Two-time former women’s world motocross champion Katherine Prumm has been putting on a brave face in recent times.

The 21-year-old is still undergoing a slow and sometimes painful period of recovery following her practice crash in Auckland in November last year.

The Yamaha rider, who was world champion in 2006 and 2007 and led the 2008 FIM Women’s World Championship before her season was curtailed by a broken collarbone, over-jumped a triple step-down jump and the ensuing crash damaged several vertebrae.

But now, exactly a year later and after several visits to the surgeons operating table, she can look positively ahead to the future.

“The past few weeks have been extremely busy for me with work, keeping fit and exams. I was called up for surgery at the beginning of November and, as Murphy’s law would have it, the op was in exam week.

“I had my exams moved to a week earlier so sat four exams in the week and went straight into surgery on Monday November 16 (exactly same day as the surgery I had one year ago … crazy).

“University has been going really well and I was awarded top first-year academic in the Bachelor of Sport and exercise science.

“I was really stoked because this year has been a huge adjustment and I have worked really hard to make the most of it. I have learned so many new things in my studies and wish I had known them sooner.

“Three months ago I was really starting to go crazy without my adrenalin rush from riding, so I spoke to the guys at Scott and was able to sort out a new Genius 50 mountain bike.

“The bike is absolutely amazing to ride and feels like a lightweight motocross bike. Since getting on my mountain bike I have been a different person and I am really grateful that I have been able to get out and enjoy the great outdoors.

“The operation went well and I had all of my metal-ware removed except for the snapped off screws which weren’t able to be removed,” she said.

Check out the pics of how much metal was holding me together….. I didn’t even think it would be possible to have the much inside my back. (xray pic from before op).

“The next few weeks will be more relaxed as the bones are left to heal and the operation site heals.

“During the past few months I have also been working in Hamilton at Les Mills Gym which has been really exciting. I have been able to apply the knowledge I have gained from university and am also on a trial period where I am learning the ropes for group fitness so that I can become a RPM instructor sometime next year as well as doing my personal training courses so I am pretty excited about that.

“Les Mills is a worldwide company with over 12,000 gyms, so it’s great to be a part of a global company that has many opportunities for growth and development. I hope to be able to inspire and motivate other people to enjoy physical activity as much as I do.”

Main photos (above) by Andy McGechan, www.BikesportNZ.com

“Check out the pictures of how much metal was holding me together….. I didn’t even think it would be possible to have that much inside my back,” said Prumm. The x-ray picture is from before op.