Former WCJ Contributor, Freeride Photographer Andrew “Skip” Donovan Passes – The Watercraft Journal

“$%,” I growled not quietly sufficient for my children to not hear. Skip handed. 

The information of Andrew “Skip” Donovan‘s passing got here by means of my feed through fellow Australian photographer Jeff Lakeford. A few weeks earlier, IFWA and IJSBA World Champion, and pal to me since he was simply out of highschool, Mark Gomez had posted the prognosis: Skip was in palliative care with not a lot time left.

I got here to know Skip by means of his “Photo By Skip” photography business. The Watercraft Journal was murdering the competitors on its worldwide freeride protection, and Skip noticed a chance to supply his providers – to which, I used to be greater than keen to simply accept. Skip liked freeride, and it was evident in his protection.

Over 3-plus-years, Skip offered WCJ protection of the Australian freeride scene; notably, the Rip N’ Ride; in addition to QPWC races, AJSBA Nationals and even the King’s Cup in Thailand. Admittedly, Skip’s spelling was reliably atrocious – sufficient to make Australia’s public colleges a working joke between us – however his photographs had been all the time primo.

It solely made sense that this stage of publicity would attract headhunters and Skip was whisked away by Michael Ratti at Pro Rider seeing that Mike lived in Australia and will preserve him busier than WCJ. Skip tried to stroll the tightrope between the 2 magazines, however PR made it clear it was both one or the opposite. He selected the opposite.

After information of Skip’s passing hit, I sought solutions. I reached out to some contacts and gratefully, Craig Milne known as and stuffed in some gaps. Being a Gold Coast native and an lively outdoorsman, Skip developed a melanoma in 2019. VHA addressed the pores and skin most cancers and Skip was cleared after a yr of therapy.

By 2023, Skip was feeling ailing and went in to be examined. The outcomes had been catastrophic: Stage IV most cancers and it was all over the place. Australian TGA legal guidelines (Therapeutic Goods Act 1989) allow sufferers whom medical doctors deem “terminal” to aim “unconventional” therapy. He did so for over a yr however it wasn’t profitable.

Skip entered end-of-life care, which did its greatest to maintain him as pain-free as doable. It was shortly after his 52nd birthday (December eighth, 1973) that he handed on Sunday, December 14th. Skip is survived by his mom, Elizabeth; father, Michael; brother, Nathan; and his sister, Rebecca and her son, Flynn.

Skip was precisely what the game of freeride wanted. He liked all of it: the aerials, the athletes, the sounds, the shoreline, every thing. His stoke was infectious. Losing Skip to PR took an enormous chunk of our freeride protection, and that damage, as I’ve all the time supported it (ask Gomez, Ross Champion, Taylor Curtis and the Bright brothers).

…however dropping Skip to most cancers hurts worse. The world simply feels a bit of dimmer.

God’s velocity, Skip. You had been a superb one, mate.