Moss flattened by spinal injury

Last year's Australian Pro Lites motocross champion Jake Moss has sustained serious spinal injuries in a practice crash at Nowra (NSW), which will keep him in traction for eight weeks in what is expected to be a full recovery.

Moss fractured his L5 vertebrae in the spill, with sources suggesting he came with a millimetre of damaging his spinal cord. He is now undergoing treatment in the specialist spinal unit at Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney.

"While Jake's injuries are serious, you have to take time to think about the positives and that is that he is going to walk again," said Gavin Eales, the principal of Serco Yamaha where Moss rides. "His recovery will take some time, but he will be back on the bike again."

After returning from an injury-plagued year in America, Moss is currently leading the 2008 Australasian Supercross Championship (aka SuperX) from twin brother Matt.

He will now miss the balance of the championship, which concludes in Brisbane on November 29. Moss' place will be taken by 19-year-old Kirk Gibbs, whose incumbency at Serco Yamaha has been fast-tracked from an original 2009 start date.

Round four of SuperX will be held at Parramatta Stadium in Sydney this Saturday, where the Pro Open results will be decided by a 'survival' format.

Twenty riders will start in the final, which will be split across four five-lap races. After each five-lapper, the last five competitors will be eliminated until only five riders are left to do battle in one decisive sprint for glory.

Suzuki's Chad Reed is the raging hot favourite to continue his winning ways in Parramatta, although he could be vulnerable after spending all week in bed with a mystery virus. The world supercross champion remains undefeated after three rounds, and is an 11pt leader over Yamaha's Jay Marmont, with Cheyne Boyd (Yamaha) in third.

Leading lights Andrew McFarlane (Yamaha) and Craig Anderson (Honda) will both miss Parramatta with injuries, while Dan Reardon (Honda) - one of only a few riders who has seriously worried Reed - has made a remarkable recovery after damaging his shoulder in Geelong (Vic) on October 25.