Latest News From Ski Racing
Proposed Event - Lake Coolmunda - September 2026
Update from Ski Racing Qld (SRQ) - 20th June
14 weeks and counting.
Lake Coolmunda Inglewood Qld on the 26th & 27th September.
Applications to authorities have been submitted and discussions are underway on permits. Local council and business owners are already showing support for our event.
Public Liability Insurance is in place if required.
SRQ will race under the SRA rulebook and new policies and procedures where finalised so we will keep you updated.
SRQ priority is to return in a safe responsible fun racing enviroment so start prepping your boats, your gear and your self.
Expression of Interest requested for classes you are interested in if not listed below
Proposed Classes and number of races over 2 Days of Racing
Social 55mph x 4 races
Social 70mph x 4 races
Marathon Equipment x 2 races
Juniors under 14 - 4 races
55mph x 4 races
65mph x 4 races
70mph x 4 races
70mph 2up x 2 races
Invitational Races x 4 races
Distance of each race maximum 15km with the 2up and invitationals 30km each
We are rebuilding our sport from the grassroots so anyone who lane raced or ski raced back in the day we are inviting you back with your slalom skis, centremounts, kids & grandkids.
Let us know any classes you would like to see included and give us your boat name if your keen to go racing again.
Email to president@skiracingqueensland.com.au
And follow Facebook site WaterSki Racing Queensland for ongoing details:
https://www.facebook.com/share/1B4MU3WQj8/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Lets get back racing together.
22nd June 20206
Ski Racing Australia Board Update – Issue 17
As an update to our communication on 4 June, when we advised that we were targeting a return to racing in September/October, we are pleased to confirm that this timeline remains on track.
A Board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, followed by a Heads of States and Clubs meeting on Wednesday, 24 June.
In addition, a Race Committee meeting is currently being planned, highlighting the significant amount of work underway in preparation for the resumption of racing.
At the Heads of States and Clubs meeting, discussions will focus on planning future events.
We are already aware that Ski Racing Queensland has scheduled an event for late September, while Ski Racing Victoria is planning events across September and October.
Ski Racing NSW is also working with its associated clubs to come together and deliver their first event during the September–October period.
The Compliance Committee continues to make excellent progress, with governance policies nearing completion.
Work has also commenced on populating the LEV8 Event Safety Management System, which will strengthen safety, compliance, and risk management processes across all states and events.
SRA will hold a meeting with the insurers during the week of 14 July.
There is a great deal happening behind the scenes and we look forward to providing further updates as progress continues.
Stay tuned for more information.
4th June 20206
Ski Racing Australia Board Update – Issue 16
The SRA Board is pleased to welcome three new appointments:
We look forward to the valuable experience, expertise and perspectives each of these individuals will bring to the organisation as we continue to strengthen and grow ski racing across Australia.
SRA Compliance Committee
The SRA Compliance Committee continues to meet weekly and is making strong progress towards finalising and updating our racing and governance policies in preparation for a return to racing.
To support this work, the Board has engaged Sentry Safety Services and its Principal Consultant, Steve Goss, to assist with the review and enhancement of our safety and compliance framework.
Sentry Safety Services has a strong reputation for delivering practical and effective safety and risk management solutions across a broad range of major events and high-risk industries, including motorsport, thoroughbred racing, mass participation sporting events, and events conducted in remote locations. The organisation is also well regarded for its ability to work collaboratively with regulatory authorities and emergency services throughout Australia.
Steve Goss is highly respected within the safety and risk management sector and brings extensive experience in providing high-quality advice supported by strong academic and industry expertise.
On Tuesday this week, the Compliance Committee presented to the Board, Steve’s Safety Improvement Business Plan and associated Implementation Action Register. This is now live with tasks being delegated to the Board, the Racing Committee, Safety Committee and Compliance Committee. This will filter down to the Heads of States and Clubs and broader membership for everyone’s action.
In addition, SRA will now be implementing the LEV8 Event Safety Management System, which will assist in streamlining event safety, compliance, and risk management processes across all sanctioned events.
What does this all mean. Although not fully finalised yet by the Board we expect a return to racing in September/October this year across all states.
PPE Development
Daniel Cotton has recently visited Rubber Jungle and is working hard to keep the momentum going on the development of our skier PPE.
Member Communications
The Board will release a question-and-answer video update next week to provide members with further information on current initiatives, progress made, and the pathway towards a return to racing.
We thank all members for their ongoing support and patience as we continue this important work.
23rd March 2026
Ski Racing Australia Board Update – Issue 15
There is no doubt that our ongoing communication with you all has not been regular enough and for this we apologise.
We understand that it can quite easily appear, that too little is happening to get us all back on the water, when updates are few and far between. Please know that it has not been our intention for this to be the case.
We will do our best to correct this moving forward and want to take this opportunity to let you know what is currently happening.
Board Update
Since the start of 2026, the composition of the SRA Board has experienced a number of changes. Our Chairman, Jon Horbury and SA Delegate, Andrew Donehue, resigned their positions in January, after which Mark Stephenson assumed the role of Chair and we welcomed Trinton Smith as the SA delegate. Trinton has rolled up his sleeves and is contributing well. Earlier this month, Ben Casey, reached the point where he has served the maximum continuous period for a State Delegate of 3 terms of 2 years. Consequently, CACT Ski Racing duly elected Matt Smith as their new State Delegate. Matt is quickly finding his feet. At the same time, Stewart Smith QLD Delegate has also resigned his position and we await a replacement from SRQ in the near term. Tim Pickford and Kelly Lindsell continue on as the VIC and NSW delegates.
The Board would like to extend our debt of gratitude to Jon, Andy, Ben and Stewart for their passion for and countless hours given to our sport, most especially over the past couple of years, as we have navigated the most difficult time in our sports history. We wish you all well for the future and look forward to your ongoing contribution to our sport.
In addition to our newly appointed State Delegates, we are in the process of considering additional appointments to extend our capabilities and harness the experience of others from within and outside of the sport. Stay tuned for further updates.
Looking forward, the new team is determined to take the sport forward and to return to racing. This will remain our firm focus.
Return to Racing
Our meetings with Transport for NSW (Maritime) are ongoing and despite our desire for this process to be more expedient, it can and does take longer than we would like. Whilst that can be frustrating for all members and stakeholders, it is important for you to understand that Maritime are working with us and they do want us to return to racing.
Educating Maritime to better understand our sport and how we intend to manage our risks to make our sport safer, is key to our future. What is also important, is that we persist with challenging certain aspects of the Special Purpose Investigation Report (SPI), as this will also help to effect change that should enable us to return to racing in a more competitive and satisfying way.
As you are all aware, the findings and recommendations of the SPI have largely been adopted by the regulators in other states and so all actions being undertaken by SRA are being done with a national focus. This requires that all applications for aquatic licenses will need to use consistent documentation, which is being updated. Imbedding the compliance management program (LEV8) is now a priority to achieve a number of requirements, not the least of which is managing all documentation and registers from one central source.
Managing the expectations and requirements of the relevant authorities is quite a juggling act and we appreciate that this has taken some time, with more to come.
Other Matters
We appreciate the patience that has been afforded to us and acknowledge your frustrations. We are determined to resolve the issues that face our sport and to step into a future, that whilst it may look different for a while, will ultimately get us back to what we all love to do.
12th February 2026
Ski Racing Australia Return to Racing Update – Issue 1
Dear Members,
Ski Racing Australia representatives Geoff Thomson, Kelly Lindsell and Tim Pickford have recently met with NSW Maritime on the Special Purpose Investigation (SPI) report.
The meeting was positive and there is a clear desire and intent, to allow water ski racing to return. While NSW Maritime have advised full acceptance of all recommendations
and findings from the SPI report, they have also advised that AQL applications for Water Ski Racing events on NSW Waterways are now available following the SPI release.
The key elements of AQL applications will be:
- Timing for applications will usually be 6 weeks; as long as possible noting that prior engagement with event holders needs to occur prior to this.
It is intended that this will be a collaborative effort.
- Maritime AQL Risk Category will now default to a category 2 (with risk categories ranging from 1 to 4, with 1 being the highest risk).
- Within the parameters of the SPI Recommendations, noting work from the Recommendations around event parameters (speed, courses, waterways etc),
safety provisions (skier, drivers, observers) and incident reporting.
- Maritime AQL assessment will involve a broader range of staff from across the state to ensure consistency.
Regular meetings will now be formally conducted with NSW Maritime and will include various SRA Board Members, Committee Representatives,
other members and 3rd party consultants, as required.
The first of a number of draft policies and procedures was sent on the 6th February to NSW Maritime for review by their internal NSW Maritime Steering Committee
and we will communicate those accepted policies when confirmed.
The journey from here to a return to racing, needs more work to be done and we ask that, as a ski racing community, we work together to move us forward with a renewed SAFETY CULTURE vision.
8th January 2026
Ski Racing Australia Board Update – Issue 13
Dear Members,
Ski Racing Australia has been advised that the Special Purpose Investigation (SPI) final report has been released by Transport for NSW to the public.
The recommendations in the report are still to be discussed with the Executive Director NSW Maritime, and the SRA Board are awaiting confirmation of a meeting
to discuss conditions of Aquatic Licenses that will be applied for in NSW.
SRA, having now received the SPI final report, can now continue to finalise policies to address the findings in the report.
SRA’s All of Sport Review in early 2024 and the subsequent suspension of the sport afforded SRA the opportunity to review and recreate a broad risk management framework
to minimise the likelihood of incidents occurring in the first place, and then, should an incident occur, minimise the consequences.
What underlies this framework is a series of preventative policies that will elevate the governance and risk management of the sport of water ski racing, delivering more
robust and safe systems of operations moving forward.
These include but are not limited to:
1. SRA COMPLIANCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM POLICY
2. SRA COURSE & EVENT RATING POLICY
3. SRA DRIVER & OBSERVER PROGRESSION POLICY (LICENCE GRADING SYSTEM)
4. SRA SKIER PROGRESSION POLICY (LICENCE GRADING SYSTEM)
5. SRA INCIDENT & INVESTIGATION POLICY
6. SRA PPE DEVELOPMENT
7. SRA CONCUSSION POLICY
8. SRA IN-BOAT STATUS AWARENESS SYSTEM POLICY
9. SRA SANCTIONING POLICY
10. SRA SCRUTINEERING POLICY
SRA will be holding online member information forums with further details to be advised.
We ask that, as a ski racing community, we work together to stay positive and determined to have our sport rise again. A lot of discussion will be held in your own communities,
and we ask that you reach out to your state delegates for any additional information you are requiring.
A link to the report is available here: https://www.nsw.gov.au/driving-boating-and-transport/waterwayssafety-and-rules/towing-and-boating/statewide-60-knot-speed-limit-on-towing-nsw
24th December 2025
Ski Racing Australia Board Update – Issue 12
Dear Members,
Ski Racing Australia has received the Special Purpose Investigation (SPI) final report from NSW Maritime after reviews by the Executive Director and the NSW State Minister for Transport.
The SRA Board and the Heads of States and Clubs group (HOSC) have met and have received a copy of the final report.
NSW Maritime has instructed SRA to limit the report to those entities until it is published.
The report will be released in early January to the public.
An SRA working group which will consist of representation from the SRA Board, HOSC, the membership base and experts is being setup to liaison with NSW Maritime
on the findings and recommendations contained in the report.
While the report will have an immense impact on our sport SRA remain committed to continuing to develop our policies, procedures, rules, safety controls, and
competitor PPE to return to racing in the future.
We ask that as a ski racing community we work together to stay positive and determined to have our sport raise again.
Merry Christmas and we wish you all the best for 2026.
12th November 2025
Ski Racing Australia Board Update – Issue 11
Dear Members,
Please see the attached letter from Nayland Aldridge, Senior Maritime Investigations Officer NSW Maritime for reference.
As indicated in this letter, the Special Purpose Investigation into Water Ski Racing in NSW is now complete and the final report has been submitted to the Executive Director NSW Maritime.
Additional information provided by Ski Racing Australia (SRA) which was outside the investigation parameters and was important to share regarding Aquatic License requirements has also been received by NSW Maritime.
The Executive Director NSW Maritime is conducting briefings with the relevant Minister’s offices and the report should be made available after this.
SRA continue to progress on the new policies and procedures to return us all to racing as soon as possible as we await the final report from Maritime NSW.
As indicated previously we expect to hold meetings with the Executive Director NSW Maritime to plan the way forward post report.
SRA are planning on holding communication forums for Vic/SA and NSW/ACT/Qld in an on-line video format for all members to attend as soon as practical after the report is available.
24th September 2025
Ski Racing Australia Board Update – Issue 10
Dear Members,
As advised in SRA Communications Issue 9, SRA prepared a response on the ‘Confidential’ Maritime Special Purpose Investigation (SPI) in NSW, which was presented to the SPI Investigators on the 15th August 2025.
Since our submission of our comprehensive response, they have taken the necessary time to fully digest our feedback and have requested clarification and further information on 10 further questions that we are currently finalising.
Where to from here? Once the SPI final report has been completed by the investigators, Maritime NSW will send this for review by the NSW Minister of Transport and the Executive Director of Transport for NSW (Maritime).
At their timing, the report will be released publicly.
The SRA Board anticipate that as soon as possible and at the convenience of the Executive Director of Transport for (Maritime), that SRA representatives will then meet with the Director and Maritime representatives to discuss our return to racing with all the changes that will be implemented.
While we wait on the outcomes from the latest SPI findings from Maritime NSW, we will continue to discuss our return to racing plans, in conjunction with the Heads of States and Clubs, to ensure that as soon as we are able to return, all members have an understanding of what that looks like.
Thank you for your patience and please stay tuned, as we anticipate ski racing starting to build momentum.
17th August 2025
Ski Racing Australia Board Update – Issue 9
As advised in Board Update – Issue 8 the response to the NSW Maritime Special Purpose Investigation Report Draft (SPI) was due on the 15th August 2025.
The SRA Board have been working extensively in conjunction with the support of our expert consultants and have presented our response to the SPI Team along with other recognised interested parties.
We now await the final report response from the SPI team which should occur in the near future.
We will continue to keep you updated with information as it comes to hand.
Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work through this process of returning us to racing.
22nd July 2025
Ski Racing Australia Board Update – Issue 8
Dear Members,
As you know, the SRA Board received the draft Special Investigation Report on 24th June and we are working on our response which is due by COB 15th August.
Our response needs to reflect the work undertaken by the Board and Committees over the last 12 months to be effective and we are completely focussed on achieving this.
To that end, the SRA Board has sought the assistance of Steve Goss, Dr. Tom Gibson and Prof. Alan Pearce and will include, but not limited to:
The report will also include a return to racing plan with sanctioning information that will provide event holders and members with information to commence your own preparation.
What has been evident, in both the ongoing and more recent work that we have undertaken with Steve Goss, Dr. Gibson and Prof. Pearce, is that our progress, in terms of PPE development and also procedural and policy change, have placed Water Ski Racing in a better position in terms of risk / safety than we have ever been.
Our PPE has been tested to a level never before undertaken.
The SRA suspension on racing implemented in June 2024 until June 30th 2025 has now concluded and we are working with Heads of States and Clubs via the State Delegates to build a Return to Racing Plan. There is an immense amount of work to be done to get back on the water.
As we have said previously, the consideration given to athletes wanting to participate in the World Championships in August in Belgium, has only been on the basis that our PPE is at a stage of development of competitors wearing the new products. The SRA Board has endorsed an Australian Team.
We hope we can all get behind them and it will provide an insight into what is to come here domestically. Once we have navigated our Maritime draft response and completed the return to racing plans, we will also ensure every member has the opportunity to
re-comply with our specifications including helmets, tethers and wetsuits and the return to racing plan ensures a pipeline of equipment is considered for each class of competition.
The good news is that the Maritime response date highlights we are getting closer to a return to racing plan.
We appreciate every member’s patience, in what has been a most difficult time for our sport. Like you, the Board wants to return to racing as soon as we can, but having implemented the changes needed.
If you have any questions, please feel free to speak with your state delegate.
30th June 2025
Ski Racing Australia Board Update – Issue 7
Dear Members,
The Ski Racing Australia Board (SRA) has met with the NSW Maritime Investigation Unit and NSW Maritime Senior Officers and have been presented the Draft Report of the Special Purpose Investigation into Water Ski Racing.
As a board we are bound by confidentiality which is explained here directly from the Senior Maritime Investigations Officer Maritime Nayland Aldridge:
“This report is provided on a confidential basis and that the Marine Safety Act places obligations upon persons who receive a draft report. Please note that it is an offence to not comply with these obligations;
109 Obligations of persons who receive draft reports or recommendations.
(1) A person must not copy, or disclose to a person or a court, the contents of a draft report or draft recommendations provided to the person under this Division except—
(a) as required or authorised by or under this or any other Act, or
(b) where necessary to take steps to remedy safety issues identified in the draft report, or
(c) where necessary to prepare submissions on the draft report or draft recommendations.
Maximum penalty—100 penalty units.”
The Board have met a number of times this week to determine our process of response and this has included the engagement of our Legal Advisors Lander and Rogers and a number of specialists who have been working with our Safety and Compliance Committees.
These specialists include:
Professor Tom Gibson – Human Impact Engineering, specialises in injury prevention through analysis, testing and design.
Dr Alan Pearce – who as a Clinical Neurophysiologist focusses on concussion in sports.
Stephen Goss – Founder and Designer of the L.E.V.8 Safety and Compliance SaaS Portal is an Expert Consultant in Safety, Risk and Emergency Management.
These specialists will work alongside the SRA Board and other SRA members to develop a response to the Draft Report of the Special Purpose Investigation into Water Ski Racing.
We will continue to update you as we progress through the process and protocols which are in place.
Thank you for your ongoing patience as we work towards our Return To Racing.
9th May 2025
Ski Racing Australia Board Update – Issue 6
The Ski Racing Australia Board (SRA) remains focussed on a return to racing which is only possible with new policy development and significantly enhanced PPE.
The recommendations coming from the Maritime Special Investigation report, which has been delayed until the middle of May 2025, will also play a key role in defining how we go racing.
It is intended that this communication will bring everyone up to date with the current situation as it relates to our ability to realise these outcomes.
1. Proposed Time Line to Return To Racing
Until SRA have received the final report and are in a position to make a decision on what else is required prior to a return to racing, this timeline will continue to be fluid.
In the meantime, over the next two months, we will have focus in the following areas:-
May
SRA will receive and digest the draft Maritime Special Investigation recommendations. We will have two weeks to provide our response to Maritime and are well placed to achieve this.
The Compliance Committee will continue working on the initiatives discussed below.
The Racing Committee will continue working with the Compliance Committee to refine the new policies & procedures critical to our return to racing.
The Safety Committee will be working on further development of our PPE, with focus moving from wetsuits and towards helmets.
The Safety Committee will review our new guidelines on wetsuits, restraints and helmets.
The Board will determine any additional projects required and the associated timelines.
The SRA Board will next meet on Wednesday 14th May 2025.
2023 Annual General Meeting – 7pm - 20th May 2025
The Board will make a final determination if an Australian team can be sent to the 2025 IWWF World Water Ski Racing Championships in Belgium.
June
Consultation and agreement with Maritime on the path forward to return to racing, ideally from 1 July.
The Board expects to finalise the new PPE options or reset the timeline for completion.
Finalise the SRA Sanctioning Policy review and Return to Racing Plan.
Reset Memberships and agree upon a Return to Racing Calendar, if in alignment with Maritime recommendations.
2. PPE Update – SRA Safety Committee
The SRA Safety Committee is continuing to work hard at developing the best skier PPE possible, specifically in terms of limiting the range of motion of the head and neck to combat upper cervical spinal injuries.
To date we have developed a number of key changes and additions to the design of wetsuits that have yielded significantly improved performance of anchor points. Regardless of the style/s of head and neck restraint that we ultimately decide upon we need the anchor points that any device and/or tether will utilise to incur minimum displacement under load, whilst permitting the full required range of movement for the skier. We feel we have achieved this and hope to very soon release an updated specification for wetsuits to be used in conjunction with head and neck restraints in upper speed classes.
We have also been investigating how we can improve the performance of our helmets. Most head and neck restraint designs involve mechanical fastening to the helmet at various points. We arguably need helmets that have a higher tensile strength than we have used to date to ensure that helmet integrity is not compromised by the function of the restraint system being utilised and that the helmet is designed to integrate with the restraint system/s to provide our members with the greatest level of protection. Careful consideration is also being given to helmet fit (both front and rear) and liner design.
We have also been testing various hardware items (including P-clips, D-rings, carabiners, webbing, and ropes ) to determine which are fit-for-purpose for head and neck restraint system/s. Ultimately there will also be a specification published and a list of approved hardware items that can be used in a head and neck restraint system.
Several members have put forward alternative head and neck restraint devices and ultimately all of these will be tested, on our test rig, to confirm their performance and reliability.
We are working hard with our suppliers to ensure that when the time comes, we will have sufficient lead time and production capacity to ensure that everyone can access the new PPE.
We are working as fast as we can to finalise development of these specifications, components, and systems, and hope to be in a position to confirm these to you all as soon as we can.
3. New Policy Development – SRA Compliance Committee
The SRA Compliance Committee has also been working hard to achieve the redevelopment of the Policies and Procedures that will underly a return to racing. The SRA Compliance Committee is on track to deliver these and is working collaboratively with the SRA Board, the SRA Racing Committee and SRA Safety Committee to do so.
The SRACC is comprised of Kelly Lindsell (SRA & Chair), Steve Shipp (MWSC), Josh Tyrell (SRV) and Bobbette McMillan (SRNSW & Region V). Other members who have offered their time to support special projects, which are in progress now, support this core group.
The following is an update on the priorities they are working on, in addition to other projects that have also been started.
Sanctioning Policy Review, Event Grading Project & Online Compliance & Safety Management System
The SRACC is currently meeting weekly with an initial focus on a full review of SRA’s Sanctioning Policy and all requirements that lie therein.
As part of this process, they have drafted a matrix under which all racecourses and events will be graded going forward for sanctioning purposes. The SRA Race Committee (SRARC) will work with the SRACC on this project, utilising their collective experience to confirm the validity of the proposed assessment guidelines and to determine an initial grading based on a variety of inputs.
The SRACC is aiming to create a comprehensive document that promotes understanding across all SRA subcommittees about the various aspects of event organization and safety.
The importance of an online “Compliance & Safety Management System” for our sport's governance has been agreed, emphasizing not just the management of Memberships, but Event / Sanctioning / Risk documentation, Incident reporting, Various registers (e.g., Risk Register, Competency Register, Data Collection, QR Code usage, Automated Alerts and Reminders). It is time to create a central hub of all information and for this to be managed online.
Sanctioning / Risk / Event Documents
Discussions were held regarding the current set of documents for SRA Sanctioned Events and it was agreed that whilst waiting for the Maritime Investigation, we would continue assessing the documents used at the World Championships and the 2024 Southern 80.
The SRACC have held meetings with a Risk Professional to have our risk documents brought up to date for any legislative change and to conduct an audit on our proposed “Compliance & Safety Management System”. This professional has been heavily involved in motorsport risk management and solutions.
Upon receipt of his quotation, the SRACC will be presenting a proposal to the Board to engage him as an Expert Consultant.
4. Speed Limits & Training on NSW Waterways
Speed Limits on NSW waterways is a maximum of 60 knots when towing effective from 18th April 2025.
5. 2025 IWWF Ski Racing World Championships.
Recently a communication was sent to members interested in the World Championship event coming up in August. In the interest of transparency, details of that communication have been repeated in this update.
IWWF Position
The IWWF Ski Racing Council have advised that as the official governing body for Water Ski Racing in Australia, Ski Racing Australia (SRA) must endorse all competitors to compete in the 2025 IWWF Ski Racing World Championships.
The IWWF acknowledge that Ski Racing Australia is currently evaluating several safety measures and is awaiting the conclusions of inquiries being conducted by the Australian authorities. Until these processes are finalised, the IWWF has stated that it is unable to take any further action without potentially exposing itself to significant legal challenges.
IWWF Rulebook
The IWWF Ski Racing Council confirms as the official governing body for Water Ski Racing in Australia, Ski Racing Australia (SRA) has the discretion to determine how skiers are nominated for the World Championships.
This includes the ability to excuse athletes from competing in the National Championship in the 12 months preceding the event.
This outlines that SRA will not be required to conduct Selection Races and a team may be determined by other means.
Funding of an SRA Endorsed team
Should SRA be able to endorse a team there will not be any reasonable opportunity to fund raise for the team. Competitors and teams will be expected to be completely self-funded.
Ski Racing Australia Position
The SRA Board are not currently in a position to endorse a team, with the Board in full agreement that any of our members competing in a SRA Sanctioned Event, will be required to wear and comply with our new kit (policy, compliance and PPE). That includes any competition requiring SRA to sign off individuals competing (i.e., World Championships).
SRA has sought legal advice on this and we have been advised that in circumstances where SRA was to send a team to compete at an event, prior to delivery of the safety improvements, there will be risk if a competitor is injured. Furthermore, we have been advised that a waiver (or an expression of interest process) will not necessarily release SRA from all liability, even where it purports to do so.
As such, the SRA Board are striving to deliver outcomes urgently in order to provide clarity and confidence to do so with time for boats to head to Belgium. We will be making a decision by late May and acknowledge that the critical date is middle of June and that this is not ideal.
We ask that if you are interested in competing in Belgium that you nominate your intended team, boat, crew, skier, and class to memberships@skiracing.com.au ASAP.
Finally, we would like to thank all members for your patience in this difficult time. The Board and our hard working sub committees remain focussed on effecting change that will see us all return to racing in the not too distant future.
Yours in Ski Racing
SRA Board
24th February 2025
Ski Racing Australia Board Communications – Issue 5
The SRA Board Update - Issue 4 outlined much of the ongoing work that the SRA Safety Committee and SRA Sanctioning/Compliance Committee have been undertaking while awaiting feedback from the NSW Maritime Investigation Review. This work is ongoing.
The SRA Board continue to focus on the All of Sport Review with implementation of the recommendations a priority to ensure we are ready to return to racing.
The next SRA Board meeting to be held early March, will include an update on the progress of all Committee’s and the All of Sport Review. These updates will be communicated to members after this meeting.
NSW Maritime Special Purpose Investigation Update
The SRA Maritime Investigation liaison has updated the Board after meeting with NSW Maritime last week. All information has been supplied at this time and clarification around the rulebook and data collected has been provided as they build knowledge and understanding of our sport.
NSW Maritime have indicated they will be in a position to provide SRA timelines for the completion of the Special Purpose Investigation shortly. SRA have also enquired about the possibility of draft recommendations being made available prior to report finalisation.
Heads of State Meeting and State Forums
A Heads of State Meeting will be held in March with updates provided at this time.
State based Forums with a focus on the Safety Committee workings will roll out in NSW on the 25th February with a other State Forums to be advised shortly.
Competitor Information
SRA continue to encourage all competitors to complete the compulsory equipment survey.
https://wwwsurveymonkey.com/6RBSBR7
If you would like to be part of the journey send your questions to yoursay@skiracing.com.au or reach out to your state delegate.
20th December 2024
Ski Racing Australia Board Communications - Issue 4
The SRA Board met recently to be updated by the SRA Safety Committee, the new SRA Sanctioning/Compliance Committee and by the Maritime Investigation Liaison on the progress for the Return to Racing plan.
SRA Safety Committee
Much work has been ongoing by this committee and also the Falls Investigation Team. The work, in particular, which Daniel Cotton, Brock McMillan, Connor Lindsell, and Chris Singleton have undertaken, has been exceptional and will lead to enhanced competitor safety.
The testing on helmet restraints and wetsuits has been conducted on a test rig developed by “Cotto” and he has been vigorously performing preliminary static load tests to determine what improvements can be achieved with regard to wetsuit design, restraint anchor point performance, optimal anchor point locations, and determination of suitable hardware for the restraint system.
Members of the Safety Committee have also visited Crashlab in Huntingwood NSW. Crashlab is a division of Transport for NSW and is responsible for testing and certification of all consumer helmets (inc motorbike, pushbike, mountain bike, etc). The committee are planning to utilise some of Crashlab’s equipment and expertise to perform some dynamic testing on helmet chin strap buckles to confirm peak release loads, and hopefully some additional tests in the New Year.
The next step is to build a new test rig for dynamic testing of wetsuits, restraints, and helmets. This will also include procuring testing equipment for performing dynamic tests on the new wetsuit and restraint designs they have developed. As we compile and build our data via the dynamic tests we aim to finalise the optimisation of the wetsuit and restraint design. The next step at this point will be to provide our data and the dynamic test rig to an independent professional in the field of human crash and sporting biomechanics for the purposes of having our test procedure and data validated.
It should be noted that a number of members have also been working on their own solutions for protecting skier’s necks and all of these members should be commended. Their ideas are promoting discussion and the development and testing of alternative solutions and ideas. Their collaboration is appreciated.
In the coming weeks, SRA will launch a series of video’s showcasing the testing that is underway. This will help you to appreciate the rigour which underlies this project.
The SRA Board have also agreed that the SRA Safety Committee and the Falls Investigation Team will work together to continue working through the objectives of Project Protect into the future.
Competitor Information
SRA continue to encourage all competitors to complete the compulsory equipment survey to ensure that SRA has the information to assist the return to racing plan.
The survey link is
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/6RBSBR7
SRA Sanctioning /Compliance Committee
This newly formed committee of Kelly Lindsell, Steve Shipp and Bobbette McMillan have drafted their Terms of Reference, which will revolve around:-
• Promoting compliance with the SRA Constitution, SRA Rule Book and SRA Sanctioning Policy;
• Annually reviewing the Sanctioning Policy and Practices and provide resolutions and recommendations to the Board;
• Engaging with SRA approved officials, event organisers and the various regulatory authorities to ensure any issues are identified and managed; and
• Understanding and reporting to the SRA Board opportunities for improvement in the overall compliance of SRA.
The review of the Sanctioning Policy and all that is associated with that in this new environment, is the current focus for this team.
Maritime Investigation Update
The Maritime Investigation team continue to collect information from many sources with SRA continuing to supply information when requested. The lead time for any feedback remains 1st Quarter 2025.
Heads of State & State Forums
The SRA Board will be holding a Heads of States and Clubs Meeting in early 2025 with a proposed communication forums concept to be rolled out with an SRA supplied information package.
All of sport Review
With a renewed focus on reinventing our sport as part of the Return to Racing, we have the following key areas being reviewed:
• The type of racing we return with;
• Calendar of events;
• Grading of events;
• Membership Period;
• Age Group Period;
• SRA intent to run a new 150hp Outboard Class; and
• Marketing
We encourage our members to be part of this journey by contributing via email to
Yoursay@skiracing.com.au and letting us know what you would like to see implemented.
The SRA Board will continue to update our members as progress is made on our Return to Racing plans, with the 1st Quarter of 2025 critical in both the Maritime investigation and the SRA PPE development.
Have a Merry Christmas and we wish you and your family a safe and happy holiday season and a prosperous New Year.
Yours in Ski Racing,
SRA Board
1st November 2024
Ski Racing Australia Board Communications - Issue 3
A Tribute to Ski Racing’s ‘1 in a Million’ - Jack Coaldrake
There are some people who walk this earth and leave an indelible mark on every person they meet. Jack Coaldrake was that person and this has been evidenced by the tributes to him from all over Australia and the World.
The celebration of Jack’s life last Friday was a testament to him. Never have we witnessed an outpouring of love such as this. The thousands of people who attended the service, whether in person or online, were all a part of Jack’s incredible life story.
Jack was not only an exceptionally talented and determined skier, he was a devoted Son, Brother, Partner, Friend and Businessman. Jack was also an active contributor in our sport, participating in various committees, driven to improve safety and he worked tirelessly to help anyone improve their racing, even just giving them a start.
Much has been written about Jack and his achievements on and off water and so, we will honour a gentleman who set goals, worked diligently to achieve them, treated everyone with love and respect, and our sport and our lives are all the better for having had Jack a part of it.
Jack was our 1 in a Million and it is now up to us all to move forward in a way that honours Jack and his legacy, supporting the Coaldrake and Ross families and each other.
Forever 65
Member Update
Suspension of Racing Extension
The path that we have been on to lift our suspension of racing has been one of twists and turns and whilst our journey down this path has certainly slowed since Jack’s passing, we remain committed to bringing racing back safer than ever before.
Our Safety Team and Project Protect Team have remained focussed on their specific areas of contribution, however we are simply not going to be ready with an appropriate evidence based solution prior to the end of March 2025.
Therefore, in consultation States and Clubs and with NSW Maritime, SRA will be extending the Suspension to Racing to 30 June 2025. Doing so will provide valuable time for the SRA Safety and Project Protect teams to continue working on the best possible solutions and importantly, allow the Maritime Special Investigation to be completed without additional noise.
Maritime Special Investigation
Last week, SRA met Maritime’s initial requirement for information and we stand ready to assist in any way possible.
Member Forums
There is no doubt this is a longer journey than we initially envisaged and the reality is that we are all in it together. As we have said previously, we need your help.
We will now work with each of the States to hold a series of Member Forums, to provide you all with a more in-depth update and give you an opportunity to ask the questions important to you. Details to be announced soon.
Bathurst 1000 - Driving safety forward!
In conjunction with Supercars and Motorsport Australia, NSW Maritime initiated an invite to Ski Racing Australia to attend the Repco Bathurst 1000. The purpose was to observe the management of the event, discuss their use of technology and the safety frameworks that protect competitors, spectators and the public while keeping the spirit of competition alive.
Representatives of our Compliance Committee, Steve Shipp and Kelly Lindsell, represented SRA at this event and have come away with a wealth of knowledge sure to benefit Ski Racing for many years to come.
“When it comes to racing on water or on land, safety is the top priority. These events bring incredible energy and excitement, but they do come with unique challenges that require substantial coordinated efforts” said Mark Scali, Director, NSW Maritime.
“It's not just about rules and regulations, it's about fostering a safety culture across every aspect of these events, from refining technical regulations and embracing new technology to improving control measures and even addressing environmental factors. The expertise from Supercars and Motorsport Australia helps make it possible to cover safety from all angles.”
The Bathurst invitation arranged by Maritime, is representative of the working relationship that we have with them. Maritime are determined to work with SRA to help us through the issues we face and we appreciate their time and experience.
We want to send a huge thankyou to Tim Watsford and Phil Shaw from Supercars, David Stuart from Motorsport Australia and Adam Parker NSW Ambulance for hosting and sharing their expertise.
We also wish to thank Mark Scali (Director, NSW Maritime South), Darren Wood (Director, NSW Maritime North), Nayland Aldridge (Senior Maritime Investigations Officer appointed to the Special Purpose Investigation on Ski Racing), Dion Voyer (NSW Maritime Principal Manager) and Lisa Nott (Senior Special Aquatic Event Officer, Sydney Harbour).
Memberships
In respect of Memberships, we are continuing to work on a solution that acknowledges your support and we appreciate your patience. The solution will consider a return to a financial year for SRA Memberships.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact your state delegate.
Yours in Ski Racing,
SRA Board
Queensland State Titles - Sunday 2023 - Results
Queensland State Titles - Saturday 2023 Results
Richmond River Rush - 29th January 2023 - Race Results
Richmond River Rush - 28th January 2023 - Qualifying + Sprint Races
SRQMPBC7 - Bundaberg - 19th & 20th November 2022 - No Results
SRQMPBC6 - Atkinson Dam - 11th September 2022
SRQMPBC5 - Moogerah Dam - 14th August 2022
Clarence 80 - Big4 Big River Holiday Park 2nd & 3rd July 2022
QLD State Titles - Grafton 11th & 12th June 2022
SRQMPBC4 - Moogerah Dam - 29th May 2022
SRQMPBC2 + Classic - Somerset Dam - 26th & 27th March 2022
SRQMPBC1 - Moogerah Dam 30th January 2022
Latest News From Ski Racing Australia
https://skiracing.com.au/sports-news/
SRQ General Meeting Minutes 2021/22/23/24/25/26
Minutes from June 2026 General Meeting are available for Download Here
Minutes from March 2025 General Meeting are available for Download Here
Minutes from May 2024 General Meeting are available for Download Here
Minutes from August 2023 General Meeting are available for Download Here
Minutes from June 2023 General Meeting are available for Download Here
Minutes from May 2023 General Meeting are available for Download Here
Minutes from April 2023 General Meeting are available for Download Here
Minutes from March 2023 General Meeting are available for Download Here
Minutes from January 2023 General Meeting are available for Download Here
Minutes from November 2022 General Meeting are available for Download Here
Minutes from September 2022 General Meeting are available for Download Here
Minutes from August 2022 General Meeting are available for Download Here
Minutes from the July 2022 General Meeting available for Download Here
Minutes from June 2022 General Meeting are available for Download Here
Minutes from May 2022 General Meeting available for Download Here
Minutes from April's 2022 general meeting are available now Download Here
Minutes from March's 2022 general meeting are available now.
Download here
Minutes from February 2022 general meeting.
Minutes from General Meeting January 19th 2022 are available now Download Here.
Minutes from General Meeting December 7th 2021 Click here to download them.
SRQ ANNUAL General Meeting Minutes
Minutes from Annual General Meeting July 2025
Minutes from Annual General Meeting February 2023
Minutes from Annual General Meeting August 2021
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In our continued efforts to improve communication to Members, Future Members, the industry, media and anyone else interested in Ski Racing, we've launched a new database. You might not be on the website all the time - but if you register your details - you'll be the first to know!
If current members can sign up, it will mean we have an up to date database - and sign friends up that could potentially be members! Everyone welcome - let's get back on the water!
Follow this link - will only take you 30 seconds!
OUR FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM PAGE
Make sure you jump onto Ski Racing Queensland's Facebook and Instagram Feeds for the latest info not just from racing here in Queensland but from around Australia (and if we see anything that is awesome from around the world!).
You can follow the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/WaterSkiRacingQld
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