Water-skiing toddler rides again

Water-skiing toddler rides again

Ryder Ray Anderson is just learning how to talk. But on water skis, the tyke is a pro. Mom Tamara Blair captured video of her son’s second water-ski attempt in May 2013.
 
Ryder first made waves at seven-and-a-half months of age when his parents made a video of him as they pulled him along the shore. That quickly went viral, with more than 771,000 views on YouTube. At 11 months old, when the video was shot, he’s ready to get behind a slow-moving boat with ski instructor Joel Wing on Australia’s Gold Coast.
 
“In the video it probably looks like he’s going fast,” Blair told Yahoo News over the phone. “It’s actually really slow.” The boat is going about 7 mph, just fast enough to keep Ryder afloat.
 
Ryder’s skis are attached to what his mom calls a “learner board,” while his parents, off-camera, feed the rope tied to the contraption at the back of the boat to keep in control. “It’s the same board we used in the first video just so he’s got a sturdy bar to hang on to,” Blair said.  “It’s the proper way to learn how to ski.”
 
The toddler is also outfitted in a custom-made wetsuit and a life jacket. “That really gave me peace of mind,” Blair said. “You’ve got that nervousness, but when he did it I was so proud.”
 
Ryder, now 18 months, has an expert stance in the video and stays perfectly still, gripping the bar in front of him. He had plenty of practice on land before heading into the water, Blair said.
 
Blair, 24, and Danny Anderson, 26, love the sport, but they are taking it slow with their son. “He’s still a bit little. We don’t want him to crash and get scared of it,” Blair said.

Blair is pleased with how it’s going so far. She said of Ryder, “He’s got a perfect stance. He’s a natural.”

Blair noted that her son does know how to say one word well: “boat.”