Brett McCormick Suffers Serious Injuries in WSBK Race 2 at Assen

By David Emmett | Sun, 22/04/2012 - 19:56

Canadian rider Brett McCormick has suffered serious injuries to his face and spine in a crash during the second World Superbike race at Assen on Sunday. After examination at the medical center, McCormick was removed to the nearby hospital in the city of Assen, before being moved to a larger hospital in Groningen to stabilize his injuries. The Canadian appears to have escaped damage to his spinal cord in the crash, according to his team.

Below is the press release from the team, courtesy of TwoWheelsBlog.com:

The Effenbert Liberty Racing Team announces that Brett McCormick, following the disastrous crash in race two this afternoon in Assen, after the control in the circuit medical center, has suffered the trauma of the cervical spine, facial trauma with a hematoma to the eye sockets as well as a fracture of the fifth finger of his right hand, and he was sent to Assen hospital for further evaluation.

The result of more checks carried out that there was a fracture to the fifth and sixth cervical vertebrae, apparently without neurological involvement, so Brett has been transferred in the Groningen’ hospital, where it will decide how to stabilize the injuries. Further updates will follow as soon as possible.”

2012
World Superbikes
Assen, The Netherlands
Ducati
↑Back to top

Comments

That crash made me sick to my stomach - I was only listening to his interview on motopod the other day. I wish him all the best.

Yes a bad run recently, this is a dangerous sport.

This was a strange one; this happened as Checa passed him didn't it? The commentators on Eurosport didn't say anything about it at the time. Checa appeared to be flying when he came back out after he'd had to 'pit' after that disastrous decision to use wets in R2.

Fingers crossed for the poor chap, and a full recovery.

A very sad series of recent accidents in WSBK -- first Joan Lascorz (where the worst is feared, i.e. he will be a quadraplegic) and now this one.

Gives one pause ... to say the least.

Hoping for the best in both cases. And for no further accidents.

A little confusing. I was under the impression that Checa was one lap down on McCormick , and kinda rode him out to the edge of the track a little. It seems that Brett could have just kept steering and stayed on the track, but at those camera angles it becomes very hard to tell. Either way, it was the way he fell which really did the damage. This could have easily been a him sliding on his butt and coming to a stop. Instead, it seems as if he dug in and caught something which really tossed him around good, it was hard to watch.

The initial reports seem positive. There does not seem to be any spinal chord damage, just some fractured bones and swelling. I'm happy to hear that his father says he should make a complete recovery.

This has been the second serious spinal injury in a short amount of time in our sport. Joan Lascorz's injury has been hard to swallow, but is a somber reminder of the dangers of our sport.

I hope both make a full recovery as soon as possible.
Sending good vibes their way...