Arenacross 2025: Is this the end?!

While training for round one of the 2025 Arenacross Supercross UK tour Harley had an accident... and broke his leg. This is how it happened... With two weeks until the first race, Arenacross round one at Birmingham, Harley had a focussed weekend of coaching... starting at SX Worx track in Sheffield for a coaching session with Josh Spinks. The session went AMAZING! Harley's confidence was on fire... with trying new jumps and really focussed on learning different lines around the track. For a rider who previously avoided the inside line... and would follow a caught rider for a long time before committing to the overtake he was suddenly trying the inside line every other corner AND when he caught a rider he would overtake them within 1-2 corners instead of after 2-3 laps. Day two... a session at Wheeldon Off Road Activity Centre with Joe Clayton. This was a long drive from home... with a 5am start to the day and a 4hr+ drive. Harley was super excited and he woke up full of energy, ready to go! He was so hungry to learn and improve!! On arrival he was approached by another rider... who told him how he was going to beat Harley as he was faster. Now normally this wouldn't bother Harley... he's had this before. I'm not sure if Harley's ever actually been the fastest!! So as his parents we really didn't think anything much of it. We shrugged it off as just being competitive. But we should have noticed... we should have noticed him going red in the face, refusing to talk to the other rider... suddenly seeming a little flustered. We should have pulled him to one side and told him 'don't worry about anyone else... just ride for you' - but we didn't. We wrongly assumed he would not be bothered... just like he usually isn't bothered by it. Warming up Harley was taking it steady... 'fab start!' we thought. Then he clocked the same rider catching him up... and he tried to speed up to match him. He ended up losing control on the whoops as he was so focussed on what the other rider was doing he just totally forgot how to ride... he crashed hard. He got back on... keen to go again but riding off through the tears. Time to come to a stop and have some coaching from Joe Clayton (who is also racing in this years Arenacross!) Harley was listening intently - but he seemed agitated. I told him to chill... take his time. But when his bike wouldn't start fast, making him last to set off out of the group, he started to panic that he was going to get overtaken again... and he rushed off. He overshot a table landing on the face of what would have been the triple. He used up all of the BUD racing suspension (properly set up for his weight!) on his Kawasaki KX65... and the rest of the force went up through the pegs and his leg. He didn't crash... but the pain was so intense he said he couldn't breathe or make a noise at first. He somehow finished the lap off and came in... where he got off his bike and fell to the ground in pain. A trip to A and E and a few X rays later... it was confirmed. Harley had fractured his right tibia, close to the ankle. With the cast fitted and crutches given to him it was time to go home... and begin his recovery. That was it for Harleys Arenacross series... but is it over for his Arenacross debut? Or might he get back to fitness in time for the final round in Manchester? One thing is for sure... Harley has said he will put more effort into listening to the coaches... and less time focussed on what the other riders are doing or saying. We live and learn!! Don't try to change other people... you can't control them... change how you react... you can only control YOU. In Harleys words: 'let's go, baby!' #motocross #supercross #onealriders #crash #brokenleg