Swordy bales out after foot injury blow
By TMX Archives on 9th Aug 07
THE season is over for Tyla Rattray, Pascal Leuret and Stephen Sword. When the swelling went down on the knee he damaged at Loket, South African Rattray was advised by his doctor that he needed an immediate reconstruction.
Stepfather Wayne Lumgair said: ‘‘The specialistsaid that the knee would not even be able to take the strain thisweekend, so there was no point in even trying.
‘‘He will be operated on Wednesday, but will then stay in Europe so that the doctor can oversee his recuperation.''
Frenchman Leuret was also injured in the second race in Czecho; he has broken a scaphoid.
Swordy arrived in Namur in high spirits after his superb showing at Loket, but his weekend was over in the first training.
The Scot hit a haybale with his right foot, onlyto discover to his horror that the bale was kept in place by a metalpost hammered deep into the ground. The Scot has broken the bones justabove the toes and will be out of action for 5-6 weeks.
The injury catalogue did not end there.
Carl Nunn was another whose fate was decided byhaybales: ‘‘Before the heat race, they put three haybales in the woodsto keep us back from the fence, but they were right on the racing lineand I hit them full-on.
‘‘I cleared the lot, but I have done something tomy left toe. I think the ligaments must be torn because I can't liftthe toe at all.''
Gordon Crockard fell victim to the spartan trackwatering, landing in a slippery patch off a big double and beingcatapulted down the track.
The Ulsterman broke a collarbone and could be backin a few weeks, but the Brampton British championship round on Sundayand the Irish GP seem to be out of the question.
