Ski star Bonnie Hancock injured in big surf, more gold for Nick Sloman, son of a gun’s silver
A top surf star has been left broken hearted and with a broken bone after a nasty accident in big surf at the Australian Surf Lifesaving titles. Latest news and drama from the Aussies day 6.
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Just months after her champion ironwoman sister Courtney stepped back from the professional ironwoman series, Bonnie Hancock has joined her on the sidelines after a nasty accident in big surf at the Aussies..
Two of the most famous surf life saving sisters are now watching the remaining days of the 2024 Aussies surf life saving titles from the sand with Courtney commentating at the event and Bonnie now convalensing.
Bonnie said she knew immediately her ski smashed into her arm during a rough and wild heat of the ski racing that it was bad.
“It was just crazy,‘’ Bonnie said.
“We got the set of the day. It was massive. I got hit the first time and pushed back. I got hit the second time and taken all the way back in.
“Then when the third one hit me my ski just went flying straight up in the air.
“I just felt this terrible pain and I started to swim to shore.
“My first thought was to try and get back on because you never want to not finish a race but I couldn’t.’’
The Mermaid Beach surf life saver was comforted by teammates who put a sling on her , took her to first aid and eventually hospital where she has been diagnosed with a hairline fracture of the wrist and nasty swelling.
“At first we thought the bone was broken because it looked so deformed but there’s a hematoma there and possibly some ligament damage so I had a little cry,” she said.
Coached by ironman legend Ky Hurst, Hancock said she will be back on the beach barracking for her clubmates in the team’s racing but will be out of action for some time.
“I have to get more X-rays when the swelling goes down,” she said.
But the brave ironwoman, who broke two vertebrae in her back when hit by a ski 12 years ago, said she isn’t’ calling it quits just yet.
“The worlds are on the Gold Coast in a couple of months and I would just love to do them,” she said.
Paris-bound swimmer Nick Sloman is getting a taste for gold ahead of his debut Olympics.
The Gold Coast swimmer, based on the Sunshine Coast, has picked up his second gold medal of the Aussies for Northcliffe in the swim team with Dolphin Bailey Armstrong.
“It was a good team result, individually I felt like I could have done a little bit better,” Sloman said.
“But it is what it is - it’s a tough wade out there but I’m glad for the boys, they worked really hard for this win and it’s really good for us to get the gold,” he said.
Last Saturday Sloman won his gold medal in the 2km swim race.
Earlier, hometown hero Tiarnee Massie from Maroochydore booked her spot in Sunday’s ironwoman final, crossing the line in first place ahead of former Australian ironwoman champions Georgia Miller and Lana Rogers from Northcliffe.
Massie, who’s had a breakthrough season over the 2023/24 summer, said it would be the fairytale ending to win her first Australian Ironwoman title on her home beach.
“That would be so special - it would be the fairytale…what I’ve been dreaming of since I was a kid,” Massie said.
“I just want to have a good time, and good races with my teammates, and with my coaches and family who have supported me through this journey of being a little under six nipper on this beach to the woman I am today.
“I’m going to go and enjoy these next couple of days with my teammates and then I’ll go out there and give it a really good crack on Sunday.”
New Zealand Ironwoman and Northcliffe star Olivia Corrin made her way through the field, after a less than ideal opening ski leg, to punch her ticket for Sunday’s final.
After winning the New Zealand Ironwoman title last month, Corrin said it would be a dream come true to take out the Aussies Ironwoman title.
“It’s been a dream of mine to take out the Aussie Ironwoman title. I took out the New Zealand Ironwoman final a few weeks ago back home at Mount Maunganui and to add that one to my resume would be a dream…it would be amazing,” she said.
“I’m just going to go out there (on Sunday) and race my best.”
Defending Australian champion Ironwoman Naomi Scott was relieved to be lining up in Sunday’s final, finishing sixth in this morning’s semis.
“That race was a lot harder than I wanted it to be, but you’ve got to be in that final for a chance to win it,” Scott said.
“One of my long term goals for a really long time was that I wanted to win the Australian Open Ironwoman title and doing that last year was honestly one of the best feelings I’ve ever had.
“I feel like I’ve taken the pressure of myself now because I have achieved that goal and anything else is a bonus now. I’m just really trying to enjoy these Aussies, and savour the moments that I get to spend on the beach doing what I love.”
Alexandra Headland’s Emma Woods took out her semi final to make her way through to Sunday’s Open Ironwoman title race.
“For me, on Sunday, it’s going to be anyone’s game. I don’t think you can pinpoint in this surf who is going to be out the front,” Woods said.
“It’s also a little bit more special that my friends and family can come down and see what I spend most of my time doing.
“It (an Aussies Ironwoman title) would be the icing on the cake, it’s one of the goals that I aspired for this year, and it makes me hungrier for next year too.”
IRONWOMAN FINAL LINEUP
Analise Kibble (Newport), Dominique Stitt (Mooloolaba), Grace Otto (Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park), Tiarnee Massie (Maroochydore), Emma Woods (Alexandra Headland), Lily O’Sullivan (Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park), Hannah Sculley (Northcliffe), Claudia-Rose Slaven (Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park), Naomi Scott (Northcliffe), Bella Williams (Northcliffe), Gemma Smith-Welch (Sunshine Beach), Lana Rogers (Northcliffe), Olivia Corrin (Northcliffe), Harriet Brown (Northcliffe), Georgia Miller (Northcliffe), Charlotte Cross (Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park).
Towards the southern side of the beach it was the son of a late ironman legend that helped his Kurrawa Surf Club team secure silver in the under-17 board relay final.
Ben Cervenak, Alex Sheppard and Lachie Mercer, the son of former champion and household name Dean Mercer, finished second on Thursday in rough conditions.
Mercer passed away after suffering a cardiac arrest and crashing his car on the Gold Coast in 2017.
During his time in the surf he won two Australian crowns, an equal record five NSW state championships, two Test of the Toughest titles and the world Oceanman Series.
On Thursday the Kurrawa teenage trio showed the same grit and determination to come away with a podium finish.
Cervenak got a great start for his team, putting a gap between the second pack before snagging a nice wave to hold the lead after the opening leg.
“They were right on my heels but I got a good wave ahead so I was pretty keen with that and I was thankful that the boys could back me up,” Cervenak said.
Mercer held his spot in the front pack during his paddle before Sheppard battled it out to finish in second spot.
“I’ve just got that dog in me so the whole way through I had that positive mentally to just keep going,” Mercer said.
Despite the big waves and boards flying everywhere Sheppard said he enjoyed the race and was excited for the rest of the carnival.
“It was really fun to get a competition with waves,” Sheppard said.
“We don’t get too many throughout the year so it made it a good race.”
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