ATUMBLE-turn by a barefoot water-skier is an amazing crowd-pleaser but it's the easiest trick in the book, according to NSW Barefoot Ski Club vice-president Brendon Chattaway.
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"It's one of the first things barefoot skiers are taught," he said.
The club's ski season begins in October and runs through to April in normal years.
"However, this year's Australian Barefoot Nationals will be held at Bonneys Ski Park, Baldivis, Perth, Western Australia, from April 28 to May 3," Mr Chattaway said.
"They are five man-made private lakes that are great to ski on."
Current world champions are a father and son duo, Ken Derry Junior and Keenan Derry, Toukley.
Mr Derry is the current NSW Barefoot Club president.
The NSW club is based on the Georges River at Helles Park near Liverpool, and conducts monthly tournaments from October to April.
"This year our State titles have changed as they would have clashed with the biennial world titles at Max Kerwin Lakes, Mulwala, from March 10 to 16," Mr Chattaway said.
Each fixture has three events - trick, slalom and jump.
Mr Chattaway said the jump section started 20 years ago by accident when Mike Siepel (USA) tripped on top of a jump and created what was known as inverted jumping, or superman style.
A barefoot jump is 45 centimetres high, 150cm wide and 180cm long.
According to Mr Chattaway, when barefoot jumping, going from the water to the jump is like sliding from carpet to wet tiles.
"It's super slippery," he said.
"The jump doesn't really need to be wet first, although we do, because your feet are pushing a cushion of water as they move on to the jump."
The current world record holder is David Small from the United Kingdom, who broke the record at 29.9 metres at the world titles in Waco, Texas, USA, two years ago.
Mr Chattaway said the slalom and trick events were also fun to participate in and watch from the riverbank.
"You only have two 15 second times to do as many tricks as possible and can be anything from standing on one foot to toe or doing summersaults," he said.
Barefoot water-skiers don't need a wide foot, but Mr Chattaway said (tongue-in-cheek) having no brains like himself was possibly a requirement.
Visit NSW Barefoot Water Ski Club at www.barefoot.org.au or contact Brendon Chattaway on 0405 414 160.