Disabled Water Skiing in Australia

Welcome to disabledwaterski.com.au. This site provides information on water skiing for people with physical disabilities & vision impairments.

AWWF provides sporting opportunities for people with disabilities. Athletes can compete in their own category, and/or against able-bodied athletes, as does visually impaired athlete Kevin Murfitt, who is one of the best able and disabled competitors in the country!

Although most skiers who have a disability ski in mainstream three-event (i.e. slalom, trick, and jump) tournaments including State and National Titles, the Ski-Able Division has members in most Australian States and runs "Have A Ski Days" especially for people who have a disability. Coaching and advice on adaptive equipment is available.

The AWWF sends a National team to the World disabled Water-Skiing Championships that are held every two years. People who have a range of disabilities including blindness and vision impairment, arm/leg amputees, paraplegia, and quadriplegia can enjoy water-skiing.

Waterskiing is for everybody, and everybody can do it!

Click here to download the 2009 Competition Handbook - Water Skiing for the Disabled (Word format)

Click here to download the 2009 Competition Handbook - Water Skiing for the Disabled Addendum Classification Appendicies.

Click here to download the IWSF Disabled Rule Book.

Categories:

Sit Skiers (Multi-plegic) (MP)

These are skiers with disabilities such as spinal cord injuries (paraplegia, quadriplegia), bilateral leg amputations, or other conditions which affect the lower limbs. There are 3 categories within this division.

Multiple plegics and double leg amputees shall be classified in categories MP1, MP2 and MP3 as defined in the MP Classification section of the Competition Handbook Water Ski for the Disabled. General guidelines are as follows:

MP1: Athletes unable to utilise the majority of their trunk musculature and rise from their knees without arm support. They lack full use of their upper extremities. Typically, they do not have adequate grip strength and may utilise their forearms or wrists to hold the handle.

MP2: Athletes able to use their upper trunk muscles and raise their body partially from their knees in the skiing position. Typically, they have full use of their upper extremities.

MP3: Athletes with good use of the majority of their trunk muscles, possibly including abdominal's. Typically, they are able to raise the trunk from their knees in the skiing position and have full use of their upper extremities.

Vision Impairments

Skiers with vision impairments or who are totally blind. Skiers use an audio device for slalom skiing and a guide for jumps.

There are 2 categories in the V division.

Leg Division

Skiers who have an above or below knee amputation.

Skiers can ski with or without their prosthesis.

Arm Division

Skiers have either an arm amputation or impairment of one arm (eg. brachial plexus injury).

Arm & Leg Division

This division is for skiers who have an impairment of an upper and a lower limbs. Skiers may have hemiplegia as a result of a stroke or brain injury, they may have amputations or a congenital disability.

2009 NATIONALS to be held from 10TH -13TH APRIL AT STONEY PARK, NSW.

Stoney Park Watersports Website

Archive>2008 Nationals (Click Here)

The Australian Disabled Water Ski Team is proudly supported by: (Click on the image to go to their website)