Joel Parkinson Hospitalized

Words: Mark Rosenberg

"Did you see how perfect the wave I did it on was? One of the most perfect waves I've ridden at Snapper and I go and cut my foot on it!" - Parko. Pic Shield.  

This morning Joel Parkinson’s J-Bay preparations were cut short when he went down inside one of Snapper’s pits. ASL Photographer Andrew Shield was on hand documenting the session and confirmed the nasty accident.

“He tucked into a super dredgy one and just disappeared inside, then showed up bobbing around in the whitewash. He was definitely in a lot of pain. There were no rocks where he went down so he must have gotten mixed up with his board.”


Mid-season ankle injury deja vu? Pic Shield.

Shieldsy was doubtful the reigning J-Bay champ would be able to surf next week in South Africa. “He was cut down to the bone around his ankle and calf area. He definitely wasn’t walking.” Andy Irons (who broke his board hours earlier) assisted Parko up the beach and waited with him for an ambulance.


Help arrives. Pic Shield.

A crowd of on onlookers swarmed as Parko waited for the paramedics to arrive. They were wearing looks of disbelief and no doubt thinking the same thing – Will Parko be able to bounce back from this?


Parko is having surgery this afternoon. Pic Parko on Twitter.

"I pulled into a barrel then was taken out by the foamball and pretty well straight away I felt the board hit me," says current world number eight. "I knew immediately it was a pretty serious cut. I didn't want to look at it when I came in because I knew it wouldn't be good."

Despite the pain from the injury and the disappointment of missing J-Bay, Parko is already positive about his recovery. "In a way I was lucky it happened now and not later in the year when the events are all back-to-back. At least I have the time now to get it right and get ready for Tahiti."

Click here for video interview with Parko about his injury and recovery time.