TRAIL ZONE

PRESS RELEASE:

BRAICO GETS PLASTERED!

Husaberg racer Geoff Braico has suffered a major blow to his 2010 racing season after shattering his right foot at round two of the NSW Enduro Series held at Dungog, which will see him off the bike for three months.

“I’m absolutely shattered literally and emotionally,” Geoff explains. “I was having such a good start to the year, and really enjoying my ride on the Husaberg FE 570, and now my riding is pretty much over for the racing season.

“It all happened on day two of the NSW Enduro Series in the second enduro test when I was riding over a technical creek bed which got the better of me. The crash itself wasn’t very big, but the angle of the creek bed saw me come off the bike and my right foot hit a rock. I knew something was wrong, but I had adrenaline pumping through me so the pain hadn’t really set in.

“I rode in and ambulance staff arranged for me to go to the hospital where doctors initially thought I had just broken a small bone on the top of my foot. Unfortunately, X-rays revealed otherwise. I have in fact broken my bottom right heel, and one of the main bones in the arch of my foot, plus I’ve dislocated my foot from my ankle, and all up my foot is in nine pieces. Doctors said it’s like someone got a sledge hammer and smashed the front of my foot, and if I wasn’t wearing my Alpinestars Tech10s I could have lost my foot.

“I have surgery scheduled for next Thursday where doctors will put pins, plates and screws into the bone to put my foot back together, and then I will have a lot of time on my hands before I can start rehabilitation.

“I’m absolutely devastated with this injury. I wasn't feeling comfortable through the creek bed sections, and I knew they were really sketchy so I said to myself slow down and get through it. My front end hit a rock and I went down. I got up straight away, unhurt, but my foot gave way. It was a horrible feeling sitting there knowing my season was pretty much done.

“It is a real shame because since the A4DE, I have been training really hard and my results on day one of the NSW Enduro were really promising. As soon as I’m able, I will be starting strength building to get back on the bike and into racing. Prior to this event I did some suspension testing with Charlie Constanzo, and we had my Husaberg FE 570 handling awesome. By the time I return to racing, I’ll be out of Championship reach in terms of points, but I’ll still try hard to get some E3 round wins on the board.

“I must thank Husaberg Australia, Sutto’s, Alpinestars and everybody else for their support during 2010 and, as I said, hopefully I can get some wins on the board for them when I return to racing. Thanks also to my family for their help and to the medical crew who supported me at Dungog”.

Details on Geoff Braico’s return to racing will be posted on www.husaberg.com.au as information comes to hand.