Water Ski History

Ralph Samuelson was the first to attempt water skiing in June of 1922. The eighteen-year-old from Minnesota thought that if you could ski on snow, then you could also ski on water. Ralph and his brother Ben experimented with the idea for a few days until in early July, Ralph stood up on two skis while being pulled by his brother.

As for equipment, Ralph used a variety of materials including; barrel staves, snow skis and eventually formed water skis from lengths of wood. The ski rope was made from a long window sash and the skis were held on with leather strips.

Ralph Samuelson never patented the water ski, so in 1925 Fred Waller became the first to patent a water ski called Dolphin AquaSkees.

Water Skiing became primarily an exhibition sport, both in North America and Europe in the 1920s and early 1930s. It was not until the 1940's that the sport became competitive.

Water Ski & Wakeboard Canada has been in the business of serving water skiers, and now wakeboarders, for over 50 years. The World Water Ski Union (now the International Water Ski Federation) was founded in 1946. One of the first water ski championships was the European Tournament Championship in 1947 and was followed by a World Championship in 1949. The sport was demonstrated at the Olympics in 1972 but has yet to be recognized as an Olympic sport.