Biomechanical P ... Slalom Water Skiing R1.pdf - Atrium - University ...

1 Introduction and BackgroundSlalom water skiing is an increasingly popular recreational and competitive sport withapproximately 10 million North American participants annually [SGMA, 2003]. Thislevel of participation is impressive considering that it requires specific equipment and aunique environment that has given it the reputation of being a luxury sport. In 1995slalom skiing was introduced to the Pan American Games, providing evidence thatdespite its lack of availability, it has grown to be a popular international sport [“PanAmerican Games”, 2011].In contrast to an increasing level of international participation, water skiing has limitedstudies found in the research literature. Advancements in technology within thebiomechanics industry has allowed for improved methods for analyzing other highlydynamic sports. In many cases quantitative results have been used to replace thetraditional optical methods. Having performance data throughout a specific activityprovides a more accurate and detailed assessment tool than observing an end result.These data sets can be used to compare the performance of two athletes or one athletewhile using different equipment or while implementing a different technique. Therefore,this type of comparison can be used as a tool for improved coaching capabilities andproduct development.There are many challenges when mounting instrumentation and recording data for highlydynamic sports and the natural environment of water skiing has additional obstacles. This26