TBK-Light.com

Double women's World Cup motocross winner Katherine Prumm will undergo surgery after a practice crash left her with spinal damage.

Auckland-based Prumm, 20, suffered several broken vertebrae in the incident on Saturday but the extent of the injury was unclear.

A brief update on her website said Prumm had "over-jumped a triple step-down" and in the ensuing fall damaged thoracic vertebrae in the middle of her spine.

Prumm was training in preparation for a tilt at the 2009 world title as well as looming events in Australasia and was "naturally shell-shocked" with the injury setback.

The Yamaha rider has endured an horrific year, with her chase for a third world crown ending when she broke her collar bone while training in Germany in June.

Prior to that her campaign was hampered by a pre-season knee injury.