Dane Henry Fractures Fibula, Gifts The Challenger Series A Head Start
On a two-foot Lowers insider, no less.
The US Open has lost one of its biggest threats after a two-foot Lowers insider delivered the first major injury of Dane Henry’s career.
“I was just at Lowers for a quick surf and was coming in,” he told Stab from a San Clemente hozzy. “I tried this punt and just went through the back of the wave. The section went to nothing, my front foot got stuck on my board, and then it hit a bump when I landed…
“My foot went the opposite direction and then snapped back into place.”
The 19-year-old now has a neat hairline fracture in his fibula. At the time of calling, he was organising an MRI for his arrival back in Oz, which will determine whether there is any accompanying ligament damage and provide a clearer recovery timeline.
The timing is annoying, given his solid start to his CT qualification campaign, but not fatal. Henry is ranked ninth after Ballito, the opening Challenger Series event of the season, and now has to withdraw from the second event, and potentially a couple more.
“I felt like I had a couple more in me,” he said, reflecting on his Ballito performance. “I was pretty devoed after that one, but pretty proud of how I did for my first proper Changa event.”
He made it clear this season is not a practice run. If he qualifies, he’s taking it straight to the CT in 2027.
“If I can crack that top 10 at the end of the year, I’m straight on there, no doubt about it. I felt super comfortable at Bells, and I feel like that’s where I’m ready to be.”
His heat against Griff heat at Bells as a wildcard is still one of the best heats of the season, IMO.
He was able to laugh at the twisted irony of it all, which is a good sign. “Of all those punts I’ve tried… In Ballito I hit the gnarliest end section ever and got eaten up, and I didn’t even get injured then,” he said. “Then I got injured on a two-foot Lowers insider coming in.”
There are far worse stages of a career to be dealt an injury. Arguably, it’s actually an asset. Tom Carroll, Mick Fanning and John John Florence all turned their physical “bugs” into features, getting into the gym, taking recovery seriously, learning how to properly nurse their bodies, eat and sleep sufficiently and so on.
“It was kind of bound to happen at some point,” Henry said. “I guess I’m kind of happy it happened now. I can rebuild back stronger than before and learn a bit of resilience. I just want to do the Jarvis Earle thing and get super jacked,” he cracked. “Get everyone cruising for a sec, not worrying about me. Then once I’m back, it’s just going to be business as usual.”
There is no firm return date, and Henry insists he will not compromise the longer arc of his career to rescue a single season. “I’m not going to rush this thing,” he said. “I’m going to make sure I’m back in the water when I’m ready. I want to recover fully from this.
“If I don’t make it this year, I don’t make it this year. I’m just really keen to get home, start this process and get myself ready for what’s next.”
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