Chasing Shortline: A Water Skier’s Goal

Have you ever wondered why a slalom ski rope has so many different colors? The different colors represent each rope length, and this is how a slalom skier is scored in competition.

The object in competition is to earn as many points possible while completing consecutive passes through the six-buoy official slalom course. A skier will continue until a fall or miss.

• The final score is compiled by the total number of buoys or partial buoys completed at each consecutive rope length at the point of the fall or miss.
• A complete completion ski rope is 75 feet.
  
• Red rope section is 15 feet off.
  
• Orange rope section is 22 feet off.
  
• Yellow rope section is 28 feet off.
  
• Green rope section is 32 feet off.
  
• Blue rope section is 35 feet off.
  
• Purple rope section is 38 feet off.
  
• White rope section is 39.5 feet off.
  
• Pink rope section is 41 feet off.
  
• Black rope section is 43 feet off.
• The current world record is held by Florida's Chris Parrish: 1.5 buoys at 43 feet off.

Every tournament water skier's never-ending quest is "Chasing Shortline" — skiing trough the slalom coarse at the shortest rope length possible.