F1-WEBBER BREAKS LEG IN BIKING ACCIDENT

27 May 2013

Mark Webber is in hospital in Hobart, Australia, after suffering a broken leg after being hit by a car while competing in the Mark Webber Pure Tasmania Challenge.

The accident happened just past noon local time Saturday near the town of Port Arthur. Webber was airlifted to Hobart, capital of the island state of Tasmania. The motorist was reported to be unhurt.

An officer with Tasmania Police, Sergeant Jon Ford, said paramedics attached to the event attended to Webber immediately after the crash. "He was airlifted from the scene by helicopter and taken to the RoyalHobartHospital, where he is now being treated for serious but not life-threatening injuries," Ford said. "He suffered a broken leg and other injuries and is reported to be in a stable condition." The injuries are expected to sideline him for two months.

The accident happened on the next-to-last day of the five-day event, a multisport, extreme endurance team event he founded to benefit Australian charities. It is contested through 280 km (175 miles) of wilderness and open roads in the state of Tasmania. The challenge includes mountain biking, kayaking, and trekking.