Article contributed by Ken Cram
What do you do when you are 49 years old and have just made your first successful pass through a regulation slalom ski course, 15 off @ 28 mph? You whoop it up behind the boat, pat yourself on the back and then immediately join the INT League, that's what. INT stands for International Amateur Waterski Wakeboard & Kneeboard U.S. Tour.
What is the INT League and why would they want anyone of my age and ability? Read on and you will learn about the most exciting thing happening at the grassroots level of waterskiing today.
The INT League is the self-proclaimed "Little League of Waterskiing." Formed in 1993 in Washington state as an outgrowth of the previous eight years of increasingly successful amateur tournaments promoted by the International Water Sports Organization, it has since expanded to 24 states and a National Championship.
- Learn all the rules and regulations. -
Find your class based on your ability. - Find the location of tournaments near you. - Find the contact person for INT events near you. - Find out how to organize a team to compete in your local INT events. - Find out how to start an INT League tour in your area if one does not already exist.
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Join the INT. It is $45 per year and includes a T-shirt, gift, and a sticker
for your car identifying you as an INT competitor.
The New England INT events are very well organized and professionally run. Compared to pro events I have attended, the INT events are like mini-professional tournaments. There are banners, a PA system, an announcer who describes each skier or boarder as they make their passes, music, sponsors with boats to show and demo, and vendors with good deals on skis, boards, wetsuits and other water sports paraphernalia.
Overall, it is a really fun, family oriented activity with "competitors ranging from eight to nearly 60 years old and everyone at every level has a great time!"
The organization's basic premise is that you compete based on ability, not age, until you reach a certain level of proficiency. This allows people of all ages and ability to compete against people of similar ability. There is a junior division for age 13 and under. Adding to the fun are medals for the top three finishers in each division.
In the slalom event, you start out in the Novice Division if you have never completed a full pass through the slalom course at an INT event. Once you make a full pass at any line length and speed, you move into 4th, 3rd, 2nd, or 1st class depending upon boat speed. Making any line length at 28 mph moves you from 4th to 3rd class, making 30 mph moves you to 2nd class, making 32 mph moves you to 1st class and, finally, making 34 mph moves you to either Slalom Masters (over 35 years old) or Slalom Expert (35 years old and under). There is even a separate class for the new wide slalom skis. Everyone has a class in which to ski and compete.
Points are awarded for each event and count towards a seasonal championship for each state or tour and the top finishers in each division are eligible to compete in the National Championship in October.
If this is not the most fun an amateur can have skiing, I do not know what is. Although I have done it in practice, I am still looking for that first perfect pass in a tournament.
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