TERRA GAZETTE: Why Ghaith Riberio Quit Racing
Undefined Undefined News UpdateContent
English
Why Ghaith Riberio Quit Racing
By Riley Rudin
Staff Writer
For the last year, Ghaith Riberio was almost perfect. He won every open canopy race that he participated in, except for one which ended in a controversial finish that some of his fans still dispute. Among fans and fellow racers, he was known for his uncanny ability to execute precise yet aggressive turns. Many marveled that despite his bold racing style, the cherry red gloss on his personally modified 2942 Drake Dragonfly never seemed to have a scratch.
The racer’s knack for showmanship extended off the circuit too. Riberio’s hard partying lifestyle was frequent fodder for scandal rags. The attention only expanded his notoriety. Serious sponsors came calling and the Open Canopy Racing League (OCRL) did everything it could to brandish Riberio’s bad boy image. Then, just as everything seemed to be going right, Ghaith Riberio stopped racing.
After Riberio missed his first race, Darryl Misko, the President of the Open Canopy Racing League, expressed his organization’s disappointment. “We are all stunned by this turn of events. Ghaith Riberio has failed to honor his commitment to this league, his sponsors and, most importantly, the fans of the OCRL.”
Shortly after, Riberio formally announced his retirement in a brief vid. Riberio claimed his decision to stop racing was due to “ridiculous new rules and regulations implemented by the OCRL.” The accusation lit the open canopy racing world on fire, and drew attention to a series of rule changes that had previously garnered little to no attention.
Prior to February’s race in Nemo, the first one Riberio missed, the OCRL updated a number of rules and regulations, which they claimed were meant to make the sport safer. These changes included new limits on the overclocking of components, a ban of certain ultra-lightweight alloys in hulls, and much more. At the time, Misko insisted these changes were crucial. “There’s no denying that open canopy racing comes with certain risks, but that doesn’t mean our racers’ safety should be compromised. We believe the new rules will provide a thrilling experience for our fans and an even safer environment for our racers. That’s a win-win.”
Some racers within the OCRL were not happy with the changes, including Ghaith Riberio and Meredith Aguilar. Aguilar is the only person to have defeated Riberio since he joined the circuit. “Riby and I talked about the changes a lot,” said Aguilar. “We felt many of these new rules were extremely arbitrary. He was convinced the entire thing was nothing more than a dog and pony show to make the league more appealing to potential buyers.”
Over the past year, there have been rumblings that the Eldora Equity Partners were putting together a bid on the OCRL. Darryl Misko, whose family has owned the league for the past 43 years, would be in for a substantial payday if the deal went through.
When asked, Misko quickly brushed aside the criticism of the new rules, claiming they were all in the interest of the racers. “The league came to an agreement on these new policies after years of research and investigation into on-track accidents. This league is about celebrating the best racer, not the last one standing.”
Misko and the OCRL engaged in a spirited defense of the new rules and even launched a new ad campaign touting the improvements made to racer safety. Meanwhile, Riberio, after his initial retirement announcement, refused all requests for interviews. People wanted to know more about what had driven the sport’s most promising young star away, yet he remained silent. That is, until now.
While researching this story, I received a message from someone claiming to represent Ghaith Riberio. The message invited me to interview him under one condition — that his current location remain a secret.
After hiring a security detail to ensure my safety, I proceeded to the predetermined meeting location. While sharing a bottle of Sky in a quiet bar, I asked him the question everyone wants to know, why the secrecy after his retirement?
Riberio took a deep breath and laughed, “Honestly, it was all becoming too much. All I’ve ever wanted to do was race, but going pro, dealing with sponsors and fans and paparazzi, it was all just one big distraction. Going to the track stopped being fun, so I stopped going.”
Over the next few hours, Riberio went into great detail about his love for open canopy racing. The rush he gets when executing a perfect turn. The feeling of power that overwhelms him when his Dragonfly’s engine purrs to life. The pride he and his team take in fine tuning components. His passion for racing is undeniable, as is his disappointment in the league’s new rules and regulations.
“Trust me, I know how much I can tweak my power plant better than some knob in an office who’s setting an artificial limit so the league can save a few tenths of a percent on their insurance. After a bunch of these stupid regulations, it started to feel like more castration instead of racing for me.”
After I shared Ghaith Riberio’s comments with Darryl Misko, he just shook his head, despondent. “We have protocols in place so our racers can approach us with issues like this. I wish he would have used the right channels to express his concerns. Maybe we could have worked something out.”
When asked if he would consider reinstating Riberio into the league, Misko sighed heavily. “Let’s just say that would be extremely difficult. He violated a number of contracts with sponsors and the league. It would take a lot of work on his side to make this right.”
For his part, Riberio seems content in his current situation. He still races, though the tracks he now frequents are far from legal, let alone official. According to Riberio, underground racing is more popular than ever, as racers flock to these tracks to truly push themselves to the limit. He claims the pay is comparable and the lack of regulations liberating. He even races under an alias and finds the anonymity freeing, after being under the media’s microscope for most of last year.
Not that everything is perfect though. When asked if Riberio misses anything about being on the professional circuit, he answers immediately, “I miss my bike’s cherry red paint job. Didn’t want to draw too much attention to myself, so I repainted it.” When asked what color it now is, Riberio smiles, “I’ll be happy to tell you … off the record.”
For now, that’s exactly where Ghaith Riberio seems content to live his life. Out of the spotlight and in the shadows of dimly lit underground racetracks.
By Riley Rudin
Staff Writer
For the last year, Ghaith Riberio was almost perfect. He won every open canopy race that he participated in, except for one which ended in a controversial finish that some of his fans still dispute. Among fans and fellow racers, he was known for his uncanny ability to execute precise yet aggressive turns. Many marveled that despite his bold racing style, the cherry red gloss on his personally modified 2942 Drake Dragonfly never seemed to have a scratch.
The racer’s knack for showmanship extended off the circuit too. Riberio’s hard partying lifestyle was frequent fodder for scandal rags. The attention only expanded his notoriety. Serious sponsors came calling and the Open Canopy Racing League (OCRL) did everything it could to brandish Riberio’s bad boy image. Then, just as everything seemed to be going right, Ghaith Riberio stopped racing.
After Riberio missed his first race, Darryl Misko, the President of the Open Canopy Racing League, expressed his organization’s disappointment. “We are all stunned by this turn of events. Ghaith Riberio has failed to honor his commitment to this league, his sponsors and, most importantly, the fans of the OCRL.”
Shortly after, Riberio formally announced his retirement in a brief vid. Riberio claimed his decision to stop racing was due to “ridiculous new rules and regulations implemented by the OCRL.” The accusation lit the open canopy racing world on fire, and drew attention to a series of rule changes that had previously garnered little to no attention.
Prior to February’s race in Nemo, the first one Riberio missed, the OCRL updated a number of rules and regulations, which they claimed were meant to make the sport safer. These changes included new limits on the overclocking of components, a ban of certain ultra-lightweight alloys in hulls, and much more. At the time, Misko insisted these changes were crucial. “There’s no denying that open canopy racing comes with certain risks, but that doesn’t mean our racers’ safety should be compromised. We believe the new rules will provide a thrilling experience for our fans and an even safer environment for our racers. That’s a win-win.”
Some racers within the OCRL were not happy with the changes, including Ghaith Riberio and Meredith Aguilar. Aguilar is the only person to have defeated Riberio since he joined the circuit. “Riby and I talked about the changes a lot,” said Aguilar. “We felt many of these new rules were extremely arbitrary. He was convinced the entire thing was nothing more than a dog and pony show to make the league more appealing to potential buyers.”
Over the past year, there have been rumblings that the Eldora Equity Partners were putting together a bid on the OCRL. Darryl Misko, whose family has owned the league for the past 43 years, would be in for a substantial payday if the deal went through.
When asked, Misko quickly brushed aside the criticism of the new rules, claiming they were all in the interest of the racers. “The league came to an agreement on these new policies after years of research and investigation into on-track accidents. This league is about celebrating the best racer, not the last one standing.”
Misko and the OCRL engaged in a spirited defense of the new rules and even launched a new ad campaign touting the improvements made to racer safety. Meanwhile, Riberio, after his initial retirement announcement, refused all requests for interviews. People wanted to know more about what had driven the sport’s most promising young star away, yet he remained silent. That is, until now.
While researching this story, I received a message from someone claiming to represent Ghaith Riberio. The message invited me to interview him under one condition — that his current location remain a secret.
After hiring a security detail to ensure my safety, I proceeded to the predetermined meeting location. While sharing a bottle of Sky in a quiet bar, I asked him the question everyone wants to know, why the secrecy after his retirement?
Riberio took a deep breath and laughed, “Honestly, it was all becoming too much. All I’ve ever wanted to do was race, but going pro, dealing with sponsors and fans and paparazzi, it was all just one big distraction. Going to the track stopped being fun, so I stopped going.”
Over the next few hours, Riberio went into great detail about his love for open canopy racing. The rush he gets when executing a perfect turn. The feeling of power that overwhelms him when his Dragonfly’s engine purrs to life. The pride he and his team take in fine tuning components. His passion for racing is undeniable, as is his disappointment in the league’s new rules and regulations.
“Trust me, I know how much I can tweak my power plant better than some knob in an office who’s setting an artificial limit so the league can save a few tenths of a percent on their insurance. After a bunch of these stupid regulations, it started to feel like more castration instead of racing for me.”
After I shared Ghaith Riberio’s comments with Darryl Misko, he just shook his head, despondent. “We have protocols in place so our racers can approach us with issues like this. I wish he would have used the right channels to express his concerns. Maybe we could have worked something out.”
When asked if he would consider reinstating Riberio into the league, Misko sighed heavily. “Let’s just say that would be extremely difficult. He violated a number of contracts with sponsors and the league. It would take a lot of work on his side to make this right.”
For his part, Riberio seems content in his current situation. He still races, though the tracks he now frequents are far from legal, let alone official. According to Riberio, underground racing is more popular than ever, as racers flock to these tracks to truly push themselves to the limit. He claims the pay is comparable and the lack of regulations liberating. He even races under an alias and finds the anonymity freeing, after being under the media’s microscope for most of last year.
Not that everything is perfect though. When asked if Riberio misses anything about being on the professional circuit, he answers immediately, “I miss my bike’s cherry red paint job. Didn’t want to draw too much attention to myself, so I repainted it.” When asked what color it now is, Riberio smiles, “I’ll be happy to tell you … off the record.”
For now, that’s exactly where Ghaith Riberio seems content to live his life. Out of the spotlight and in the shadows of dimly lit underground racetracks.
German
Warum Ghaith Riberio mit dem Rennsport aufhört?
Von Riley Rudin
Personalverfasser
Im letzten Jahr war Ghaith Riberio fast perfekt. Er gewann jedes offene Fallschirmrennen, an dem er teilnahm, mit Ausnahme eines, das mit einem umstrittenen Finale endete, das einige seiner Fans immer noch bestreiten. Bei Fans und Mitfahrern war er bekannt für seine unheimliche Fähigkeit, präzise und doch aggressive Kurven zu fahren. Viele staunten, dass trotz seines kühnen Rennstils der kirschrote Glanz seines persönlich modifizierten 2942 Drake Dragonfly nie einen Kratzer zu haben schien.
Das Talent des Rennfahrers für Showkunst erstreckte sich auch außerhalb der Rennstrecke. Riberios harter Party-Lebensstil war häufiges Futter für Skandalblätter. Die Aufmerksamkeit erweiterte nur seinen Bekanntheitsgrad. Ernsthafte Sponsoren kamen und die Open Canopy Racing League (OCRL) tat alles, was sie konnte, um Riberios Bad Boy Image zu verbessern. Dann, als alles gut zu laufen schien, hörte Ghaith Riberio auf zu fahren.
Nachdem Riberio sein erstes Rennen verpasst hatte, brachte Darryl Misko, der Präsident der Open Canopy Racing League, die Enttäuschung seiner Organisation zum Ausdruck. "Wir alle sind fassungslos von dieser Wendung der Ereignisse. Ghaith Riberio hat sein Engagement für diese Liga, seine Sponsoren und vor allem die Fans der OCRL nicht eingehalten."
Kurz darauf gab Riberio in einem kurzen Video offiziell seinen Rücktritt bekannt. Riberio behauptete, seine Entscheidung, das Rennen einzustellen, sei auf "lächerliche neue Regeln und Vorschriften, die von der OCRL umgesetzt wurden" zurückzuführen. Der Vorwurf entzündete die offene Welt der Haubenrennen und lenkte die Aufmerksamkeit auf eine Reihe von Regeländerungen, die bisher wenig bis gar keine Beachtung gefunden hatten.
Vor dem Rennen im Februar in Nemo, dem ersten, das Riberio verpasst hatte, aktualisierte die OCRL eine Reihe von Regeln und Vorschriften, von denen sie behauptete, dass sie den Sport sicherer machen sollten. Zu diesen Änderungen gehörten neue Grenzwerte für die Übertaktung von Komponenten, ein Verbot bestimmter ultraleichter Legierungen in Schiffskörpern und vieles mehr. Damals bestand Misko darauf, dass diese Änderungen entscheidend seien. "Es ist unbestreitbar, dass offener Kappenrennen mit gewissen Risiken verbunden ist, aber das bedeutet nicht, dass die Sicherheit unserer Rennfahrer beeinträchtigt werden sollte. Wir glauben, dass die neuen Regeln unseren Fans ein aufregendes Erlebnis und unseren Rennfahrern eine noch sicherere Umgebung bieten werden. Das ist eine Win-Win-Situation."
Einige Rennfahrer innerhalb der OCRL waren mit den Änderungen nicht zufrieden, darunter Ghaith Riberio und Meredith Aguilar. Aguilar ist die einzige Person, die Riberio besiegt hat, seit er sich der Rennstrecke angeschlossen hat. "Riby und ich haben viel über die Änderungen gesprochen", sagte Aguilar. "Wir waren der Meinung, dass viele dieser neuen Regeln extrem willkürlich waren. Er war überzeugt, dass das Ganze nichts anderes als eine Hunde- und Ponyshow war, um die Liga für potenzielle Käufer attraktiver zu machen."
Im vergangenen Jahr gab es Gerüchte, dass die Eldora Equity Partners ein Angebot für die OCRL gemacht hätten. Darryl Misko, dessen Familie die Liga für die letzten 43 Jahre besessen hat, würde für einen erheblichen Zahltag innen sein, wenn das Abkommen durchging.
Auf Nachfrage streichelte Misko schnell die Kritik an den neuen Regeln und behauptete, sie seien alle im Interesse der Rennfahrer. "Die Liga hat sich nach jahrelanger Forschung und Untersuchung von Unfällen auf der Straße auf diese neuen Richtlinien geeinigt. In dieser Liga geht es darum, den besten Rennfahrer zu feiern, nicht den letzten, der steht."
Misko und die OCRL engagierten sich für die Verteidigung der neuen Regeln und starteten sogar eine neue Werbekampagne, die auf die Verbesserung der Sicherheit von Rennfahrern hinwies. In der Zwischenzeit lehnte Riberio nach seiner ersten Ankündigung des Ruhestandes alle Anfragen nach Interviews ab. Die Leute wollten mehr darüber wissen, was den vielversprechendsten jungen Star des Sports vertrieben hatte, aber er schwieg. Das heißt, bis jetzt.
Während ich diese Geschichte recherchierte, erhielt ich eine Nachricht von jemandem, der behauptete, Ghaith Riberio zu vertreten. Die Nachricht lud mich ein, ihn unter einer Bedingung zu interviewen - dass sein aktueller Standort ein Geheimnis bleibt.
Nachdem ich ein Sicherheitsteam angeheuert hatte, um meine Sicherheit zu gewährleisten, ging ich zum vorgegebenen Treffpunkt. Während ich eine Flasche Sky in einer ruhigen Bar teilte, stellte ich ihm die Frage, die jeder wissen will, warum die Geheimhaltung nach seiner Pensionierung?
Riberio atmete tief durch und lachte: "Ehrlich gesagt, es wurde alles zu viel. Alles, was ich je machen wollte, war Rennen, aber Profi zu werden, mit Sponsoren und Fans und Paparazzi zu arbeiten, war alles nur eine große Ablenkung. Auf die Strecke zu gehen hörte auf, Spaß zu machen, also hörte ich auf zu gehen."
In den nächsten Stunden ging Riberio sehr detailliert auf seine Liebe zum offenen Kappenrennen ein. Der Rausch, den er bekommt, wenn er eine perfekte Kurve macht. Das Gefühl der Kraft, das ihn überwältigt, wenn der Motor seiner Libelle zum Leben erwacht. Der Stolz, den er und sein Team auf die Feinabstimmung von Komponenten haben. Seine Leidenschaft für den Rennsport ist unbestreitbar, ebenso wie seine Enttäuschung über die neuen Regeln und Vorschriften der Liga.
"Vertrau mir, ich weiß, wie sehr ich mein Kraftwerk besser optimieren kann als irgendein Knopf in einem Büro, der ein künstliches Limit setzt, damit die Liga ein paar Zehntel Prozent bei ihrer Versicherung sparen kann. Nach einem Haufen dieser dummen Vorschriften fing es an, sich wie mehr Kastration an zu fühlen, anstatt für mich zu fahren."
Nachdem ich Ghaith Riberios Kommentare mit Darryl Misko geteilt hatte, schüttelte er einfach den Kopf, mutlos. "Wir haben Protokolle, damit unsere Rennfahrer bei solchen Problemen auf uns zukommen können. Ich wünschte, er hätte die richtigen Kanäle genutzt, um seine Bedenken zum Ausdruck zu bringen. Vielleicht hätten wir uns etwas ausdenken können."
Auf die Frage, ob er in Betracht ziehen würde, Riberio wieder in die Liga aufzunehmen, seufzte Misko heftig. "Sagen wir einfach, das wäre extrem schwierig. Er verstieß gegen eine Reihe von Verträgen mit Sponsoren und der Liga. Es würde eine Menge Arbeit auf seiner Seite erfordern, um das in Ordnung zu bringen."
Riberio seinerseits scheint in seiner aktuellen Situation zufrieden zu sein. Er fährt immer noch Rennen, obwohl die Strecken, auf denen er jetzt unterwegs ist, alles andere als legal, geschweige denn offiziell sind. Laut Riberio ist der Underground-Rennsport beliebter denn je, da die Rennfahrer auf diese Strecken strömen, um sich wirklich an die Grenzen zu bringen. Er behauptet, dass die Vergütung vergleichbar ist und die fehlenden Regelungen befreiend sind. Er rast sogar unter einem Decknamen und findet die Freigabe der Anonymität, nachdem er die meiste Zeit des vergangenen Jahres unter dem Mikroskop der Medien gestanden hat.
Aber nicht, dass alles perfekt wäre. Auf die Frage, ob Riberio etwas an der professionellen Rennstrecke vermisst, antwortet er sofort: "Ich vermisse die kirschrote Lackierung meines Fahrrads. Ich wollte nicht zu viel Aufmerksamkeit auf mich ziehen, also habe ich es neu gestrichen." Auf die Frage, welche Farbe es jetzt hat, lächelt Riberio: "Ich werde es dir gerne sagen.... inoffiziell."
Im Moment scheint es genau hier Ghaith Riberio zufrieden zu sein, sein Leben zu leben. Aus dem Rampenlicht und im Schatten von schwach beleuchteten unterirdischen Rennstrecken.
Von Riley Rudin
Personalverfasser
Im letzten Jahr war Ghaith Riberio fast perfekt. Er gewann jedes offene Fallschirmrennen, an dem er teilnahm, mit Ausnahme eines, das mit einem umstrittenen Finale endete, das einige seiner Fans immer noch bestreiten. Bei Fans und Mitfahrern war er bekannt für seine unheimliche Fähigkeit, präzise und doch aggressive Kurven zu fahren. Viele staunten, dass trotz seines kühnen Rennstils der kirschrote Glanz seines persönlich modifizierten 2942 Drake Dragonfly nie einen Kratzer zu haben schien.
Das Talent des Rennfahrers für Showkunst erstreckte sich auch außerhalb der Rennstrecke. Riberios harter Party-Lebensstil war häufiges Futter für Skandalblätter. Die Aufmerksamkeit erweiterte nur seinen Bekanntheitsgrad. Ernsthafte Sponsoren kamen und die Open Canopy Racing League (OCRL) tat alles, was sie konnte, um Riberios Bad Boy Image zu verbessern. Dann, als alles gut zu laufen schien, hörte Ghaith Riberio auf zu fahren.
Nachdem Riberio sein erstes Rennen verpasst hatte, brachte Darryl Misko, der Präsident der Open Canopy Racing League, die Enttäuschung seiner Organisation zum Ausdruck. "Wir alle sind fassungslos von dieser Wendung der Ereignisse. Ghaith Riberio hat sein Engagement für diese Liga, seine Sponsoren und vor allem die Fans der OCRL nicht eingehalten."
Kurz darauf gab Riberio in einem kurzen Video offiziell seinen Rücktritt bekannt. Riberio behauptete, seine Entscheidung, das Rennen einzustellen, sei auf "lächerliche neue Regeln und Vorschriften, die von der OCRL umgesetzt wurden" zurückzuführen. Der Vorwurf entzündete die offene Welt der Haubenrennen und lenkte die Aufmerksamkeit auf eine Reihe von Regeländerungen, die bisher wenig bis gar keine Beachtung gefunden hatten.
Vor dem Rennen im Februar in Nemo, dem ersten, das Riberio verpasst hatte, aktualisierte die OCRL eine Reihe von Regeln und Vorschriften, von denen sie behauptete, dass sie den Sport sicherer machen sollten. Zu diesen Änderungen gehörten neue Grenzwerte für die Übertaktung von Komponenten, ein Verbot bestimmter ultraleichter Legierungen in Schiffskörpern und vieles mehr. Damals bestand Misko darauf, dass diese Änderungen entscheidend seien. "Es ist unbestreitbar, dass offener Kappenrennen mit gewissen Risiken verbunden ist, aber das bedeutet nicht, dass die Sicherheit unserer Rennfahrer beeinträchtigt werden sollte. Wir glauben, dass die neuen Regeln unseren Fans ein aufregendes Erlebnis und unseren Rennfahrern eine noch sicherere Umgebung bieten werden. Das ist eine Win-Win-Situation."
Einige Rennfahrer innerhalb der OCRL waren mit den Änderungen nicht zufrieden, darunter Ghaith Riberio und Meredith Aguilar. Aguilar ist die einzige Person, die Riberio besiegt hat, seit er sich der Rennstrecke angeschlossen hat. "Riby und ich haben viel über die Änderungen gesprochen", sagte Aguilar. "Wir waren der Meinung, dass viele dieser neuen Regeln extrem willkürlich waren. Er war überzeugt, dass das Ganze nichts anderes als eine Hunde- und Ponyshow war, um die Liga für potenzielle Käufer attraktiver zu machen."
Im vergangenen Jahr gab es Gerüchte, dass die Eldora Equity Partners ein Angebot für die OCRL gemacht hätten. Darryl Misko, dessen Familie die Liga für die letzten 43 Jahre besessen hat, würde für einen erheblichen Zahltag innen sein, wenn das Abkommen durchging.
Auf Nachfrage streichelte Misko schnell die Kritik an den neuen Regeln und behauptete, sie seien alle im Interesse der Rennfahrer. "Die Liga hat sich nach jahrelanger Forschung und Untersuchung von Unfällen auf der Straße auf diese neuen Richtlinien geeinigt. In dieser Liga geht es darum, den besten Rennfahrer zu feiern, nicht den letzten, der steht."
Misko und die OCRL engagierten sich für die Verteidigung der neuen Regeln und starteten sogar eine neue Werbekampagne, die auf die Verbesserung der Sicherheit von Rennfahrern hinwies. In der Zwischenzeit lehnte Riberio nach seiner ersten Ankündigung des Ruhestandes alle Anfragen nach Interviews ab. Die Leute wollten mehr darüber wissen, was den vielversprechendsten jungen Star des Sports vertrieben hatte, aber er schwieg. Das heißt, bis jetzt.
Während ich diese Geschichte recherchierte, erhielt ich eine Nachricht von jemandem, der behauptete, Ghaith Riberio zu vertreten. Die Nachricht lud mich ein, ihn unter einer Bedingung zu interviewen - dass sein aktueller Standort ein Geheimnis bleibt.
Nachdem ich ein Sicherheitsteam angeheuert hatte, um meine Sicherheit zu gewährleisten, ging ich zum vorgegebenen Treffpunkt. Während ich eine Flasche Sky in einer ruhigen Bar teilte, stellte ich ihm die Frage, die jeder wissen will, warum die Geheimhaltung nach seiner Pensionierung?
Riberio atmete tief durch und lachte: "Ehrlich gesagt, es wurde alles zu viel. Alles, was ich je machen wollte, war Rennen, aber Profi zu werden, mit Sponsoren und Fans und Paparazzi zu arbeiten, war alles nur eine große Ablenkung. Auf die Strecke zu gehen hörte auf, Spaß zu machen, also hörte ich auf zu gehen."
In den nächsten Stunden ging Riberio sehr detailliert auf seine Liebe zum offenen Kappenrennen ein. Der Rausch, den er bekommt, wenn er eine perfekte Kurve macht. Das Gefühl der Kraft, das ihn überwältigt, wenn der Motor seiner Libelle zum Leben erwacht. Der Stolz, den er und sein Team auf die Feinabstimmung von Komponenten haben. Seine Leidenschaft für den Rennsport ist unbestreitbar, ebenso wie seine Enttäuschung über die neuen Regeln und Vorschriften der Liga.
"Vertrau mir, ich weiß, wie sehr ich mein Kraftwerk besser optimieren kann als irgendein Knopf in einem Büro, der ein künstliches Limit setzt, damit die Liga ein paar Zehntel Prozent bei ihrer Versicherung sparen kann. Nach einem Haufen dieser dummen Vorschriften fing es an, sich wie mehr Kastration an zu fühlen, anstatt für mich zu fahren."
Nachdem ich Ghaith Riberios Kommentare mit Darryl Misko geteilt hatte, schüttelte er einfach den Kopf, mutlos. "Wir haben Protokolle, damit unsere Rennfahrer bei solchen Problemen auf uns zukommen können. Ich wünschte, er hätte die richtigen Kanäle genutzt, um seine Bedenken zum Ausdruck zu bringen. Vielleicht hätten wir uns etwas ausdenken können."
Auf die Frage, ob er in Betracht ziehen würde, Riberio wieder in die Liga aufzunehmen, seufzte Misko heftig. "Sagen wir einfach, das wäre extrem schwierig. Er verstieß gegen eine Reihe von Verträgen mit Sponsoren und der Liga. Es würde eine Menge Arbeit auf seiner Seite erfordern, um das in Ordnung zu bringen."
Riberio seinerseits scheint in seiner aktuellen Situation zufrieden zu sein. Er fährt immer noch Rennen, obwohl die Strecken, auf denen er jetzt unterwegs ist, alles andere als legal, geschweige denn offiziell sind. Laut Riberio ist der Underground-Rennsport beliebter denn je, da die Rennfahrer auf diese Strecken strömen, um sich wirklich an die Grenzen zu bringen. Er behauptet, dass die Vergütung vergleichbar ist und die fehlenden Regelungen befreiend sind. Er rast sogar unter einem Decknamen und findet die Freigabe der Anonymität, nachdem er die meiste Zeit des vergangenen Jahres unter dem Mikroskop der Medien gestanden hat.
Aber nicht, dass alles perfekt wäre. Auf die Frage, ob Riberio etwas an der professionellen Rennstrecke vermisst, antwortet er sofort: "Ich vermisse die kirschrote Lackierung meines Fahrrads. Ich wollte nicht zu viel Aufmerksamkeit auf mich ziehen, also habe ich es neu gestrichen." Auf die Frage, welche Farbe es jetzt hat, lächelt Riberio: "Ich werde es dir gerne sagen.... inoffiziell."
Im Moment scheint es genau hier Ghaith Riberio zufrieden zu sein, sein Leben zu leben. Aus dem Rampenlicht und im Schatten von schwach beleuchteten unterirdischen Rennstrecken.
Chinese
Why Ghaith Riberio Quit Racing
By Riley Rudin
Staff Writer
For the last year, Ghaith Riberio was almost perfect. He won every open canopy race that he participated in, except for one which ended in a controversial finish that some of his fans still dispute. Among fans and fellow racers, he was known for his uncanny ability to execute precise yet aggressive turns. Many marveled that despite his bold racing style, the cherry red gloss on his personally modified 2942 Drake Dragonfly never seemed to have a scratch.
The racer’s knack for showmanship extended off the circuit too. Riberio’s hard partying lifestyle was frequent fodder for scandal rags. The attention only expanded his notoriety. Serious sponsors came calling and the Open Canopy Racing League (OCRL) did everything it could to brandish Riberio’s bad boy image. Then, just as everything seemed to be going right, Ghaith Riberio stopped racing.
After Riberio missed his first race, Darryl Misko, the President of the Open Canopy Racing League, expressed his organization’s disappointment. “We are all stunned by this turn of events. Ghaith Riberio has failed to honor his commitment to this league, his sponsors and, most importantly, the fans of the OCRL.”
Shortly after, Riberio formally announced his retirement in a brief vid. Riberio claimed his decision to stop racing was due to “ridiculous new rules and regulations implemented by the OCRL.” The accusation lit the open canopy racing world on fire, and drew attention to a series of rule changes that had previously garnered little to no attention.
Prior to February’s race in Nemo, the first one Riberio missed, the OCRL updated a number of rules and regulations, which they claimed were meant to make the sport safer. These changes included new limits on the overclocking of components, a ban of certain ultra-lightweight alloys in hulls, and much more. At the time, Misko insisted these changes were crucial. “There’s no denying that open canopy racing comes with certain risks, but that doesn’t mean our racers’ safety should be compromised. We believe the new rules will provide a thrilling experience for our fans and an even safer environment for our racers. That’s a win-win.”
Some racers within the OCRL were not happy with the changes, including Ghaith Riberio and Meredith Aguilar. Aguilar is the only person to have defeated Riberio since he joined the circuit. “Riby and I talked about the changes a lot,” said Aguilar. “We felt many of these new rules were extremely arbitrary. He was convinced the entire thing was nothing more than a dog and pony show to make the league more appealing to potential buyers.”
Over the past year, there have been rumblings that the Eldora Equity Partners were putting together a bid on the OCRL. Darryl Misko, whose family has owned the league for the past 43 years, would be in for a substantial payday if the deal went through.
When asked, Misko quickly brushed aside the criticism of the new rules, claiming they were all in the interest of the racers. “The league came to an agreement on these new policies after years of research and investigation into on-track accidents. This league is about celebrating the best racer, not the last one standing.”
Misko and the OCRL engaged in a spirited defense of the new rules and even launched a new ad campaign touting the improvements made to racer safety. Meanwhile, Riberio, after his initial retirement announcement, refused all requests for interviews. People wanted to know more about what had driven the sport’s most promising young star away, yet he remained silent. That is, until now.
While researching this story, I received a message from someone claiming to represent Ghaith Riberio. The message invited me to interview him under one condition — that his current location remain a secret.
After hiring a security detail to ensure my safety, I proceeded to the predetermined meeting location. While sharing a bottle of Sky in a quiet bar, I asked him the question everyone wants to know, why the secrecy after his retirement?
Riberio took a deep breath and laughed, “Honestly, it was all becoming too much. All I’ve ever wanted to do was race, but going pro, dealing with sponsors and fans and paparazzi, it was all just one big distraction. Going to the track stopped being fun, so I stopped going.”
Over the next few hours, Riberio went into great detail about his love for open canopy racing. The rush he gets when executing a perfect turn. The feeling of power that overwhelms him when his Dragonfly’s engine purrs to life. The pride he and his team take in fine tuning components. His passion for racing is undeniable, as is his disappointment in the league’s new rules and regulations.
“Trust me, I know how much I can tweak my power plant better than some knob in an office who’s setting an artificial limit so the league can save a few tenths of a percent on their insurance. After a bunch of these stupid regulations, it started to feel like more castration instead of racing for me.”
After I shared Ghaith Riberio’s comments with Darryl Misko, he just shook his head, despondent. “We have protocols in place so our racers can approach us with issues like this. I wish he would have used the right channels to express his concerns. Maybe we could have worked something out.”
When asked if he would consider reinstating Riberio into the league, Misko sighed heavily. “Let’s just say that would be extremely difficult. He violated a number of contracts with sponsors and the league. It would take a lot of work on his side to make this right.”
For his part, Riberio seems content in his current situation. He still races, though the tracks he now frequents are far from legal, let alone official. According to Riberio, underground racing is more popular than ever, as racers flock to these tracks to truly push themselves to the limit. He claims the pay is comparable and the lack of regulations liberating. He even races under an alias and finds the anonymity freeing, after being under the media’s microscope for most of last year.
Not that everything is perfect though. When asked if Riberio misses anything about being on the professional circuit, he answers immediately, “I miss my bike’s cherry red paint job. Didn’t want to draw too much attention to myself, so I repainted it.” When asked what color it now is, Riberio smiles, “I’ll be happy to tell you … off the record.”
For now, that’s exactly where Ghaith Riberio seems content to live his life. Out of the spotlight and in the shadows of dimly lit underground racetracks.
By Riley Rudin
Staff Writer
For the last year, Ghaith Riberio was almost perfect. He won every open canopy race that he participated in, except for one which ended in a controversial finish that some of his fans still dispute. Among fans and fellow racers, he was known for his uncanny ability to execute precise yet aggressive turns. Many marveled that despite his bold racing style, the cherry red gloss on his personally modified 2942 Drake Dragonfly never seemed to have a scratch.
The racer’s knack for showmanship extended off the circuit too. Riberio’s hard partying lifestyle was frequent fodder for scandal rags. The attention only expanded his notoriety. Serious sponsors came calling and the Open Canopy Racing League (OCRL) did everything it could to brandish Riberio’s bad boy image. Then, just as everything seemed to be going right, Ghaith Riberio stopped racing.
After Riberio missed his first race, Darryl Misko, the President of the Open Canopy Racing League, expressed his organization’s disappointment. “We are all stunned by this turn of events. Ghaith Riberio has failed to honor his commitment to this league, his sponsors and, most importantly, the fans of the OCRL.”
Shortly after, Riberio formally announced his retirement in a brief vid. Riberio claimed his decision to stop racing was due to “ridiculous new rules and regulations implemented by the OCRL.” The accusation lit the open canopy racing world on fire, and drew attention to a series of rule changes that had previously garnered little to no attention.
Prior to February’s race in Nemo, the first one Riberio missed, the OCRL updated a number of rules and regulations, which they claimed were meant to make the sport safer. These changes included new limits on the overclocking of components, a ban of certain ultra-lightweight alloys in hulls, and much more. At the time, Misko insisted these changes were crucial. “There’s no denying that open canopy racing comes with certain risks, but that doesn’t mean our racers’ safety should be compromised. We believe the new rules will provide a thrilling experience for our fans and an even safer environment for our racers. That’s a win-win.”
Some racers within the OCRL were not happy with the changes, including Ghaith Riberio and Meredith Aguilar. Aguilar is the only person to have defeated Riberio since he joined the circuit. “Riby and I talked about the changes a lot,” said Aguilar. “We felt many of these new rules were extremely arbitrary. He was convinced the entire thing was nothing more than a dog and pony show to make the league more appealing to potential buyers.”
Over the past year, there have been rumblings that the Eldora Equity Partners were putting together a bid on the OCRL. Darryl Misko, whose family has owned the league for the past 43 years, would be in for a substantial payday if the deal went through.
When asked, Misko quickly brushed aside the criticism of the new rules, claiming they were all in the interest of the racers. “The league came to an agreement on these new policies after years of research and investigation into on-track accidents. This league is about celebrating the best racer, not the last one standing.”
Misko and the OCRL engaged in a spirited defense of the new rules and even launched a new ad campaign touting the improvements made to racer safety. Meanwhile, Riberio, after his initial retirement announcement, refused all requests for interviews. People wanted to know more about what had driven the sport’s most promising young star away, yet he remained silent. That is, until now.
While researching this story, I received a message from someone claiming to represent Ghaith Riberio. The message invited me to interview him under one condition — that his current location remain a secret.
After hiring a security detail to ensure my safety, I proceeded to the predetermined meeting location. While sharing a bottle of Sky in a quiet bar, I asked him the question everyone wants to know, why the secrecy after his retirement?
Riberio took a deep breath and laughed, “Honestly, it was all becoming too much. All I’ve ever wanted to do was race, but going pro, dealing with sponsors and fans and paparazzi, it was all just one big distraction. Going to the track stopped being fun, so I stopped going.”
Over the next few hours, Riberio went into great detail about his love for open canopy racing. The rush he gets when executing a perfect turn. The feeling of power that overwhelms him when his Dragonfly’s engine purrs to life. The pride he and his team take in fine tuning components. His passion for racing is undeniable, as is his disappointment in the league’s new rules and regulations.
“Trust me, I know how much I can tweak my power plant better than some knob in an office who’s setting an artificial limit so the league can save a few tenths of a percent on their insurance. After a bunch of these stupid regulations, it started to feel like more castration instead of racing for me.”
After I shared Ghaith Riberio’s comments with Darryl Misko, he just shook his head, despondent. “We have protocols in place so our racers can approach us with issues like this. I wish he would have used the right channels to express his concerns. Maybe we could have worked something out.”
When asked if he would consider reinstating Riberio into the league, Misko sighed heavily. “Let’s just say that would be extremely difficult. He violated a number of contracts with sponsors and the league. It would take a lot of work on his side to make this right.”
For his part, Riberio seems content in his current situation. He still races, though the tracks he now frequents are far from legal, let alone official. According to Riberio, underground racing is more popular than ever, as racers flock to these tracks to truly push themselves to the limit. He claims the pay is comparable and the lack of regulations liberating. He even races under an alias and finds the anonymity freeing, after being under the media’s microscope for most of last year.
Not that everything is perfect though. When asked if Riberio misses anything about being on the professional circuit, he answers immediately, “I miss my bike’s cherry red paint job. Didn’t want to draw too much attention to myself, so I repainted it.” When asked what color it now is, Riberio smiles, “I’ll be happy to tell you … off the record.”
For now, that’s exactly where Ghaith Riberio seems content to live his life. Out of the spotlight and in the shadows of dimly lit underground racetracks.
Links
No links available.
Metadata
- CIG ID
- 15554
- Channel
- Undefined
- Category
- Undefined
- Series
- News Update
- Comments
- 54
- Published
- 9 years ago (2016-10-11T00:00:00+00:00)