Here's the history that I found this winter:
Water Skiing
Aqua plane 6 to 10 foot by 3 foot boat used in France and Switzerland
1921 John Finey, Lake Coeur d’Arlene, Idaho made two skis
1925 Ralph Samuelson was the first to jump using water skis
1925 Fred Waller also invented water skis for motion picture filming
1928 Don Ibsen also invented water skis, after first trying snow skis
Fred Walter patented the water ski
1928 Frank Sterling developed a water ski show for the steel pier in Atlantic City
1938 The American Water Ski Association is formed
1939 The first American Water Ski Association competition is held
1946 The World Water Ski Union (WWSU) is founded in Geneva Switzerland
1948 First Collegiate Water ski competition at Cypress Gardens
1950 First Water Skiing World Championship held at Cypress Gardens
1950 World Water Ski Federation formed by Dan B. Hanis
1953 First WWSF championship help in Toronto
1955 WWSF and WWSU Merge in to the WWSU
1988 The WWSU renamed to the International Water Ski Federation
Kneeboarding
Source
http://waterski.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ&sdn=waterski&zu=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.usawaterski.or g%2Fpages%2Fdivisions%2Fkneeboard%2Fkneeboardhist. htm 1960 California surfers use home made knee and belly boards
1965 the inland wake board became available from Abercrombie & Fitch
1960s~1970s Various manufactures developing knee boards
1982 Glide Slide becomes Hydroslde knee boards
1983 The American Knee Board Association is formed
1988 the AKA becomes a sport division of USA Water Ski
Barefoot
Source “The Bare Foot Data Book, 202 edition”, by Philippe POYET, Downloaded from the International Water Ski Federation web site
http://www.waterskieame.org/barefoot.htm 1947 Chuck Sligh small skis, proposed barefooting
A.G. Hancock first to are foot at Cypress Gardens
1950 Emilio Zamudio won the first Barefoot competition at Cypress Gardens Dixie Championships
1950s~1960s Barefooting was demonstrated at The American water ski shows
1978 American Barefoot Club founded by Dan B. Hains
1978 First U.S. Barefoot Nationals held
Wakeboard
1985 Tony Finn, San Diego develops the Skurfer
1987 First Skurfer competition in Soda Lakes, Lakewood Colorado
1990 Hyperlight wakeboards emerge
Wakesurfing
1965~ Cypress Gardens demonstrations
1960s-1980s Surfboard pulled behind boats