Big news from the Sunshine coast, Andy Yates is down and out for the next three PKRA events.

The current world kiteboarding champion has suffered a niggling shoulder injury since 2007, where a small piece of bone cracked in his shoulder. After an intense training session at his home beach in Caloundra, it's now completely broken - spearing into his shoulder muscles. Unfortunately for Andy, this does mean surgery is required to pull the piece of bone out - but (luckily) a relatively short recovery time. 

Doctors reckon' he will be riding at 100% of his game in the next few months - but in the meantime, it's given Andy a chance to focus on his uni courses. This does mean missing the next three PKRA events though in the Canary Islands, Germany and Brazil; returning to professional kiteboarding in New Caledonia, and later the Gold coast for the final stop of the 2011 world tour in December. 

Check out the video below of Andy's specialist visit - and from all of the Seabreeze community - we wish Andy a speedy recovery from the surgery next week.