Don Hatton has completed more endurance rallies than any other Canadian motorcycle racer, but the British Columbian native will be missing the 2012 Dakar rally.
Hatton was gearing up to travel down to South America before the start of the Dakar Rally when his trailer collapsed and dropped a 1,500 pound bale on top of him. Hatton separated his shoulder and damaged tendons, leaving him unable to ride.
The accident occurred on Christmas day, just 48 hours before he was set to travel to Buenos Aries.
"For the next few weeks I will feel sorry for myself, lick my wounds," Hatton said.
The Globe and Mail reports that Hatton has competed in just about every major endurance motorcycle rally in the world, but he's never made it to the Dakar. Hatton has been trying to complete the Dakar for the last five years but a series of accidents have kept him from participating in the world's toughest endurance rally.
In 2008, the Dakar rally was cancelled. In 2009 he crashed a few days before the race and was unable to participate. In 2010 he finally started the Dakar rally but mechanical issues kept him from finishing. And in 2011, Hatton decided to skip the Dakar to due financial issues.
"I will participate in other rallies, however, I need to decide if I want to make another attempt at the Dakar," he said. "Even I am beginning to believe there is a message in this."
