That happened to my brother once but it just went between his head and helmet, and a friend got his airboot skewered, right behind his leg. Sticks give me the creeps ever since I was impaled. I always back it down a notch trail riding through stuff like blow downs and dead pines with all the spears. Races are usually not an issue as the trail is cleared well, at least of the dangerous stuff. Its the unmaintained and poached
trails that you have to worry about.