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Riders Must Be Careful In Freestyle Motocross Events

By: Robert Thomson Click author's name for more of his/her articles

In the 2009 X Knights Games in San Jose, Costa Rica, a professional freestyle motocross rider by the name of Jeremy Lusk died from sustaining injuries to his head and neck by trying to accomplish a particularly difficult maneuver called the Hart Attack back flip during the freestyle motocross competition. When Lusk attempted to land, he crashed due to an under-rotated flip, which caused the front wheel of his motorcycle to strike the landing area and Lusk was ejected from the bike head first. Lusk sustained head and neck injuries of a severe nature, as well as possible injuries to his spinal cord. It were these injures that lead to Lusk’s eventual respiratory and cardiac failure while at the Rafael Angel Calderon Guardia Hospital in San Jose, Costa Rica.

Jeremy Lusk was part of a group of motocross riders called the Metal Mulisha, and won both gold and silver medals in competition at the X Games in 2008. He was also the recipient of the bronze helmet award at the Moto X World Championships in 2008.

The question was asked if other freestyle motocross riders have died during freestyle motocross events in the past. However, the surprising answer is that no one else has since the sport came into being in the later years of the 1990s. Despite the apparent danger of such events, the riders are meticulous in their training and are not careless or reckless regardless of the image that such events portray. Some of the stunts such as grabbing their seats while flying through the air in jumps that can range up to one hundred feet are the result of many, many hours spent practicing on home courses in foam or padded pits for the protection of the rider.

The tragedy that surrounds the Lusk crash is an example how even the slightest miscalculation can have disastrous results despite the many long hours of training these athletes put in for these events. The execution of these events must be performed flawlessly in order to avoid the most serious of consequences. All riders, most of whom have had injuries ranging from concussions to broken limbs, understand the inherent danger of their sport and realize that even death is very possible at these events.

Lusk's group, the Metal Mulisha, wished to remain as inspirational as possible in light of the tragedy that Lusk's death has caused for his family and closest friends. Lusk was considered a warrior in the motocross world; one who was fearless and never backed down from a challenge either on or off the motocross track. Lusk was also a devout Christian who had boundless faith in his abilities and believed that whatever the challenge, it would always be considered the ride of his life.

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