from ... Chris Power

Thursday 20 January: As most of you will probably already know by now, at the first round of the 2011 New Zealand Enduro Champs, I dislocated my shoulder twice and damaged some inside thingies.

After seeing the specialist he told me I had chipped a piece of bone off my ball joint socket and it requires surgery to tighten up the ligaments and remove the floating piece.

My first initial run in with my left shoulder was back last year at round one of the 2010 Enduro Champs, where I first dislocated that shoulder testing some terrain in the rocky Oparau rivers. Remember my right shoulder has already been repaired in 2007 after the NZ ISDE where it dislocated every day. I know what feels right and what doesn't feel right and my left shoulder does not feel right.

This was proved even more so when I went to Desert Storm for my last ride before my operation and it came out again twice more. Basically it's pretty loose in there and need a fix up if I'm to be at the pace and ability I know I can achieve. I still managed to come third in the High jump, second behind Karl in the Enduro X and win theBarrel Racing, taking the Triple Cross title again for 2011 – I nice way to finish riding up my riding for a while.

It's not like 2010 was a bid year for me riding wise either, so I'm going into the operation and mandatory 4‐5 months off with a bit of steam. I managed to win the 450cc NZ Enduro Championship on my Honda CRF450, as well as the GNCC Championship on the same bike. Karl and myself are still Reigning Hawkes Bay 6 Hour champions, where we smoked the field by over 10 minutes –stamping our mark on the Off‐Road community.

Mexico was also a highlight of 2010 for me, racing for New Zealand and placing second Club Team in the world behind Spain –something I got to share with my team mate Karl that will be forever cherished. A big thanks goes out to Wellard and Peter Payne Yamaha-Motor NZ) and Peter and Dale Strickland for organising the whole trip. It was the best ever.

My surgery takes place on Friday January 21 and like I said –I won' be riding for about 4‐5 months. My first race back is planned to be the last round of the National Enduro Champs held in Taupo, where hopefully all the nonriding training will have paid off and my hunger for winner will be even stronger after the long hiatus. Then it is straight into the Australian 24 Hour Enduro, where I will be going back to defend my 2010 win with hopefully another win! And from there, plans are on route for Finland –fingers crossed!

I just want to take this opportunity to thank all my sponsors for a great 2010 season – I don't want to name anyone in particular in case I forget anyone, but I can' possibly miss out the one person who has been instrumental in mine and Karl's achievements for 2010, my uncle Trevor. He is the Power Racing Team manager and is at every event with our race truck. It' safe to say we have the best, BarNone race set up out of any other Off‐Road team period, which is all thanks to him, and I am very proud of that.

I'm looking forward to getting on the bike again in June and being right back to where I leave off now – one of the best Off‐Road riders in NZ. I'll still be out at most of the races, taking photos, video and helping Karl out as much as possible so It' not like I'm going to disappear. I plan to visit all you who I can during my time off as well so you have been warned.

Till then –ill catch you all trackside. I'l be the one filling Karl up with Gas!

Chris