How to Step Over Front to Back on One Water Ski

While skiing on one trick ski, swing your back foot over the ski rope as you spin 180 degrees to end up skiing backward with the rope between your legs.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Safety Flags
• Life Vests
• Ski Boats
• Trick Skis
• Water Ski Ropes
• Water Skis

1. Learn to step over front to back and back to front on two skis before you attempt this trick (see related eHows).
2. Use a 75-foot rope. Ski on one trick ski directly behind the boat.
3. Stay low and get into your vertical crouch.
4. Take your back foot out of the binding and let it drag slightly in the water to maintain your balance.
5. Practice some low bounces standing on one leg until you're comfortable with the feeling.
6. Bounce up as high as you can and swing your stepover leg (your back leg) over the rope. This is easier than the two-ski stepover because you don't have to worry about getting an entire ski over the rope.
7. At the high point of your bounce, release the rope with the hand opposite the leg you stepped over with and spin 180 degrees.
8. Keep your head up and hold the rope low. The arm holding the rope should be between your legs, braced against your thigh.
9. Insert your stepover leg back into your binder and hold out your free arm to help maintain your balance. You are now skiing backward on one ski and holding the rope in one hand between your legs.

Tips & Warnings

• Stay low and arch your back to keep your head up. These are the two most important aspects of this stepover trick.
• A good bounce is very important.
• To make this trick competition legal, the toes of your stepover leg must touch the water before you put the leg back in the binder. Be very careful not to let too much of your foot enter the water or you'll have a nasty fall.
• Always wear a life vest when waterskiing.
• Perform this trick only under the supervision of an experienced trick skier and skilled boat driver.
• Waterskiing is an inherently dangerous activity that can result in serious injury or death. We recommend that you seek proper training and equipment before attempting this activity.