going under, thereby preventing your being pulled over or out of your skis. Of course, leaning against the pull of the boat will help raise the edges. Also, the ankles can be employed to turn the foot sideways.

As you continue beyond the 90degree turn, the area of resistance decreases until finally you reach the 180-degree position, where you again need consider only the width of the ski. Here you must be leaning away from the boat enough to keep the back edge out of the wake.

As you continue turning to resume the front position. Your weight shifts from the balls of your feet to the center of the arches, equally in both skis. Again, the most crucial part comes when you are at an angle of 90 degrees with the boat and both edges must be kept up. As you swing around for the completion of your 360-degree turn. Your skis should still be parallel and an equal distance apart. This does not mean that the skis' tips or ends will be lined up during the turn, for the outside ski will usually come forward several inches during the turn.

Beginners should take note that bent arms play an important part in making the turnarounds. Most experts pull the tow handle toward the body, holding it as close to the stomach as possible before releasing it and swinging their free hand. By exerting muscular tension you keep the tow handle close to the body and cordinated with the turn to steady the arch of the back meeting with the moving free hand. With the handle kept close to the back, and the

arms bent, there is less chance of being pulled over backwards than if the arms were straight and fully extended. You are still in a crouching position, keeping the body low throughout the turn for better balance. Avoid excessive bending of your knees or trying to force the skis around during a turn. The results are inevitable. The ski on the outside of the turn will have a wider orbit, and the edge will catch in the surface of the water, pulling the ski off.

After completion of two ski turnarounds, you may vary from the 360 with continuous turns ranging as high as your ability permits. For example, from a 360 you can continue and go right into a 720or 1,080degree turn. The main problem here will be to check on your position relative to the wake and make certain that you do not wander out over the wake, but keep as near the center of it as possible.

Another type of stunt that will help your coordination is to master the 360 degree turn in both directions. As soon as you have grabbed the tow handle and completed one turnaround, you quickly drop your arm and swing it in the direction opposite that of the turn just completed. For trick competition in tournaments, the skier cannot hesitate too long in the front position before going into another 360-degree turnaround.

Remember, practice makes perfect. But even practice should be exercised with caution. Now--get up on those skis!

George Kulik

www

years

old

by Frank Ryan