Motocross rider ``Scary' Mary Perkins broke both her legs and dislocated her ankle when a jump went wrong last night.
The crash happened at 6.45pm at Miss Perkins' private motocross track on her Te Puke property on State Highway 2. The 26-year-old stayed on her bike after she came off a
jump, but landed on her feet, breaking both legs and dislocating one ankle.
She was taken to Tauranga Hospital by St John ambulance and had surgery last night. She remains in hospital today in a stable condition.
Miss Perkins' partner of three years and fellow motocross rider, Joel Wanhill, said she dropped six metres after taking the jump. "She was doing the ramps ... she missed a gear on take-off and jammed the brakes on to try and pull out but it was a bit too late so she went off and landed on the flat ground."
Miss Perkins' ankle was operated on last night and she was in surgery for two hours.
Mr Wanhill said the surgery went well. Miss Perkins was feeling pretty good today and had a steady supply of pain relief.
Mr Wanhill said it was too early to say whether or not Miss Perkins would continue with motocross.
"She's not going to say yet, she's got to assess it more and see what happens, but no definite answer yet," he said.
Miss Perkins first gained international fame in 2005 with a Guinness World Record for the longest motorcycle jump made by a female _ completing a 48.5m jump.
She did hold the rank as the world No1 female freestyle motocross rider.
Miss Perkins started freestyle motocross in 2005 after seven years as a motocross rider.
The following year in 2006, her antics got her recognised by the Crusty Demons motocross team and she was the first, and only, female asked to join the group.
In March last year, as they performed in Hamilton for the Crusty Demons Kiwi Carnage Tour, Miss Perkins was knocked unconscious for 15 minutes after she took a jump badly and crashed on landing. Riders following behind her had just seconds to avoid hitting her motionless body.
Prior to that, she has broken 10 bones, been knocked out briefly a few times and dislocated a thumb _ choosing to push the thumb back in place before she continued riding.
