Down but not out!

[yvo6]

I haven't been on here much these past few weeks due to a crash at Skerries 1st July, which left me with the front of my pelvis being fractured in 4 places.

It happened in the 400 Supersport class on the last lap, going into a fast 3rd gear corner called Ballydougan. I was at the apex when I saw a front wheel on its side sliding under my foot peg. Another rider outbraked himself and grabbed too much from brake which tucked the front. His bike slide under mine which lifted the rear wheel turning the bike 90 degrees straight into the bales.

It was a major impact and the chin vent broke then went up into the helmet slicing the artery above my eye. I was knocked out and thrown high into the air landing with my legs spread which broke the pelvis on both sides.

Anyway the bike was totalled - frame was cracked, forks bent, radiator, yokes and clocks all wrecked. Leathers had to be cut off and helmet not usable after an impact like that.

Since then the 400 has been rebuilt and I have had loads of sessions in hyperbaric chamber which has speeded up healing.

Last week I was back on the newly built 400 testing it and myself to see if I was able to race it. My motivation was to get better in time to race at the Ulster Grand Prix.



I have now passed the medical and the bike is now parked upcat Dundrod!

Practice is on Wednesday and hopefully it will go well enough for me to qualify, if not at least I have dove everything I could to try to be ready to race.

Cheers Yvonne

 

[Dave..]

I haven't been on here much these past few weeks due to a crash at Skerries 1st July, which left me with the front of my pelvis being fractured in 4 places.

It happened in the 400 Supersport class on the last lap, going into a fast 3rd gear corner called Ballydougan. I was at the apex when I saw a front wheel on its side sliding under my foot peg. Another rider outbraked himself and grabbed too much from brake which tucked the front. His bike slide under mine which lifted the rear wheel turning the bike 90 degrees straight into the bales.
View attachment 153795

It was a major impact and the chin vent broke then went up into the helmet slicing the artery above my eye. I was knocked out and thrown high into the air landing with my legs spread which broke the pelvis on both sides.
View attachment 153796
View attachment 153797

Anyway the bike was totalled - frame was cracked, forks bent, radiator, yokes and clocks all wrecked. Leathers had to be cut off and helmet not usable after an impact like that.

Since then the 400 has been rebuilt and I have had loads of sessions in hyperbaric chamber which has speeded up healing.

Last week I was back on the newly built 400 testing it and myself to see if I was able to race it. My motivation was to get better in time to race at the Ulster Grand Prix.
View attachment 153800


I have now passed the medical and the bike is now parked upcat Dundrod!

Practice is on Wednesday and hopefully it will go well enough for me to qualify, if not at least I have dove everything I could to try to be ready to race.

View attachment 153799

Cheers Yvonne

Good luck for Dundrod and take care of yourself.

 

[richie_mck]

Glad to hear it hasn't deterred you from doing it, bad smash that.

 

[zafturbo]

What a horrendous crash but a class set of photos to keep from the event .glad your up on your feet and back onto the bike so quickly .ride safe and good luck for Ulster.

 

[G N K]

Wow, that must of stung.

Can't help but think cool shots though.

 

[Dub_cub 89]

Fair play to you for getting straight back at it asap, agree with G N K above... those are some excellent profile avatar pictures of you flying through the air lol

 

[gizmo98]

Great pics
And hopefully a speedy recovery

 

[dave b]

Fair f*cks to you yvonne, an accident like that where you were blameless would have me hanging the leathers up
Best of luck at Dundrod

 

[southsky sunrise]

Good luck Yvonne you've some bal.....ahhh you know what I mean lol. Keep er lit

 

[Airhead]

I still think you're clean mad but fair play to you!

Good luck at Dundrod.

 

[Simon998]

Great attitude! Wishing you all the best!

 

[Mabb]

Hi Yvonne, that's crazy..your a brave girl. Glad to see you're back at it again.

 

[gav525]

God Yvonne I knew you'd come off but didn't realise it was that bad!
Fair play for getting straight back at it and all the best for Dundrod!

 

[kristen]

Keep her lit love on the pipe

 

[Big Pimp]

Holy frig.....

 

[G N K]

@yvo6 unfortunately only caught the last ten minutes of that programme there but you are quite the women.

I'll have a bike on the road for next year been a dream of mine too long!

 

[genman]

That could have been so much worse....no a crash any road rider wants.
Your clearly showing how mentally and physically fit you are...good luck on recovery and racing.

 

[RolyaT]

Incredible story, fair play to you.

 

[yvo6]

Cheers folks I had a brilliant race yesterday. Practice on Wednesday was OK and I needed it to get my head into it. The ZXR400 had been completely rebuilt with new frame, forks, etc so it was basically a new untested bike as race speeds so I needed to get confidence and trust that it was handling. There were a few issues with the gear change which felt OK sitting on the bike but at speed it was a bit high to engage gears.

On Thursday race day that was put right and with better gearing put on the bike was flying. I had a PB of 135.5mph in the speed trap which I was delighted with and only a second down on my fastest time from previous years.

You should have seen the state of me when I got off the bike and the adrenaline had gone down - I could barely walk and shuffled back to the van. This was also due to the new leathers which were so stuff and not very flexible.
I am so delighted that I reached my goal to ride at the Ulster after all the injuries. Out again on Saturday but I know I won't reach the level I achieved on Thursday.

Condolences to the Hodson family and thoughts are with those lads still seriously ill.
Hopefully Saturday will finish with no serious injuries.

Yvonne x

 

[Apis]

Yvonne, I dont know you apart from the posts here and seeing the show on TV but you're a real inspiration for people in terms of getting out there and just doing big things, not sitting around on the sofa moaning about stuff. And thats not even considering the spirit you need to take a big hit and get straight back on the horse again.
Wishing you a great recovery and here's to many more races.

 

[NotKG]

waow, your one tough cookie yvonne.

 

[petemotox]

Unreal! Brilliant effort getting back in the saddle, keep her litttttt!

 

[Ben P]

Wow, that was some smash. Well done Yvonne keeping focused and getting back on the seat.
You have bigger balls and more courage than alot of people on here lol.
Wish you well with the new bike

 

[yvo6]

Cheers folks

Saturday was wet in the morning but dried up for the racing. I was really suffering from racing on Thursday and while i was definately going out in Saturdays race i decided i was coming in if i didnt think i could msnage the race. Once the lights went out the pain was forgotten and I got a decent start. Again I had a good ding dong with Aaron changing places each lap. Knowing Bruce Anstey was so fast on the GP250 bike and I thought we would be lapped at end of 4th lap, I made a good pass on Aaron down the inside going into Hairpin and held that lead to what I had hopped would be the chequered flag. NoWay! It was the last lap flag - Bruce and Neill had both stopped so we were onto another lap. I was knackered but kept my head down and Aaron passed me on the long run to the Deers Leap. I settled in behind and was watching for a chance to pass but he was protecting his line. On a last attempt down to the Hairpin I was blocked on the right, so had to pull onto his left side and went down the hill elbow to elbow and round to corner together. I was on the outside line so couldn't do anything about a pass and followed him home across the finish. On corrected time I was only a whisker behind but it didn't matter at all. I had a brilliant race getting a 100mph lap which was a PB.

I was totally wrecked afterwards and could barely walk back to the van, but I had achieved what I had wanted to do when lying in hospital a few weeks earlier.

It's taken almost a week to get myself sorted after all that but it was worth all of it.

Thanks for all the good wishes and if any of you are at Kirkistown Races 2 Sept call in and say Hello. Im hopping to race both the ZXR400 and GSXR600

 

[Hel]

Just seen this now Yvonne, thats crazy. Glad to hear youre back and bounced offf it well. Thats a horrific looking set of photos!