Aussie Champ Sarah Teelow Dies After a Water Skiing Accident

Australian water skiing champion Sarah Teelow died on Sunday after a water skiing accident at the Bridge to Bridge race on the Hawkesbury River.

She crashed right after the start of the high-speed 121-kilometre race, causing her to suffer from serious spinal and head injuries. Medics treated the 20-year-old athlete at the accident scene and then rushed her to the Royal North Shore Hospital in critical condition.

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She was placed on life support, but died 8 pm on Monday. Ski Racing Australia confirmed her death, describing Teelow as the sport's most accomplished young competitors.

Kristie Middleton, chief executive of Ski Racing Australia, said, quoted by The Sydney Morning Herald, "The ski racing fraternity is deeply saddened by Sarah's passing and extends its condolences to her family."

The group is cooperating with police and maritime authorities in investigating the cause of Sarah's death. Teelow was a human movement student at the University of Technology Sydney.

She got her water skiing skills from her mum, Tania Teelow, a two-time world champion water skier who had her share of sports accidents in 2008 when Mrs Teelow suffered a broken sternum, fractured vertebrae and other major injuries when she crashed at Wiseman's Ferry.

In the past five years, there were six deaths resulting from water skiing accidents in Australia, according to data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.