Motocross riders airlifted to hospital

Two Bay motocross riders have been airlifted to hospital after colliding on a Waihi club's motocross track _ an accident similar to one that claimed the lives of two men in the South Island last month.
The pair _ including a 50-year-old Waihi Beach man, Gary McLean was airlifted to Waikato Hospital with a punctured lung and fractured ribs.
TrustPower TECT rescue helicopter pilot Nick Ragg told the Bay of Plenty Times that the semi-conscious man was in bad way when emergency services arrived at the scene just east of Waihi in an area called Black Hill Motocross Track about 2.30pm.
Mr Ragg said he understood the man was unconscious as a result of the crash but came round while being treated and stabilised on the ground by ambulance officers and only spent about 10 minutes on the ground before taking off in the helicopter.
"He required immediate hospital attention because they were quite serious injuries."
The other injured person _ 16-year-old Michael Lamb from Whangamata _ suffered suspected chest injuries and was airlifted to Waikato Hospital by the Rotorua-based BayTrust Rescue Helicopter.
The crash happened at the club's fun day meet attended by 88 riders and 1000 spectators.
Waihi police Sergeant Steve Hindmarsh said police did not attend the crash but were to launch an investigation today.
Club president Rick Adams said: "The freak accident occured when the throttle of Mr McLean's bike jammed at high speed and he lost control and fell off it."
Mr Adams said Mr McLean and the bike flew 10 metres into the air and the bike crashed landed into Mr Lamb's bike. Meanwhile Barry Vincent from BayTrust Rescue said the Rotorua helicopter also airlifted a 15-year-old Ngaruawahia youth with a broken leg to Waikato Hospital after a motorbike accident on a remote farm at Te Akau, north of Raglan.
It's been a horror month for motorsport with a string of accidents in recent weeks. Getting accurate figures on the numbers is near on impossible because of the number of non-affiliated tracks, or black tracks as they are known, are all over the country.