piece of equipment, it protects your head from injury and damage in case of falls. The main selection criterion is that you should be comfortable.

Author: Alexander Kuznetsov

The article is protected by the law on copyright and related rights.When using and reprinting the material, an active link to the portal about a healthy lifestyle hnb.com.ua is required!

90,000 Extreme water tourism

Diving is very popular all over the world. Well, this pleasure is not cheap. General training and equipment will cost a beginner up to $ 1000, but then he will be spent only on tickets and hotels. If you don’t buy equipment, then the cost of preparing for the first round is reduced to $ 250.True, then you will have to pay $ 30-40 for renting a suit, scuba gear and other things that are necessary in the depths. Well, really good equipment costs from $ 1500 for a complete set.
Russian divers are mostly young – their average age is 30 (in the USA – 36). These are intelligent urban youth: in Russia the vast majority (77%) of divers have a higher education (in the USA – 50%).
In general, diving is very poorly developed in our country, and is very expensive by our standards. And there are few travel agencies in Russia offering this type of recreation directly in our country.The Black Sea, of course, cannot be compared in the beauty of the underwater world with the Red Sea, but we also have something to see.
Therefore, many of our fellow citizens prefer to travel to Sharm el-Sheikh or Southeast Asia than to Sochi. For a slightly higher price, they will get much more fun.
Wakeboarding is a combination of water skiing, snowboarding, skateboarding and surfing. The boat is towing a raider standing on a short, wide board. Moving at a speed of 30-40 km / h with additional ballast on board, the boat leaves behind a wave that the raider uses as a springboard.You can perform many different tricks while jumping.
Wakeboarding began to develop especially dynamically in the early 90s. He revolutionized water sports just as he did snowboarding in alpine skiing. From a hobby of a small group of enthusiasts, it turned into a popular sport with its own philosophy and culture. A lot of tricks came to wakeboarding from related “board” sports – snowboarding, skateboarding. And this gives the wakeboarder the opportunity to progress all year round.All you need to do is change the board!
Cost of a complete set of wakeboarding equipment from $ 400. For wakeboarding, you need a specialized boat, but such boats are expensive, which is why they rarely appear in Russia. Consequently, in our country, this type of recreation is almost undeveloped due to its very high cost.
Water skiing is one of the most famous types of outdoor activities. It is a worthy replacement for downhill and cross-country skiing.
Water skiing first appeared in 1922 when an American, a resident of Minnesota, Ralph Samuelson, experimenting with ordinary winter skiing, decided to try them on the water.He fitted two wide pine planks with fasteners for the legs. After that, the inventor successfully tested skiing on the waters of the lake in Lake City. Then this sport was constantly progressing. Today it has become so spectacular and popular that in 1998 the Greek Olympic Committee recommended the introduction of water skiing into the program of the 2004 Athens Olympics. True, the IOC never made a final decision on this issue.
Well, for water skiing you need four things: the actual water ski, a life jacket, gloves and a wetsuit.
The cost of skis ranges from $ 120 to $ 1000, plus the rest of the equipment (wetsuit, gloves, life jacket) costs somewhere around $ 150.
Water skiing is now actively practiced on the Black Sea coast. But they ride there for a fairly short period of time, for which you will have to pay a lot of money. Therefore, in Russia it is really difficult for an ordinary tourist to really enjoy water skiing, or, more precisely, it is very expensive.
Windsurfing is an oval CFRP board with a rough surface for stability, stabilizer fins on the underside and a small sail that attaches to the board.Surfing is the same without sail. Windsurfing itself is derived from surfing. With a good wind, you can reach speeds of more than 10-12 m / s. Well, the record for today is more than 70 km / h.
And all the equipment is not cheap either. Windsurfer included $ 1000, spare sailing set (mast, boom, sail) $ 500, wetsuit $ 200, total $ 1700.
Kayaking – insanely popular abroad, is gaining more and more popularity in Russia. This single sport, although devoid of team spirit, makes it possible to challenge the elements and stay alone with it.
There are three main trends in modern kayaking – rowing slalom, rodeo and rafting.
Slalom kayaking is the ability to maneuver a kayak while feeling the boat and the water.
Rodeo, unlike slalom, is not only a virtuoso technique, but also an element of the game. Freestyle on a kayak is the performance of various tricks on a boat due to the features of the relief of the river.
And finally, the alloy. On a kayak, you can go on a water trip along the river of any complexity, or play rafting on a small section of a mountain river, choosing individual obstacles in the form of barrels, shafts and waterfalls and passing them lightly.Naturally, to feel confident during rafting, you need to master the basic slalom and rodeo techniques.
Equipment. The kayaker’s outfit includes: a boat, a helmet, a life jacket, a skirt (prevents water from entering the boat), rubberized slippers and a paddle.
Rafting is an exciting descent down a mountain river by canoe or special rafts. Rafting is one of the most visited tours, completely safe even for the youngest tourists. In recent years, it has attracted such tremendous interest from lovers of extreme recreation that most of the mountain rivers suitable for this tourism have been mastered by professionals, who now offer rafting tours to almost anywhere in the world.
Raft tours are mainly as follows: day trips (from $ 60 to $ 150) or half day (around $ 25-75), and multi-day trips. During the latter, tourists find themselves in remote corners of the mountains, with untouched nature, camp as they pass the river and explore the wild surroundings around the camps. The minimum cost of such raft tours is from $ 1000-1500. 90,000 Fun Facts About Water Skiing

Waterski Fun Facts

Water skiing is one of the most popular summer activities.It is also a spectacular sport that may soon be included in the program of the Olympic Games, at least in the early 2000s such a proposal already appeared. Interesting facts about water skiing will tell you about the history of the emergence and development of this sports entertainment.

1. Water skiing involves movement on the surface of the water on special skis. The athlete takes hold of a special cable connected to a moving boat, which provides a translational glide on the water surface.
2. Waterskiing has three creators at once. The first was American Ralph Samuelson from Minnesota. Back in 1922, he decided to try ordinary winter skiing in action on the water. In 1925, American Fred Waller invented a water ski model and patented the invention. The story goes that Waller was unaware of Samuelson’s invention. In 1928, not knowing about the two previous discoveries, Don Ibsen from Washington State invented his water skiing and went down in history as the third creator of this sport.
3. Water skis do not have to be paired , there are also single options. Moreover, each of the types is intended to perform certain tricks.
4. Water skis vaguely resemble winter skis, but they are wider than winter skis and have a special geometry . Curly water skis, for example, wide, short and curved at both ends, slalom – long and tapered at the back.
5. Water skis are made from a special material – polyurethane foam , and in the past, such skis were made from specially treated wood.
6. Water skiing is managed internationally by International Water Ski Federation , established in Geneva in 1946. Earlier, in the late 1930s, the first national water skiing federations were created in the United States and Switzerland.
7. The first European Championship in water skiing took place in the post-war period in 1948 in Geneva. The first world champions were Frenchman Jean-Pierre Musset and Swiss Monique Grammont. A year later, the first world championship was held in France.
8. In water skiing there are three disciplines – slalom, ski jumping and figure skating.
9. Water skiing is a great way to recharge with positive emotions, develop strength and flexibility, and burn calories effectively. So, in 15 minutes of water skiing, a person weighing about 56 kg will be able to burn more than 88 kcal, while 15 minutes of light gymnastic exercises will burn only 50 kcal.
10. For beginners who decide to go in for water skiing for the first time, it is important not only to choose the right quality equipment, but also to choose the right experienced boat captain , who will know how to properly tow a water skier.Pay attention to the rope , which should stand out in color against the background of the water, be light, unsinkable and not stretch.

Water skiing

The twenties of the last century were for America the time of the dominance of technology. It was the time of motors and speeds. Transoceanic liners crossed the Atlantic in less and less time, one after another the pilots took the height record, the racers squeezed the maximum possible out of their Bugatti and Dewey.All states toured “air attractions”, on which the pilots performed aerobatics.

Ralph Samuelson, an ordinary guy from Minnesota, also wanted to be “one of those who make America great.” On June 28, 1922, he made the first attempt to conquer the water surface on skis, towed by a boat. Ralph only lasted a couple of seconds on the water. But by trial and error, Samuelson achieved stability and already on July 2, a motor boat driven by his brother cut through the waters of Lake Pepin.Ralph Samuelson, holding on to a rope tied to the stern, sped thirty meters behind.

The new attraction gradually gained more and more popularity. The tricks became more complicated: water jumps appeared, instead of a boat, a skier, he was towing an airplane. Soon, the first woman, Kathy Lornerson, was on the water ski. In 1925, the first patent was filed by Fred Waller.

Amateur organizations, in 1939 unite to form USA Water SkiC. Its founders: D. Haynes and B.Parker are structuring a new sport. The first championship is held in New York. The World Water-Ski Union is created (in 1946). The main disciplines are: slalom, figure skating and jumping (from a springboard). At the same time, the rules for the competition are formed. With some changes, they are still valid.

On the slalom track, there is a competition for passing six buoys in two rows. The winner is the one who will go around them more, provided that all requirements are met.Each next race is more difficult than the previous one. The boat speed increases by 3.2 km / h, gradually reaching 55 km / h. Another feature of this discipline is the reduction in the length of the rope, with each successful pass of the buoys. The skier continues to try until he misses.

Figure skating is a competition in the performance of complex figures, divided into two periods. For this, two skis are used: short and edgeless. The athlete makes turns, slides, etc. For each “figure”, if it is performed in accordance with the rules, points are awarded.The skill level is assessed by judges (three or five, depending on the level of the competition).

For ski jumping, a wooden flooring with a height of 1.8 m and 1.5 m is used, for men and women, respectively. The boat has a speed defined by the rules. For men the speed is 57 km / h, for women 45 km / h. In order for the exercise to be counted, it is required to pass the springboard, splash down without falling or touching the water, cross the specially marked line. Two long tail skis are used for jumping.

In competition, the athlete may use the so-called “stunt skis” or one ski. Over time, the size and shape of skis and the materials used to make them change. Modern products are a combination of traditional and new forms: wood, aluminum, fiberglass. The length of the standard skis is 1.7 m. The width is 15 cm. Each one is equipped with a stabilizing fin and a secure mount that prevents injury. Figured (trick) skis are shorter.

Nowadays, the World and European Championships, competitions for athletes with disabilities are held.In 1972, at the Olympic Games, water skiing was presented in the form of demonstrations. There is a professional association.

This sport is the most widespread in his homeland. More than 15 million Americans have featured as competitive or amateur athletes throughout its history.

90,000 inventions invented by children – Moscow 24, 01/17/2014

On January 17, Kid Inventors’ Day is celebrated.We often do not know or remember that some of the things that have become firmly established in everyday life were created by children or adolescents. For example, popsicles were first made by 11-year-old Frank Epperson, and Benny Benson invented the Alaska flag. Children are generally great inventors. They, unlike adults, are not yet burdened with everyday problems, their view of the world is more fantastic, and what seems unreal to their parents, they take and do. Moreover, children make most of their inventions already in adolescence, when fantasy is supplemented by practical knowledge.Five unusual ideas brought to life – in the material M24.ru.

John Cohn estimates that more than 30 million people in the United States have hearing loss, 8 million use hearing aids, and more than 200,000 use cochlear implants (a device that allows you to compensate for hearing loss). Then he decided that sound can be transmitted using tangible vibrations. The idea came to Kon after he put his teeth on a guitar and heard the resulting sound.John designed a device that converts sounds to frequencies that can be felt by different parts of the body. This invention earned him a victory at the Google Science Fair in 2012.

A schoolgirl from Canada decided to make a flashlight that would work without batteries. Of course, such an invention does not seem to be something surprising: there are already mechanical flashlights, which are also called “bugs”.But Makosinski came up with a device that works by the difference between the temperature of the hand and the environment. The flashlight has four Peltier elements that can conduct electrical energy when heated on one side and cooled on the other. The flashlight works at a temperature difference of more than 5 degrees. Learn more about the invention.

Photo: ITAR-TASS

At three years old, Louis Braille accidentally poked in the eye with his father’s awl.An infection got into the wound, infection began, and soon the boy went completely blind. But he was not going to give up and give up: first he graduated from a rural school, and then the Royal Institute for the Blind in Paris. One of the difficulties that prevented proper learning was the inability to read. One of the institute professors developed his own system of volumetric letters, but it was confusing and inconvenient, since it was invented by a sighted person.

Braille then decided to create its own typeface. As a basis, he took the coding system of the French army captain Charles Bardier, called “night writing”.According to the idea, the soldiers were supposed to squeeze out messages on thick paper with the help of dots and dashes. But it was only suitable for transmitting short messages, since it encoded not letters, but sounds. Braille perfected the system for three years and in 1814 finished working on his own type, allowing the blind not only to read, but also to write. In his system, letters and punctuation marks are encoded by combinations of 1 to 6 flat and convex dots located in a 2×3 cell.

Photo: ITAR-TASS

In the summer of 1922, Ralph Samuelson decided to try how ordinary skis would behave on the water.First, he created a hybrid of barrel boards and skis for skiing in the snow, and then decided to try pine boards. The skis invented by him were 2.4 meters long and about 23 centimeters wide. He went to Lake Pepin, Minnesota. He wanted to achieve the same effect on the water as when driving on snow. When Samuelson gained confidence while standing on the water, he decided to try jumping over the waves. The first skis could not stand such acrobatic performances, and the second set has survived to this day.However, Ralph did not patent his invention, and the patent for water skiing in October 1925 was received by Fred Waller, who also invented pine skis.

Photo: budisteanu.net

Ionut Alexandru Budisteanu has been involved in computers since childhood.