Erin bounces back
Erin bounces back
July 07, 2010
Section: Sport
Fifteen-year-old Erin Dark from Gerringong has taken out the Under-18 girls division at the NSW State Longboard Championships at Coffs Harbour, just two weeks after returning from a broken ankle.
Erin had a surfing accident in April that left her requiring surgery for a broken ankle and watching on the sidelines for the Werri Slash and Seven Miles of Smiles and had to withdraw from several other competitions and thought her dream of winning the State Titles and qualifying for the Australian Titles was gone for this year.
Only off crutches and out of her leg boot for two weeks and sporting a new performance board from Natural Necessity, Dark set herself a challenge to be ready to compete if possible at the state titles.
Intensive physio from Gerringong Physiotherapy and a daily gym program with Real Deal Fitness was all she was able to do to get back in some shape.
Limping into the surf throughout the NSW competition, she quickly regained form and amazed all by scoring impressive wave scores and taking out the final.
“A week before these titles I had decided I wouldn’t be able to compete, but then thought I’d just go in it for fun, and was surprised by the results,” Dark said.
Earlier this year Erin won the South Coast Ocean and Earth Teenage Rampage Under-16 Girls division, the Banana DV8 Skipps Malibu Classic Open Women’s and was first in both the Open Womens and Under-18 Junior Girls South Coast Longboard Regionals.
Dark got into surfing almost by accident when she was about 10 when a family friend gave her father an old surfboard.
“I hopped on the board and loved it and the rest is history,” Dark said.
She will be hoping to improve on her third placing at last year’s nationals in August.
