Challenging mud conditions at Conondale on Sunday raised further difficulties for defending MX1 champion Kirk Gibbs, who is currently dealing with an ACL knee injury.

Gibbs sustained the injury at the previous round in New South Wales and, despite a cloud of doubt over his health, he pushed through severe pain in less than ideal conditions at round seven.

“In the first moto it was really sore, it felt like I did it again,” Gibbs told MotoOnline.com.au. “It’s frustrating, but we’re still here and we’re still fighting.”

Following a lacklustre fourth in moto one, Gibbs bounced back in race two to claim second behind round winner Dean Ferris, awarding him the final spot on the podium. The mishap has halted Gibbs’ momentum in the series, where the KTM Factory Racing Team rider has lost a handful of points since the MX Nationals returned to racing at the beginning of the month.

“I’m really happy with how I rode in the second race, I felt I rode really strong,” he explained. “I’m still on the box and carrying the red-plate, but it’s dwindling away.”

The number-one plate holder currently has a six-point advantage over Ferris in the championship standings, with only three rounds remaining until the title is decided at round 10 at Coolum, Queensland.

Gibbs confirmed earlier last week that his knee will require surgery to be repaired at some point in time, however he has not confirmed when that will take place.