Abstract: An apparatus for propelling a towed sports participant back and forth one or more times over a surface of land and/or water via a tow line, includes a pair of mutually spaced support structures. An end of the tow line is coupled to a movable carrier mounted to an elevated, reversibly drivable, closed elongated loop having vertically separated upper and lower legs which extend between a pair of mutually-spaced, pulleys which are supported by way of the support structures and mounted for rotation in substantially vertical planes.

Abstract: An elevated loop of cable or other flexible traction member extends suspended above a surface over which a sport participant is to be towed. The loop includes upper and lower legs which run between a pair of pulleys which are mounted for rotation in substantially vertical planes atop respective ones of a pair of mutually separated support structures. At least one of the pulleys is coupled to a reversible, variable speed drive. A carrier is coupled to one leg of the loop and in response to rotation of the drive, unit travels along according to a reversible variable speed velocity profile.