F1 Waterski

GSPePGSPeP Registered Users Posts: 3,939 Major grins
edited May 23, 2011 in Sports
Last sunday I heard a lot of noise on the river across the street. When I went over to have a look the first race of the belgian F1 waterski championship was almost finished. Went back in and got my camera to take some pictures of the second race.

These boats can reach speeds up to 100mph with a waterskier behind them. On the river they got up to 60-70mph on the straight sections of the track.

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This is a sixteen year old girl

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Some going airborne

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Some more boats

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The complete set: http://www.steendorp.info/Sports/F1-Waterski-2011/
Greetings from Belgium, Peter
gspep.smugmug.com & steendorp.smugmug.com
FB: www.facebook.com/peter.perdaen - Youtube: www.youtube.com/user/1150GSPEP/videos

Comments

  • ErbemanErbeman Registered Users Posts: 926 Major grins
    edited May 20, 2011
    That's awesome!! Good post.
    Come see my Photos at:
    http://www.RussErbePhotography.com :thumb
    http://www.sportsshooter.com/erbeman



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  • roletterolette Registered Users Posts: 223 Major grins
    edited May 21, 2011
    Are they really strapped in like that behind the boats? Or do they have some sort of special release behind them that requires a hand on it (ie., the reason they all have their hands behind them in the photos)?
  • GSPePGSPeP Registered Users Posts: 3,939 Major grins
    edited May 22, 2011
    Yes, there is a special release. At those speeds it would not be nice to be dragged through the water (which is then as hard as concrete). As soon as something goes wrong they let go.
    The strap is not "closed". On this picture you should be able to see that they hold the 2 handles togethger behind them:

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    Greetings from Belgium, Peter
    gspep.smugmug.com & steendorp.smugmug.com
    FB: www.facebook.com/peter.perdaen - Youtube: www.youtube.com/user/1150GSPEP/videos
  • FlyNavyFlyNavy Registered Users Posts: 1,350 Major grins
    edited May 22, 2011
    Amazing!!!
    http://jmledy.com/


    http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100003085685580
  • DarrakDarrak Registered Users Posts: 8 Beginner grinner
    edited May 22, 2011
    That sport is amazing! I've never heard of this before. Kinda scary when you are being pulled behind a boat fast enough that the boat drivers have to wear helmets too.
  • ZerodogZerodog Registered Users Posts: 1,480 Major grins
    edited May 22, 2011
    What a crazy sport. Nothing I know of like that in the US. They are flying!
  • GSPePGSPeP Registered Users Posts: 3,939 Major grins
    edited May 23, 2011
    Dangerous too. The sixteen year old girl in one of the pictures waterskies since she was eight. She has already broken almost everything there is to break in a human body. I must admire her for continuing this sport.

    Last year one of the waterskiers in the race had to be taken to hospital after a fall, but could already leave it after a day.

    This is a serious organisation: police to close the river for other traffic, medics and rescue divers, ambulances, etc. Depending on the distance to the nearest hospital, sometimes a helicopter is standby also. Not needed here since there are two hospitals nearby.
    Greetings from Belgium, Peter
    gspep.smugmug.com & steendorp.smugmug.com
    FB: www.facebook.com/peter.perdaen - Youtube: www.youtube.com/user/1150GSPEP/videos
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