This list covers 25 sports, running alphabetically from “Wakeboarding” to “Water Jousting.” They range from board sports and water-based competitions to adaptive events for wheelchair athletes and offbeat contests you might not expect to see on a list like this. Whether you’re looking for a new hobby, researching Paralympic events, or just curious what sports start with the letter W, you’ll find a mix of mainstream and niche activities here.
Sports are structured physical activities with rules, often played competitively between individuals or teams. Some, like water polo and wrestling, have been contested at the Olympics for over a century, while others, like wife carrying, started as regional traditions and grew into quirky international competitions. Many also have adaptive versions, giving athletes with disabilities the chance to compete at the highest levels.
Below you’ll find the table with the sport name and a short description of each one.
Sport: the name of the sport, listed alphabetically so you can quickly scan through all 25 entries.
Description: a short explanation of how the sport is played, what equipment it uses, and what makes it distinct from similar activities.
Sports
Sport
Wakeboarding
Wakesurfing
Walking Football
Wallball
Wallyball
Water Polo
Water Skiing
Weightlifting
Wheelchair Basketball
Wheelchair Curling
Wheelchair Fencing
Wheelchair Rugby
Wheelchair Tennis
Whitewater Kayaking
Whitewater Rafting
Wife Carrying
Windsurfing
Wingsuit Flying
Woodball
Woodchopping
Wrestling
Wrist Wrestling
Wushu
Winter Triathlon
Water Jousting
Descriptions
Wakeboarding
A water sport where a rider stands on a small board and is towed behind a boat, performing jumps and tricks similar to snowboarding on water.
Wakesurfing
Riders surf the wake behind a slow-moving boat without being directly pulled by the tow rope, mimicking ocean surfing.
Walking Football
A slower-paced version of soccer where running is not allowed, popular among older players and those returning from injury.
Wallball
A fast-paced handball game played against a single wall, popular on playgrounds and in organized street-ball competitions.
Wallyball
A team sport played on a racquetball court where players volley a ball off the walls, combining volleyball and squash elements.
Water Polo
A team sport played in a pool where players swim and pass a ball, trying to throw it into the opposing team’s goal.
Water Skiing
A sport in which a person is towed behind a boat over water while standing on one or two skis.
Weightlifting
An Olympic sport testing an athlete’s strength through the snatch and clean-and-jerk, lifting a loaded barbell overhead.
Wheelchair Basketball
A version of basketball played by athletes using wheelchairs, following most standard rules with adaptations for the chair.
Wheelchair Curling
A Paralympic form of curling in which players deliver stones from a stationary wheelchair without sweeping.
Wheelchair Fencing
A Paralympic combat sport where fencers compete from wheelchairs locked in place, dueling with foil, epee, or sabre.
Wheelchair Rugby
A full-contact team sport for wheelchair users combining elements of rugby, basketball, and handball.
Wheelchair Tennis
Tennis adapted for wheelchair users, played with the same rules except the ball may bounce twice before return.
Whitewater Kayaking
A paddling sport where athletes navigate fast-moving, turbulent river rapids in a small kayak.
Whitewater Rafting
An outdoor adventure sport in which a team paddles an inflatable raft through rapids on a fast-flowing river.
Wife Carrying
A quirky competitive sport, originating in Finland, where men race through an obstacle course carrying a partner.
Windsurfing
A wind-powered water sport combining sailing and surfing on a board fitted with a single sail.
Wingsuit Flying
An extreme sport where a skydiver wears a special suit that adds surface area, allowing controlled gliding flight before parachute deployment.
Woodball
A mallet sport similar to croquet or golf, where players hit a wooden ball through gates toward a target.
Woodchopping
A timed lumberjack sport where competitors race to chop through logs using axes or saws, popular at agricultural shows.
Wrestling
A combat sport in which two competitors grapple to gain a physical advantage, pin, or score points against an opponent.
Wrist Wrestling
Also known as arm wrestling, a strength sport where two competitors try to force each other’s arm down onto a table.
Wushu
A Chinese martial art and combat sport combining acrobatic forms with full-contact sparring.
Winter Triathlon
A multi-sport race combining running, mountain biking, and cross-country skiing across snowy terrain.
Water Jousting
A traditional sport, especially popular in France, where standing competitors on boats try to knock each other into the water with lances.
If you think there is a missing term, let us know using the contact form.
