Injury Update

Rick Jendrusch aims to be fighting fit for Fuerte after sustaining injury in Egypt

Whilst continuing his preparation for the next PWA Freestyle World Cup - Rick Jendrusch (F2 / Severne) - unfortunately sustained an injury in Dahab, Egypt. The young Dutchman made a promising start to the season finishing in joint seventeenth place in Leucate France, whilst also being the first sailor to land a no-handed culo in competition. Jendrusch now faces a race against time to be fit for Fuerte, but he’s more than ready for the challenge:

“I was sailing for the 4th day, it was a morning session and I was out there with Yentel [Caers] and Romain [Pinocheau]. This happened a week after Steven’s [Van Broeckhoven] injury and he just went home! This was my first day with stronger winds - I was on 4.4m and saw a good gust and a little chop… I ducked and went for air kabikuchi…”

“I felt to much power and I was feeling that it went wrong but it was so fast! I still remember thinking that I'm going to crash on the boom with my head, but when I came above the water after the crash I could instantly feel something wasn’t right and I saw that my left index finger was dislocated! Yentel sailed straight to me because he was sailing behind me and saw the crash! He asked if  I was okay? And I said nooooo my finger!”

“After seeing I was clearly injured he asked Romain to get a boat because the crash didn’t happen close to the beach! Whilst waiting for the boat I tried to put my finger back in place and then I just held it, but I felt more pain! Yentel told me while we were waiting for the boat that it looked like a horrible crash. (He wasn’t wrong).”

“When the boat arrived the guy put the finger back in a good position, but that’s when the pain in the rest of my hand started. It was like it was frozen - I couldn't move it!”

“So… back on the land I tried to get to the hospital as fast as possible and after my x-rays it was clear that I’d fractured my 2nd metacarpal! I was happy that my whole hand wasn’t broken!”

“With it being obvious I wasn’t going to be sailing again for a little while I decided to travel home as quick as possible to have a second opinion on my hand - so by the end of the same evening I was already flying back to Holland. Tomorrow I’ll go and see the doctor again, have another x-ray to confirm that there is no other damage.”

“I want to start my recovery as fast as possible and I will be training as hard as possible to ensure I’m strong and fit for fuerte! My aim is to sail in Fuerte again and be as fit, if not even fitter, than before! I'm ready for it and for recovery! I hope to use my hand normally in 3 weeks again and slowly start sailing ;).”

We wish Rick a speedy and successful recovery and hope to see him competing again in Fuerte. If you’d like to stay up to date with Rick’s progress be sure to ‘like’ his Facebook Fan page, which can be found here.