Taking Flight
The water-skier scrubs up well for Alpha magazine in about 2008. She now seems to have taken up boxing, weirdly. The photographer was Jason Cole.
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Which bit of your career is your focus this year?
I’ve been personal training a lot of kids who are overweight. It’s always been a personal goal and I’ve deferred uni so I could focus on it.
If I have a fat child in Sydney, can I book it in?
(Laughs) Yeah, definitely. I train overweight adults as well, and I love training athletes because I can focus on the mental side too.
Did you give up waterskiing?
Even before Dad [died] I chose to give up. I just felt that I was called to other things and had achieved as much as I could and raised the profile of the sport, which was my aim. I was over-skiing and had lost my hunger and competitive streak.
Lost the love, eh?
No, never. I didn’t fall out of love with it but thought it was time to move on. But then months later I went for a training run and it felt awesome. Now I feel there are one or two more world titles in me.
How fast do you go?
It depends on the water conditions. In the rough water, I go about 60-70mph (97-113km/h) tops. In the smooth water, I go about 110mph (180km/h).
People say how nice you are, but you’re competitive too, aren’t you?
I’ve been told that I’m too competitive – I’ll hate you if you beat me at something – tennis or anything.
What were you studying?
I was a bit all over the place. I was studying journalism and hated it – all I wanted to do it for was TV presenting. And it was cutthroat. You’ve got to kill someone for a story.
True. I’ve killed several people.
(Laughs) Murderer. So, I turned to commerce, which I’d always loved at school. I thought it would give me credibility in the business area. I really need a degree, though – you need one nowadays.
What do you want to do now you’re back skiing?
I want to go to Dubai and set a record going around The World (artificial islands in the shape of the continents). They love off shore racing and they’ve got a fair bit of money to help me do it – it costs a lot. And maybe do little record attempts in the US.
Do you do anything even slightly unhealthy?
Someone told me to dip fries in a McFlurry. Oh, it’s amazing. It’s a pretty big weakness.
Are we going to see you on TV? You did a show called Ra on Fox.
That was awesome and good practice for me. It was a good starting point but I was a bit of eye candy for the boys, so I want to try to step it up from there.
Come on, you were actually presenting it.
…In a bikini, yeah. I’d love to get a job on mainstream TV presenting sport. That’s why I want to focus on my skiing and get credibility there. I just love sport in general, it’s not just skiing. But I’m realistic and know how narrow the doorway is. I’ll try my hardest but I’m not going to wait on it.
Are you still skiing from Newcastle to Sydney?
It’s in the works but it’s hard. Dad and I planned to do it about three years in a row but our schedules got in the way. After he passed away I said now I’m going to do it. So I’m definitely doing it in May but with the economy at the moment, sponsors are committed elsewhere and I can’t do it on my own.
Do you wish you were in a sport that paid more?
(Laughs) Yeah, definitely. My kids will play tennis.
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