Frederiksen reaches podium despite injury

Masterton motocross prodigy Bjarne Frederiksen overcame a crash-inflicted injury to reach the podium at the national junior championships in freezing deep south conditions on the weekend.
The three-day event, held in Mosgiel near Dunedin, attracted New Zealand's premier riders and also proved a successful trip for Tauherenikau's Callum Moore, 12, who likewise claimed an impressive third in the 11-12 year-olds' class.
Frederiksen, 14, can count himself unlucky not to finish at least one step higher after taking the lead in the second of seven races on his 150cc Honda in the 12-16 year-olds' class.
In an attempt to keep an opponent at bay, he clipped a tractor tyre on the inside of a corner and was sent sprawling, leaving him nursing a groin injury for the remainder of the event.
As if that was not enough to deal with, Frederiksen was then forced out of the fourth race with a busted carburettor, dropping him three spots down the ladder.
However, the plucky youngster kept his head to recover amidst the sleet and enter the final race with a slim two-point advantage over his fourth placed rival, a lead he never surrendered closing out the weekend in third spot.
"It would've made it a lot closer for sure, I would've been pretty close to first or second if I'd done well in that (fourth) race," Frederiksen said.
"The top three is pretty huge, it's a cool feeling.
"I'm gonna put a big number three on my bike so everyone knows."
Aside from injury and mechanical failure, he also had to deal with the freezing weather conditions.
It was so cold, Frederiksen said, that he had to rub deep heat into his muscles beforehand just to keep warm.
"I just couldn't get over how cold it was, I was wearing everything I could.
"It was sleeting on the track and there was snow up on the hills around us but once we got going and the adrenaline kicked in it was okay I guess."
The title was eventually won by Frederiksen's nemesis and four times national champion Cameron Dillon.
"I wanted to beat him so bad. Back in 2002 I finished second and he finished first and this time I really wanted to beat him but I couldn't quite do it," Frederiksen said.
The nephew of New Zealand superbike legend Aaron Slight, he has been racing since the age of five but might yet have to take some time out if the physio gives him the hard word on his groin injury this week.
Should it be revealed he has torn the muscle, the news would put a serious dent in his season with the second leg of the North Island Championships, the first of which he won two weeks ago, set to be held on May 2.
"I don't think it's too bad, mum and dad just want to make sure so hopefully I won't miss it."