Wyatt Avis will miss remainder of 2002 season.

South African teenager Wyatt Avis, who rides for the Bonenberg Racing Team, will miss the remainder of the 2002 season as a result of a serious knee injury.

Avis crashed while practicing for the recent Bulgarian Grand Prix after missing a gear off a fast jump. At first it was thought that a week's rest would be sufficient to cure the injury but, when the pain persisted, a visit to the hospital was made where it was found that there was no feeling in the knee beneath the injury as a result of damage to the nerves.

It was fortunate that the visit to the hospital was made when it was as Wyatt was told that if treatment had been delayed for a few days longer then there was the real possibility he would not have regained the use of his leg resulting in permanent disability.

Wyatt has been ordered to take four months complete rest to allow the injury to heal and, as the final round of the Dutch Open Championship is on October 6th in Mill, the youngster's season is now effectively over.