| Acceleration : | To increase the speed |
| All Buoy Timing : | Timing for slalom between entrance and exit gates at each buoy. |
| Backwash : | Rolling water resulting from boat wakes rebounding off such fixed objects as a seawall, anchored boat, jump ramp, etc. |
| Balk : | When a jumper releases the ski rope handle and skis past or over a portion of the left side of the ramp. |
| Binding : | Rubber or composite mounting for foot on ski. |
| Buoy : | Round or spherical marker used to indicate paths for contestant and tow boat in slalom and to outline limits in jump course. Usually red and yellow, made of plastic and 9 inches in diameter. |
| Chief Judge : | Top official assigned to manage a water ski tournament. |
| Chop : | Waves created by wind. |
| Concave/Tunnel : | Bottom configuration of slalom ski for improved tracking in high speed turns around buoys. |
| Counter-Cut : | A jumper’s maneuver from the left side of the boat wake to the right side in preparation for the cut to the ramp. |
| Course : | Portion of the body of water marked by buoys, where each event of the water ski competition takes place. |
| Crash : | A hard fall while skiing. |
| Cut : | Putting skis on edge and pulling away from the force of the tow boat. |
| Double-Wake Cut : | The skier cuts out to the 500 & 600 on the left side of the boat then cuts toward the right side getting wide, usually even with the driver, and then makes the cut to the ramp. |
| Dock Start : | When the skier starts from the dock instead of the water. |
| Edging : | Holding a ski or skis on an edge to maintain acceleration or to initiate deceleration. |
| Fast 2nd Segment : | In the jump event, the boat is timed in two segments, if the second segment is fast the skier will get a re-ride, because it is to the jumper’s advantage. |
| Fiberglass : | A composite material consisting of glass fibers in resin. |
| Fin : | Appendage on the bottom rear of a ski to make it track in the water. Also appendage on bottom of tow boat as a stabilizer. |
| Five & Six : | Buoys that are five and six hundred feet before the ramp, as the skier enters the course. |
| Flattening Out : | Changing a ski from riding on a cutting edge to riding on the bottom surface. The skiers use these to gage their counter cuts. |
| Flex : | How much a ski will bend under pressure |
| Free Skiing : | Skiing outside the slalom course. |
| Gates : | Space marked by buoys denoting boat path and, in slalom, contestant entry and exit points on the course. |
| Glorified Single : | The jumper is outside the right hand wake and makes a nice slow cut toward jump ramp. |
| Hand Tricks : | Tricks done where the skier is holding onto the hand as opposed to toe tricks when the foot is in the toe strap. |
| Head Wind : | Skiing with the wind in your face. |
| Header : | A forward fall. |
| Hit It : | Audible signal used by the skier to indicate to the driver to start. |
| IWSF : | International Water Ski Federation, the international governing body of water skiing. |
| Jacket : | An insolate or nylon flotation vest. |
| Kicker : | Rubber strap securing back foot on a slalom or trick ski. |
| Late : | Description of a slalom skier who has fallen behind his rhythmic race through the slalom course. Also used to describe the timing of a jumper’s cut toward the ramp. |
| Lean : | When a skier is in a tug-of-war position with the boat. |
| Lift : | Amount of height a skier gets off the top of the ramp. |
| Line : | The tow rope used by a skier. Also used to denote boat path. |
| Line-Off : | A shortening of the slalom skier’s line from the original 75-foot length. |
| Magnet : | A device used to time the boats in the slalom and jump course, which is about one foot under the buoy, to ensure accurate timing. |
| Neoprene : | Material that is used to make life vests, and used for wetsuits. |
| One-Hand Gate : | A pullout for the gates simulating a turn. |
| Open Cutting : | A skier is riding jump skis outside the course. |
| Pass : | A run through the course in slalom. Also used to describe the refusal of a jumper to go over the ramp. |
| Plate Binding : | Binding mounted on metal which is attached to the ski. |
| Pre-Gate : | These are buoys that are 55 meters before the entrance gates. Skiers use these two gage their pull-out for the gates. |
| Pylon : | A ski tow hitch usually mounted near the boat’s center of gravity to compensate for the angular pull of slalom skier’s and jumpers. |
| Quick Release : | A specially designed safety device used in a boat that allows the observer to release the rope from the boat. |
| Ramp : | Takeoff platform used by jumpers made of molded fiberglass, angled at 16 degrees and waxed for maximum slipperiness. |
| Reach : | The process of letting go with one hand in the slalom course. |
| Re-Ride : | A privilege given to a skier to repeat a pass if the judges agree an unfair condition existed, such as boat speed, rough water, etc. Some circumstances, such as slow boat speed, make a re-ride mandatory for slalom. In jumping, it’s just the opposite. A hot time requires a re-ride, a slow time is optional. |
| Rhythm : | A skier feels synchronized on both turns in the slalom course. |
| Rocker : | The built-in curve in the running surface of a ski |
| Rollers : | Water conditions caused by a boat wake or wind conditions. |
| SAWF: | South African Water Ski Federation. |
| Side-Curtain : | Slanted safety side of a jump ramp for protection of a jumper who has to cut too late or is out of control to prevent him from skiing into the undercarriage of the jump. Also called an apron. |
| Single Wake Cut : | A jumping cut initiated from the middle of the wakes and held to the bottom of the ramp. |
| Slam Dunk : | A slalom skier drops their inside elbow and hip in the water as they are going around the turn buoy. |
| Spectra : | The brand name for a special super thin non-stretching rope used by skiers. |
| Speed Suit : | Similar to a snow skier’s speed suit, a tight fitting suit worn over a jump suit to improve aero-dynamics. |
| Spray : | The wall of water forced into the air during a turn of the ski. |
| Stepover : | A trick where the skier steps over the rope with the free foot of the ski while turning 180, 360, or 540 degrees. |
| Stick-It : | Stand up landing in jump. |
| Tail Wind : | Skiing with the wind at your back. |
| Three-Quarter Cut : | A skier is wider than the glorified single but not as wide as the double cut. The skier is usually at a 45 degree angle to the right side of the boat as they begin their cut to the ramp. |
| Toehold Strap : | A canvas, leather or rubber strap attached to the trick bridle and used for toehold turns. |
| Tuning : | The process of adjusting binding settings, fin settings, etc. to make the ski work to its optimal performance for each individual. |
| Wax : | This is applied to the jump surface to make it slippery for the jump skis. |
| Wing : | An adjustable piece of metal shaped like an airplane wing on the fin that can be changed to a degree setting. This is used to alter acceleration and deceleration into the buoy. |
