The Foundation

Mission Statement

The Morgan Innes Foundation will support youth with a passion to excel in the sport of figure skating, by providing opportunities, support and financial assistance.

Foundation Objectives

The Sydney Ferry Tragedy

Excerpts from the media coverage of the Sydney Ferry Tragedy.

Ice skating community shattered by Harbour disaster

29 March 2007

ABC - The World Today

Lisa Millar

… Australia's ice skating community has been shattered by the deaths of some of its most senior members in a boat accident on Sydney Harbour.

Three people were killed and a senior coach and former winter Olympian had part of her leg amputated when a ferry slammed into a privately operated cruise boat, all but destroying it.

Friends say the elite skaters were on Sydney Harbour to celebrate the Australian team's performance at the World Championships in Tokyo last week.

As rescuers continue searching for a missing 14 year old girl, police have begun their investigations into how the accident happened…

Fatal crash triggers Sydney Harbour safety fears

29 March 2007

The Australian

Simon Kearney

THREE separate investigations are under way into a fatal ferry crash in Sydney Harbour that has left three top figure skating judges dead and one promising young skater missing….

…Missing was 14-year-old Morgan Innes, an up-and-coming skater from Queensland. Her parents flew to Sydney from Brisbane today to join the search still underway under the Harbour Bridge.

Father 'hoping for a miracle'

30 March 2007

Sydney Morning Herald

David Braithwaite

The father of a promising ice skater missing since the Sydney Harbour ferry collision says the family is hoping for a miracle, but admits his daughter is probably dead.

Morgan Innes, 14, has not been seen since the Harbour Cat ferry collided with a 10-metre motor cruiser near the Sydney Harbour Bridge late on Wednesday night, killing at least three of the 12 people aboard the cruiser.

Body of Ferry Tragedy Victim Found

2 April 2007

ABC ONLINE

Emily Bourke

MARK COLVIN: Police say they've found a body believed to be that of the young ice skater Morgan Innes, who disappeared after last week's ferry disaster on Sydney Harbour…

Ferry dad's words of hope

5 April 2007

Brisbane Times

The father of Brisbane student and champion ice skater Morgan Innes, who died in the Sydney Harbour ferry disaster, has offered words of comfort to his daughter's school mates…
College principal Narelle Mullins has posted a message from Morgan's father Robert on the school's website.
"Morgan sought to be the best ice skater, best student, best tennis player," Mr Innes said in the message.
"Please use her memory to strive for excellence in your own goals with the same degree of organisation that Morgan had.
"Love life in a healthy way as Morgan did."
AAP…


We Remember

DR. ALAN BLINN 1959 – 2007

Alan Blinn was a Canadian who immigrated to Australia in 1991. Like most Canadians he skated and was an accomplished Ice Dancer in his native country.    

Alan started judging for the NSW Ice Skating Association (NSWISA) in the mid 1990’s. Over the years he served at both Club, State and National level and in 2004 earned his appointment as an International Judge for Australia in Singles, Pairs and Ice Dancing disciplines.  

Alan travelled as Team Leader and Team Doctor with many Australian Teams to ISU World Championships, ISU World Junior Championships, ISU Four Continents Championships and other international events. He was well-liked by the skaters and always available to help them.   

Alan served on the Council of the NSWISA in various roles. He was a very successful Treasurer, who through careful management and investment, returned significant funding back to the development of the Sport.

Alan also served on the Council of Ice Skating Australia (ISA), providing invaluable support to the National Federation, particularly in the complex area of Anti-Doping. Alan was appointed to the ISA Board of Management in 2006.     

Alan was a charming and intelligent man with a wonderful “bedside manner” that put everyone immediately at ease – not just his patients - but everyone he met. He was a great international ambassador for the Sport and his ability to speak fluent French was certainly an advantage in international sporting circles.

In recent years, Alan had been very involved with the development of the Figure Skating, not just in Australia, but in the surrounding Asian countries, in particular Malaysia and Singapore.

Alan and ISU Technical Committee Member, Rita Zonnekeyn, who was badly injured in the accident , had recently travelled to Malaysia and were preparing to travel from Sydney to Singapore, with other Australian officials to conduct the 2007 Singapore Nationals Championships.   

 SIMONE MOORE 1962 – 2007

Simone was a second generation skater. Her mother, Jacqueline Kendall-Baker (nee Mason) represented Australia at the 1960 Winter Olympic Games in the Pair Skating division with partner Mervyn Bower.

Simone started skating at an early age and gradually worked her way up to State and National level competition. She represented NSW at National Championships from 1978 – 1982 and she attained the highest level of Figure Skating when she passed her Gold Medal in 1981.   

Simone then embarked on a Judging Career and was the youngest Australian Figure Skating Judge ever to be appointed to International Competition level. Since then she has travelled all over NSW, across  Australia and around the World judging skaters of all levels from beginners to World Champions.

Simone loved skating, she loved judging and she loved helping skaters. She provided encouragement to many skaters and coaches and was a mentor to many judges and officials.  Simone looked forward to  judging at an Olympic Winter Games in the future and was committed to helping aspiring young Australian athletes to realise their Olympic dreams.  

Simone was well respected by the International Skating Union (ISU) and recognised both as a World Championship Judge and International Referee.

She was well known within the international skating family for her knowledge, her honesty, straightforwardness and her wicked sense of humour.  

Everyone enjoyed being in Simone’s company.