Rider Tribute
A prayer for Blair
An accident has left MX superstar Blair Morgan paralyzed; Kelvin Harrison pays tribute to this young athlete and his outstanding career
It is with great sadness to hear the recent news of Blair Morgan’s tragic accident on September 20, 2008, during a practice session at the Montreal Supercross. Blair crushed his T5 and T6 vertebrae causing major spinal cord damage. He underwent surgery in Montreal, Quebec, the following day where doctors confirmed his spinal cord was severed resulting in paralysis from just above his waist, on down. Words cannot describe the sadness I feel for this quality young athlete and his family. Everyone in the motosport community across Canada and the U.S. are with you, as you have been there for all of us. You have been a great inspiration to all the up and coming racers, and a Canadian icon on both dirt and snow.
High Times: Blair has won eight Canadian National Championships and finished fourth overall this summer in the MX1 class at the nine-round CMRC National Series.
Forever A Champion: Blair Morgan is one of the top motocross racers this country has ever produced. —photo by Kelvin Harrison
A native of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Morgan, at 33 years of age, is regarded as one of the top motocross racers this country has ever produced. Spanning a 15-year pro career, Blair has won eight Canadian National Championships and finished fourth overall this summer in the MX1 class at the nine-round Canadian Motosport Racing Club (CMRC) National Series.
Come winter Blair would jump on a snowmobile and is regarded as the most influential rider in SnoCross history, capturing five X Games gold medals. He has completely changed the sport of SnoCross with his riding style and abilities on the winter track.
“The snowmobiles we have today are essentially because of the way Blair rode them,” said Brad Huziak, president of the North Star Racing Association. “We switched from a sit-down position to a quick, stand-up position where the rider has better control of the machine. I would say Blair Morgan’s riding style is 100 per cent instrumental in the change this industry has gone through.”
This man is an extreme athlete, like no other in this country. He has competed at a world-class level for the love of his chosen disciplines, without the huge bucks that other sports demand. Blair worked hard every day for his team and sponsors, and was always ready to compete on race day. It is so unfortunate that a freak accident like this brought him down. But I know Blair will fight through this, and I guarantee the willpower and strength of this super athlete will push him to new heights.
Superman, get well soon. All of our prayers are with you for a quick recovery.
Anyone interested in updates on Blair and the various fundraising initiatives happening from his friends and fans can visit the Blair Morgan racing team website.
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