Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Racer and Roadracingworld.com website editor Melissa Berkoff broke her left leg riding a Sherco trials bike on Sunday, October 12 while visiting a friend in Fernley, Nevada.

Berkoff underwent surgery the same day to plate a break in her fibula and to screw together her tibia.

The injury means that Berkoff will not be able to compete in the WERA Grand National Finals at Road Atlanta October 29-November 2.

“I was riding in my friend’s back yard, not wearing the proper gear, practicing picking up the front wheel and basically I wheelied into a fence,” said Berkoff in a phone interview today. “It was completely retarded. I hit the fence, my foot slipped off the peg and went behind the wheel and I crashed. The wheel turned and broke my leg against the frame. I actually bent the forks and broke a spoke in the front wheel with my leg. At least I have a black cast.”

Berkoff is recovering at home in Maryland.