Another tragedy to hit the triathlon cmmunity

Triathlon Forum
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Dear Slowtwitchers:

It is with great sadness I am posting this for a few of our fellow triathlete competitors from down under. Please say a prayer for them and their families during this tragic time. If I hear anymore information, I will post it accordingly.

Below is a link to an article, along with a letter that was transmitted within the water ski racing community earlier today.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/01/24/2473712.htm

Stephen Robertson of Australia writes …yesterday (06.30am Saturday 24th January - Sydney time) 2 of my very good friends & former fellow ski racers David Morris & Dean Hanckle were involved in a tragic accident whilst on a training ride for an upcoming ironman triathlon, they were struck down by a truck causing Dave’s death, at this stage Dean is fighting for his life.
People will know Dave from many years competing at World Championships observing for Rory Brown in Plus One & The Judge, Dave has also observed for myself & Tracey at the worlds level in 1995 & 1997, he was considered as one of the best observers in Australia for a very long time, has been competing in ironman triathlons since 2002 & completed the world famous Hawaii ironman just a few months ago.
Dave leaves behind his wife Jennifer & daughter Ainsley, & the ski racing fraternity in Australia is absolutely devastated from this accident & the loss of Dave’s life.
People will know Dean from being one of the best skiers in Australia for many, many years, skiing behind boats such as Top Gun, Stinga, Mr Walker, The Sting, Showdown & many more.
Dean was the bridge to bridge record holder for 9 years & was the 1st skier to break the illustrious 40 mins barrier in that race, Dean skied with several boats & skiers over his career & won just about every race in Australia including the prestigious Bill McClachlan on 2 occasions when it was Australia’s premier mens race, & i was lucky enough to team up with Dean for a few years & he is a true legend & a great man.
Dean’s wife Kelly has also just given birth to their 3rd son only 2 days before the accident.

SCSQ
CALIFORNIA

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Hi,

I am gutted, I truly am. this hits home. I have no words

Most know of my involvement in the sport of triathlon.

Some of my close ups know I was born and raised on a lake…waterskiing at age 4, towing other skiers by age 9,
It was waterskiing that got me into swimming, it was waterskiing that got me into triathlon.

1977: Summer of my 13th year, I was a successful club swimmer and competitive slalom skier. a brief moment of adolescent bravado mixed with random chaos forever altered my life trajectory. The end of another short rope pass, brought my turn to an end, a short hard whip to the dock for a deck change. but a mis-calculation of angular momentum and the dock was on me at an acute angle and a closing speed of at least 80KpH…turn hard, away almost deadstick…hit dock and have 12 inch steel boat cleat act as an arresting hook thru my right wrist and hand.

Wow. That was a hard stop…just the sudden lack of speed, as my arm brought me from 75kph to Zed in the length of my forearm.

Have not stopped like that since I got a thrill ride in the passenger position of the McClaren 2 seat F1 car (a corporate VIP thrill ride mostly) at Spa (thanks Uncle Andy…another story) . That head snap forward, black spot in center of vision kind of stop.

Flash forward 3 weeks and 5 surgeries…it looks like I will keep my arm and most of my right hand. I just will not be as good a pianist, guitarist, typist…Blackerry thumb pecker (need thumbs for the B-Berry!)
Will I ever swim again? Yes, with a 'Phelps-ian Lope
Will I ever ski a short line?..No, I will have a semi fixed prosthetic and cannot hang off anymore…so just passes at 22 off max

Can I ride a road bike? if I move the controls to the left side
Can I run? yes
can I run and ride to and from swim practice? yes

Will I hear about Triathlon in 3 years and say , “hey, I could Do That”…uh, yes.
would that crash change my path for the bigger and better? Yes, a million times over

would I ever switch over to waterski speed racing…yes, twice…and it was awesome, and I did not need to wearmy prosthetic (the speedskiers will knw of what I speak, in endurance racing you use a split handle and afix it to the back of your hips and butt, no more problems with the 'Claw.

As I get closer to old, and further from young, I am ever more mournful of those taken by careless inattention or malice of others. It hurts worse to see and hear that 'a 20 year old has crossed the fog line and taken a 46 year old father, husband and leader. That a younger man is taken from his wife and child by a random crossing of inattention, chaos and fate.

I must say that my heart breaks when I hear these tales, and I have heard them too many times.
I will spend extra time with my son later today, I will hold him longer and harder.

Godspeed brothers,
May the warm sunrise be bright and the waters like crystaline glass.
And always enough boats and gas to go around again.

Tom
a Waterman
a Dad
a Triathlete
and a One finger right hand typist.