Two British barefoot waterskiers have returned from the USA with medals following the IWWF World Championships in Florida, which were abruptly cut short due to the arrival of Hurricane Milton.
Tom Heaps, 25, from Warrington, Cheshire, secured a silver medal in the Open Men’s Jump event, while Ben Sullivan, 21, from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, earned bronze in the Under-23 Men’s Jump. Both skiers had been performing strongly, but the competition was disrupted by extreme weather conditions throughout, with the hurricane ultimately halting the event at Lake Myrtle in Auburndale.
From the start, athletes faced challenges due to deteriorating weather, which led to lower-than-expected scores. When Hurricane Milton made landfall, organisers initially delayed the competition for two days in the hope that it could resume once conditions improved. Unfortunately, the severity of the storm made it impossible to continue, and the results from earlier rounds were declared final.
For Heaps, who trains at Weaver Sailing & Ski Club in Frodsham, Cheshire, the silver medal marks a successful end to an already impressive season. Earlier in the year, he won four individual medals at the European Championships, including a gold in the overall event.
Sullivan, a student training to become an architect, had a personal triumph at the event, achieving his best-ever jump of 21 metres. He trains at Cotswold Water Ski Club in South Cerney, Gloucestershire.
Reflecting on his bronze medal, Sullivan said: “Being placed earlier in the order due to my previous personal best meant I had to wait and see if I’d make it into the semi-finals. I was still the top seed until the final few skiers. When the hurricane hit, it cut the event short, and I ended up third in the first round, giving me bronze. It was my first World Championships, and I can’t describe the feeling of landing a good jump and winning a medal.”
The British Barefoot Waterski Team had taken a squad of eight athletes to Florida, and both the Open Team and Junior Team achieved a fifth-place finish overall.
In a gesture of solidarity, the British team stayed in Florida to assist local residents in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton. Vanessa White, a local resident, praised their efforts, saying, “The British Barefoot Waterski Team took shelter at our home on Lake Whistler and spent the day helping us clear up after the hurricane. We are very grateful for their support.”
Despite the competition’s unexpected end, the British athletes have returned home with medals and the satisfaction of representing their country in challenging circumstances.