Written By: Kayla Glucroft
This past weekend, I had the incredible opportunity to represent Driftline and San Diego State University at the Moomba Masters in Melbourne, Australia—one of the most prestigious and intense watersports competitions in the world. If you're a fan of waterskiing, wakeboarding, or extreme sports, Moomba Masters is the Super Bowl of the waterskiing community. It’s where the best of the best come to battle it out on one of the most challenging waterways in the world.
What is the Moomba Masters?
The Moomba Masters International Invitational is an annual waterski and wakeboard competition that draws elite athletes from across the globe to Melbourne, Australia. Hosted on the Yarra River, right in the heart of the city, this competition is unlike any other. Why? Because the Yarra isn’t just any body of water—it’s a fast-moving river with a 5-6 mph current, making it one of the most difficult places to compete in the world. Unlike the "glassy" water conditions that most athletes prefer, the Yarra demands a whole new level of skill, adaptability, and mental toughness.
The 2025 event took place from March 6-10, showcasing a mix of waterskiing and wakeboarding events, from slalom to tricking, jumping, and wakeboarding—each discipline pushing the limits of human capability on the water.
Events & Disciplines
Waterskiing Competitions
Slalom
Slalom skiing is all about precision and control. Athletes must navigate a six-buoy course at increasing speeds and progressively shorter ropes. The challenge? The rope gets so short that skiers must turn around buoys when the rope is actually shorter than the distance to the buoy itself. For top competitors, this means skiing at 36 mph with a rope as short as 41 feet. One mistake? You're out.
Trick Skiing
This is where raw creativity meets technical execution. In 20 seconds, athletes perform a high-speed routine of flips, spins, and wake tricks, aiming to rack up the most points possible. It’s the equivalent of freestyle gymnastics on water—except instead of a solid floor, you’ve got a churning river beneath you.
Jump Skiing
If you want an adrenaline rush, jump skiing is the event to watch. Athletes hit a 5 to 6-foot ramp at speeds over 30 mph, launching themselves into the air for maximum distance. The goal? Land as far as possible—some of the world’s best jumpers can clear over 213 feet through the air before touching back down.
Wakeboarding
Wakeboarding at Moomba Masters is a show-stopper. Riders use the wake from a powerful boat to launch massive aerial tricks, spins, and flips, judged on execution, difficulty, and amplitude. With the Yarra’s unpredictable water, landing tricks cleanly is no small feat.
How to Qualify for Moomba Masters
Earning a spot at Moomba Masters 2026 is no easy task. Only the top-ranked skiers and wakeboarders qualify, and the standards are brutal. Here’s what it takes:
- Men’s Slalom: 3 buoys @ 10.25m line (41 off)
- Women’s Slalom: 2 buoys @ 10.75m line (39 off)
- Men’s Trick: 11,000 points
- Women’s Trick: 7,500 points
- Men’s Jump: 65 meters (213.25 feet)
- Women’s Jump: 47.5 meters (155.84 feet)
If you don’t meet these scores, you’re not getting an invite. It’s as simple as that.
Rules & Code of Conduct
With such a high-caliber event, competitors must also follow strict rules, including:
- Wearing official competition bibs during all events and interviews
- Mandatory participation in media interviews (no skipping out)
- No offensive language or unsportsmanlike behavior
- Respect for fellow competitors, officials, and the sport itself
Athletes not only have to perform at an elite level, but they must also uphold the professionalism and prestige that Moomba Masters represents.
The Energy of Moomba Masters
Moomba Masters is more than just a competition—it’s an experience. Every night, thousands of fans line the riverbanks, cheering on their favorite athletes, especially during the Night Jump—an electrifying event where jump skiers launch into the darkness under stadium lights. The energy is absolutely insane.
For those who can’t make it to Melbourne in person, Moomba Masters streams live on YouTube, bringing the action to watersports fans worldwide.
Driftline at Moomba Masters
This year, Driftline was well represented, with multiple athletes competing—including Stevie Island, who showed up ready to dominate. Being there firsthand and seeing Driftline athletes perform on one of the biggest stages in watersports was inspiring. As an intern, I was proud to stand alongside some of the best in the industry, repping Drifties on the world stage.
If you’re serious about waterskiing or wakeboarding, Moomba Masters isn’t just an event—it’s the event. And after experiencing it firsthand, I can say this: there’s nothing else like it.
Want to see the action for yourself? Watch the full Moomba Masters replay on YouTube and follow Driftline as we continue to push the limits of watersports apparel.
