Wake Skating is an individual water sport similar to wakeboarding. The difference lies in the board not having any foot straps. Instead, the board has grip tape like a skateboard.

Wake skating is a relatively new sport that resembles wake boarding with the key difference being that riders are not attached to the board itself. Instead, the top of the board is covered with a high-friction foam, or griptape, similar to that found on skateboards, which helps riders stay on. While being inherently more challenging than wake boarding, wake skating is also popular because it does not require a power watercraft to create large wake.

The goal of wake skating is to stay on the board and perform tricks while being towed by a powered watercraft.

Depending on the competition, rules can vary, but generally revolve around properly executing tricks and the tricks' degree of difficulty.

The origins of wake skating can be traced back to the late 70s and early 80s when riders used long surfboards to be towed behind boats. These "freesurfers" eventually decided on a shorter board that allowed them to launch off of the wake; however, the water sports industry demanded bindings to secure riders to the boards. Wake skating did not begin to take off until the mid 90s and has steadily gained popularity among youth culture across the world, but has remained mostly popular in the United States.

Powered watercraft
Shoes
Wake Skating Board

Because wake skating is usually performed in deep water, riders should be proficient swimmers and wear a life vest to ensure safety. Spotters are typically used on the watercraft to keep an eye on the rider and relay communication between the rider and driver.

Wake skating is inherently more difficult than wake boarding because riders are not bound to the board and must work to maintain balance and contact. Initial training centers around learning how to perform a deep water start. Once riders are able to stand, training focuses on being able to balance and remain on the board. As riders' skill level progress, they can attempt to perform a number of tricks; these tricks are based around skateboarding, not snowboarding, tricks.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wake_skating