HOPKINS UNDERGOES SUCCESSFUL SURGERY

The Kawasaki pilot will now require four weeks of rest and
recuperation, with only mild rehabilitation exercise, before resuming
his full training and conditioning programme ahead of the 2009 MotoGP
season.

Kawasaki MotoGP Pilot #21

“It’s unbelievable; it’s great to be hardware free again after all
this time. I have had several injuries in the past and have had to go
through a few surgical ordeals since I was 13-years-of-age, but you
never really get used to it. Now all the metal is out of my body I’m
looking forward to some rest and recuperation, and spending time with
my wife Ashleigh and our two families during the Christmas holiday
period. Doctor Ting reckons it will be four weeks before I can start
training properly again, but that should give me time to be fighting
fit, ready for the start of pre-season testing at the end of January.”

Kawasaki Competition Manager

“John has been either injured, or handicapped by his injuries, for
almost the entire season, so the removal of all the metal from his
body is an important step in the recovery process for him. John will
need approximately four weeks to recover fully from the surgery, but
he will then be able to resume his pre-season training programme at
full intensity, which should see him fully fit again prior to the
first test of the new season at the end of January. It’s been hard
watching John ride injured this year, so I’m looking forward to seeing
him back on the bike fully fit once again. Having John back at 100
percent is important to us now, as we will have the all-new Ninja
ZX-RR at the first test of 2009, and we need both our riders on top
form if we are to have the bike ready for the first race in April.”

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