Rowan Sorrell encourages saplings after leg re-break

Rowan Sorrell has broken his leg again (boo!), but in an enterprising twist, he’s hoping to use his enforced downtime for someone else’s gain (yay!).

Rowan might be off the bike for a while this time round – it seems his break is an iatrogenic compound break caused by earlier surgery – but he’s hoping to enable a couple of young, talented riders who perhaps don’t have the gear they need to ride Rowan’s bikes while he’s on the mend. As he says in the release below, “I would much rather see my bikes being ridden hard, than gathering dust in the shed!”

He’d just finished a video, Under The Radar 2, so he’s using its release as a platform for his philanthropy. Very, very well played, that man.

Here’s the video:

And here’s the press release:

This film was shot just a month after Rowan had come out of an external fixator cage for a bad multiple fracture of the right leg and ankle known as a ‘pilon’ fracture sustained when overshooting a jump. As you can see from the video, he was still finding his speed but was comfortable on the bike and making a strong recovery. Unfortunately on Sunday we heard that Rowan suffered a nasty compound fracture of the same leg, after an innocuous low speed fall again at BikePark Wales. The leg fractured higher up than previously and seemingly as a result of the hole that was created in the shin to secure the previous cage; a weakness that was unknown. A bad chain of events, that will result in more surgery and a longer road to reach a true place of recovery. But one that Rowan will no doubt face head on and be back on 2 wheels when the time is right.

When we spoke to Rowan, he wanted to share his thoughts and this opportunity with you:

“Bikes have brought me a lot of joy over the years, riding in places and with people I would never have imagined. Along with that they have brought me a fair share of pain; injuries can be hard to deal with but it is the underlining passion for biking and travel which keeps me motivated.

When I was younger, a few people recognized that enthusiasm and talent and helped me out and I’m always thankful of that support. It’s something that I’ve always wanted to be able to pass onto younger riders and something that we have taken steps towards this year with our development team at BikePark Wales.

With an enforced lay off riding my bikes I now have a unique opportunity to offer a couple of young, passionate and talented riders the chance to ride more and with a loan of some quality equipment thanks to my continued support from personal sponsors Orange bikes and Mojo Suspension.

I would much rather see my bikes being ridden hard, than gathering dust in the shed!”

This is an opportunity for a couple of riders who perhaps have the passion and the talent but only have a ratty old bike that’s holding them back.

Think that’s you? Then make a short video (1 minute 30 seconds maximum) demonstrating what you can do, and why you think you should get the ride and post it to Rowan Sorrell’s wall on Facebook.

For practical reasons only, there is a preference that the riders would either live in, or be able to easily travel to, South Wales. Riders should be over 5ft 9″ to suit the bikes.

Bikes available:

Orange 322 DH bike, with fox suspension and shimano groupset.

Orange Alpine 160 with fox suspension and shimano groupset.

Closing date for entries is the 27th Feb with the chosen riders announced on the 2nd March 2015.

Note: This is a loan arrangement, that is hoped will help a couple of riders further their progress in the sport. Details will be discussed with the chosen individuals.

Barney Marsh

Barney Marsh takes the word ‘career’ literally, veering wildly across the road of his life, as thoroughly in control as a goldfish on the dashboard of a motorhome. He’s been, with varying degrees of success, a scientist, teacher, shop assistant, binman and, for one memorable day, a hospital laundry worker. These days, he’s a dad, husband, guitarist, and writer, also with varying degrees of success. He sometimes takes photographs. Some of them are acceptable. Occasionally he rides bikes to cast the rest of his life into sharp relief. Or just to ride through puddles. Sometimes he writes about them. Bikes, not puddles. He is a writer of rongs, a stealer of souls and a polisher of turds. He isn’t nearly as clever or as funny as he thinks he is.

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