News

Ski team members safe in Florida

By Yarra Editor

Oct 15, 2024

The Australian Barefoot Team including several locals in central Florida last week.

Members of the Mulwala Water Ski Club Ski Team have avoided any dangerous weather as a result of Hurricane Milton in Florida, USA last week.

Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content

Ski Team Co-Ordinator Pete O’Neil said the team, who were competing at the IWWF World Barefoot Championships at Lake Myrtle Sports Park in Auburndale Central Florida, are all safe and were well looked after by the locals.

“We had a pretty wild night (when a down-graded Hurricane Milton hit the area as a very strong storm),” Pete said.

“Insane winds and everything from transformers blowing around us, powerlines sparking and trees falling over, but we are all safe and sound.

“The generosity of the Polk County community to take all the Australians in has been unreal,” Pete said.

“And we are so lucky, there have been mobile phone towers out and power was down, but everyone is OK.”

The championships resumed soon after with the Australian team winning the overall gold medal.

Locals Harry Hogan, Keenan Derry (open team), Rhys Driscoll and Zeke Peebles (junior team), competed for the winning Australian team. Other locals who competed independently at the championships included Peter O’Neil, Macey Hicks, Ayden Peebles, Zali Peebles and Macy Peebles.