The Championships, due to take place from April 8 to 19, and will see the worlds' best ski racers competing across six categories including men's formula one and two; women's formula one and two; and boys' and girls' junior events.

Competitors from Australia, Austria, Belgium, Great Britain, France, Spain and the United States are expected to attend the 12-day event in Wellington Harbour.

The teams will compete in four rounds over the course of a week, with a day on-day off schedule.

Competitors' three best results will count towards the world titles.

Men will compete for 60 minutes, while women and juniors will compete for 45 and 30 minutes respectively.

During competition, athletes can reach speeds of up 160 kilometres per hour on the water.

The New Zealand Water Ski Racing Association will host the 19th edition of the Championships, which will be the second time they have been staged in the country following on from Rotorua and Taupo in 2007.

Wellington Harbour will provide the backdrop for next year's World Water Ski Racing Championships ©Getty Images



The inaugural event was held in Whitstable, Allhallows and Welsh Harp in Kent, Great Britain in 1979.

Last year the Championships were held in Tenerife, Spain, and saw competitors from Australia dominate across the board.

Wayne Mawer and Trudy Stout took the men's and women's formula one titles with the formula two crowns going to Ben Gulley and Sarah Teelow.

The junior gold medals went to Jack Harrison and Rachel Stapleton.

Just two months after claiming gold in Tenerife, 21-year-old Teelow was tragically killed when competing in the Bridge to Bridge Water Ski Classic near Sydney last November.

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