MILDURA Ski Club export Joey Sherry claims his slalom state win was his “Steven Bradbury moment”.
The 22-year-old came up clutch when it mattered most to take out the International Waterski and Wakeboard Federation (IWWF) Victorian State Championship in his adopted home of Geelong.
Despite a fall during seeding times relegating him to the back of the back, his three and a half buoys covered in the first run of the final could not be beaten by good mate, fellow Geelong local and Australian team member Patrick Crisp, half a buoy behind.
Sherry, who finished fourth in the slalom in the 2022 Oceania Championships, admitted it was a shock to take out the overall honour ahead of his current training partner.
“I likened it a bit to a Steven Bradbury moment,” he laughed.
“I’ve been living in Geelong for about a year now doing uni and completing work, and I’ve probably been surfing more than skiing while down here.
“I fell pretty early in my first seeding run but I managed a reasonable score on the second day and managed to hold onto that top spot.
“It’s good to have been back into the tournament skiing, and to do it alongside my good mate Patrick was great.”
The Geelong site on the Barwon River made for tough competition due to wind affecting the water, but Sherry, who is studying construction management, took it in his stride.
“The Saturday is all seedings and because I did the worst out of everyone I started first on Sunday,” he said.
“To actually win was definitely a shock but it was just good to be part of it all again.”
Sherry is set to compete in the open men’s slalom competition at the iconic Moomba Masters in Melbourne over the March long weekend.
