Mildura 100 Crash: Speedboat Hits Tree on Murray River, Four Injured

The Mildura 100 was meant to be a showcase of speed on the Murray River, but this year’s event turned into a weekend of crashes, hospital trips and renewed safety concerns.

Four people were taken to hospital after multiple incidents during the annual race, including one dramatic crash in which a speedboat careered up the riverbank and slammed into a gum tree.

The three-day event, held over the long weekend in Victoria’s north-west, is widely known as the world’s fastest ski race.

This year it went ahead without skiers for the second straight year after the sport’s devastating 2024 season, when four water skiers died nationally.

Despite those self-imposed restrictions, the race still produced a series of frightening incidents that quickly drew attention far beyond the riverbank.

Weekend of crashes puts Mildura 100 under scrutiny

The first major incident came on Saturday, when a man in his 60s was taken to Mildura Base Hospital in a serious but stable condition with upper-body injuries.

His boat had spun out of control during racing, and a crew member from the same boat was also taken to hospital for a precautionary check.

On Sunday, two men in their 20s were hospitalised after their boat overturned during the race.

That incident was blamed on a mechanical failure, adding another layer of concern to a weekend already marked by dangerous moments on the water.

The most dramatic crash of all was caught on video by Mildura Rural City councillor Glenn Milne, who was watching from the Victorian side of the river.

He said the boat appeared to be handling the corner normally before it suddenly pitched, turned left and went straight into the bank.

The boat then shot up the embankment, struck a large gum tree and snapped a branch on impact.

Remarkably, no injuries were reported from that crash, even though it became the defining image of the weekend.

Mr Milne described the moment as scary and a shock for everyone nearby, which reflected the reaction of many spectators who had gathered to watch the race.

Photos and footage from the event showed just how narrow the margin for error can be in a competition built around speed, precision and aggressive cornering.

Speed, steering and the future of ski racing

Ski Racing Australia consultant and former Mildura Ski Club president Geoff Thomson said speed was likely a factor in all three incidents.

He said boats appeared to be pushing especially hard around corners, where drivers may be trying to make up time because of limits on straight-line speed.

That assessment goes to the heart of the debate around this year’s event, because the race was already being run under limitations designed to reduce danger.

Mr Thomson also said the boat that ran up the bank had suffered a steering malfunction.

He noted that equipment failures of that kind are rare in these boats and said the driver involved was a world champion and a very experienced competitor.

That made the crash even more striking, because it suggested that not every dangerous moment over the weekend could be explained simply by driver error.

Even so, Mr Thomson admitted the incidents were not a good look for the sport and said some drivers should rethink the way they attack corners.

He also said he remained hopeful that boats would once again be pulling water skiers at next year’s event.

Transport for NSW said maritime officers would assess the incidents and decide whether a formal investigation is required.

That review is likely to be closely watched by competitors, organisers and supporters of the sport, especially after the trauma ski racing experienced in 2024.

More than 60 boats competed in this year’s Mildura 100, showing that the event still holds major appeal despite the scrutiny around safety.

The race was won by a pair of local siblings in their boat Hell Yeah, giving the home crowd a result to celebrate in an otherwise difficult weekend.

Mildura Ski Club president Brandan McGlynn said the driver of the boat that went up the embankment was lucky to walk away unharmed.

He also said all of the individuals involved in the weekend’s incidents were well, and he insisted the club remained confident about the event’s future.

McGlynn said each incident had its own reason and that organisers would need to work through those causes carefully to find ways to either prevent similar crashes or reduce their severity.

He said the club was more than confident it could run the race again in the same way it had been run this year.

That confidence matters because the Mildura 100 is one of the showcase events on the ski racing calendar and continues to attract thrill-seeking competitors and large crowds.

But the conversation after this edition is likely to centre less on the winners and more on whether the sport can safely balance speed, spectacle and survival.

For readers wanting the original incident coverage, the full report is available via ABC News.