Bonnie Hancock

Bonnie Hancock's Biography

With her inspiring stories of triumph and leadership, Bonnie Hancock captivates audiences worldwide, sharing the essence of surf ski paddling, community engagement, leadership and her remarkable journey. Bonnie is a dynamic speaker, has graced stages from local community events to national conferences and international forums.

500 kilometres from land in the treacherous seas of the Great Australian Bight, Bonnie Hancock is a 32-year-old former professional ironwoman who paddled around Australia on a surf ski. The 12,700km journey took Bonnie eight gruelling months, breaking the world record for the fastest and youngest to paddle around Australia.

The trip became an adventure of a lifetime as Bonnie shared the water with sharks, crocodiles and navigated through the COVID-19 pandemic. A story of breaking stereotypes and believing in yourself when all the odds are stacked against you, Bonnie’s story is of a young woman who made the impossible, possible.

Growing up in the small NSW town of Sawtell, Bonnie was primarily a board paddler and swimmer and as a late bloomer on the ski, didn’t pick up a paddle until the age of 17. After a move to the Gold Coast as a teenager, Bonnie managed to grab a spot in the Nutri-Grain  Ironwoman Series and would complete 9 years on the professional circuit. After a two year layoff finishing her Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics Degree at Griffith University, Bonnie decided to focus on ski paddling, medalling at State and Australian Championships in her first year of doing so.

In 2020 Bonnie read a book about a previous circumnavigation of Australia by paddle. Two years later, she set off from Mermaid Beach on her surf ski and after 254 days, finished a clockwise loop around the country. Bonnie broke the previous World Record by over 2 months. She also holds the record for the furthest distance paddled in 24 hours (open ocean), completing 234 kms on her surf ski at Airlie Beach, just two weeks after returning from her paddle around Australia.

Through determination, grit, and mental toughness, Bonnie conquered a number of amazing feats. Some included: being the first person to cross the Great Australian Bite through 6-meter swells 500 kilometres out to sea in all weather conditions, having to be hospitalised from malnutrition and dehydration but achieving a feat that will likely not be repeated for a long time, if ever.

Since the paddle, Bonnie has enjoyed sharing her story as a corporate speaker and her story carries many relevant themes such as resilience, working in a team, adapting to change, breaking gender stereotypes and stepping outside the comfort zone. Bonnie enjoys connecting with a range of different people, from elite athletes and business professionals to community sporting groups. When not in the ocean or holding a microphone, Bonnie coaches nippers at her local surf club at Mermaid Beach on the Gold Coast.

Bonnie’s memoir The Girl who Touched the Stars (Harper Collins) coming in February, 2024

Some of Bonnie’s Achievements:

Fastest person to circumnavigate Australia by paddle (12,700km in 254 days)

Youngest person to circumnavigate Australia by paddle (32 years old)

First Australian Woman to complete circumnavigation of mainland Australia by paddle

Longest distance paddled in 24 hours open ocean by a female (235 kilometres)

14 Australian Championship Gold Medals -3rd Coolangatta Gold 2012

Speaking Topics Include

STEPPING OUTSIDE THE COMFORT ZONE: 

Throughout her paddle around Australia, Bonnie was forced to push beyond what was previously considered possible. Sharks, crocodiles, huge seas, storms and weeks at sea with no land in sight were among the challenges Bonnie was forced to overcome. Bonnie speaks about what she learnt when she stepped outside her comfort zone, and how we can all benefit from doing the things that make us uncomfortable. 

 

LEARNING FROM FAILURE: 

Bonnie speaks on the various things that went wrong on the way to breaking a world record, and how she and her team were often forced to put ego aside and learn from their mistakes to keep moving forward. Stories of failed open water crossings, a leaking boat, and a support jet ski running out of fuel in waters known for great white sharks are shared by Bonnie to demonstrate that it’s not how many times we fail that matters, but the ability to get back up that counts. 

 

BUILDING A WORLD BEATING TEAM: 

To break a world record, Bonnie needed to build a world-beating team. With the belief that you are only as good as the team you surround yourself with, Bonnie speaks on how she built the team to support her through 12,700km of physical pain and treacherous seas. Learning the power of vulnerability, Bonnie discusses how opening up to her crew was key in creating trust. 

 

 BREAKING BOUNDARIES:

As a young female in the ultra-endurance space, Bonnie was breaking stereotypes just in getting to the start line. Leading an all-male team, Bonnie had to learn how to communicate directly and effectively, and to find her voice in an often intimidating environment. Facing criticism online and face to face throughout the journey, Bonnie proved the doubters wrong in becoming the fastest person, male or female, to paddle around Australia. 

 

ADAPTABILITY:

Learning to adapt to different environments and conditions was a critical part of achieving a world record…one of the traits Bonnie considers most important in an elite athlete. She speaks on the importance of being able to adapt and overcome, and some of the strategies she used to adapt to the various challenges thrown her way.