Mountain bikers keep doctors on run

Janine Droz of Switzerland takes a fall at the Rotorua course. Phil Walter / Getty Images

Injuries at the world mountain bike championships in Rotorua are creating extra work for Rotorua Hospital.

By yesterday, the third day of the six-day event, nine competitors had been treated at the emergency department and two admitted.

A Brazilian rider remained in the hospital with fractures, while an Australian admitted the previous night was discharged.

Another Australian, 20-year-old Renee Junga, was transferred to Auckland Hospital with serious spinal injuries on Wednesday night.

The nine riders treated and discharged from Rotorua's emergency department (ED) had a variety of fractures, bruising and sprains.

Department head Dr Dominique Eggermont said the numbers could double before the event ends on Sunday.

"We have had trouble recruiting additional locums to help out in our ED over the period of the championships. We have run advertising encouraging people with minor health issues to visit the emergency medical centre, Lakes PrimeCare, or their family GP."

Despite the rush, he said staff were not as frantic as they had expected to be during the event, which has 650 competitors.

The hospital also treated several competitors at the Oceania championships held in Rotorua in March. That event had 250 competitors but a higher injury rate.

Dr John Bonning, medical director of both events, said fewer competitors were getting hurt at the world champs because the standard of mountain bikers was higher.

"It has been run very, very safely. When you look at the number of people coming down these courses, there's been very few injuries."

During the Oceania championships, which lasted three days and was also held at Mt Ngongotaha, about 70 riders required treatment from event medical staff at the course.

This time, he said, the team of about 60 medical staff at Mt Ngongotaha was seeing about a dozen injuries a day, some just grazes.

Only the worst injuries were referred to hospital.

Dr Bonning, a specialist emergency physician, said mountain biking was a risky sport but competitors were safety conscious and wanted to be challenged by the courses.

"These people are the best in the world. You don't have a world champs and wrap them in cotton wool."