Water sport is a form of recreation where water is an essential aspect of the activity.

For a list of such sports, divided according the participants' position at, below, or above the surface of the water

[edit] In the water

• Swimming includes pool swimming and open water swimming
• Triathlon is usually a combination of swimming, cycling and running
• Modern pentathlon includes epee fencing, pistol shooting, swimming, a show jumping course on horseback, and cross country running
• Rescue swimming is swimming with the goal to rescue other swimmers or the practice thereof
• Water polo is a team sport played in water.
• Synchronized swimming is a hybrid of swimming, gymnastics, and ballet.
• Water aerobics is aerobics in the water
• Water gymnastics is gymnastics in the water
• Snorkeling is the practice of swimming at the surface (typically of the sea) being equipped with a mask and a short tube called a snorkel.
• Diving off springboards or off platforms
• Synchronized diving
• A water slide is a slide with water flowing down it

[edit] Under water

• Scuba diving is swimming under water using a (self contained) breathing apparatus
• Free-diving is the aim to maximize the depth dived using no breathing apparatus
• Underwater hockey is hockey played under water with short wooden curved sticks and a heavy puck. Players wear diving masks, snorkels, and fins, and must surface to breathe while team mates continue the game on the pool bottom.
• Underwater photography is photography done under water. Numerous contests worldwide are arranged every year. The digital cameras have revolutionized how many divers participate.

[edit] On the water

• Skurfing is where the participant "skurfs" behind a boat on a surfboard
• Barefoot water skiing is waterskiing with no skiis
• Boating is the use of boats
• Bodyboarding is similar to surfing, but the board is smaller and the person (normally) lies down on the board
• Canoeing
• Fishing is the recreation and sport of catching fish
• Kayaking
• Kite surfing on flat water using a kite for propulsion
• Parasailing where a person is towed behind a vehicle (usually a boat) while attached to a parachute
• Rafting
• Rowing
• Sailing using the wind for propulsion
• Surfing downhill on waves
• Wakeboarding is similar to water skiing, but using only one board attached to the feet
• Wake skating is similar to wakeboarding, but the board is not attached to the feet
• Water skiing is using skis to slide over the water while being pulled by a boat or other device
• Windsurfing on flat water using wind for propulsion in combination with sails
• Yachting sailing on yachts, daysailing, cruising or Yacht racing