Like wakeboarding and water skiing, wakeskating is
performed behind a boat. The main difference between
wakeboarding and wakeskating is that on a wakeskate
there are no bindings - creating a whole new list of
challenges.
There are two types of wakeskates - wood-based or
composite material based. Wood gives a better feel, but
the composite boards are slightly lighter. The surface
of the board is can also come in two varieties - grip
tape or foam. Foam is a better choice for beginners, as
it reduces the likelihood of serious scrapes. Wakeskates
are also smaller than wakeboards. There exists a line of
shoes designed specifically for wakeskating. They are
similar to skateboard shoes, but are designed in such a
way as to not retain water.
Wakeskating has increased in popularity over the past
few years to the point that it now has its own
competitions on the Pro Wakeboard Tour. It has a much
more limited user base, however, because the sport is
more difficult to learn, ie even a wake-to-wake jump is
difficult for many intermediate wakeboarders.
Some of the most popular names in the sport include
Thomas Horrell, Brian Grubb and Scott Byerly.
