A surprising proponent of coral conservation?
Ed Green
Ed.Green at unep-wcmc.org
Mon Sep 25 08:30:01 EDT 2000
Carl Fogarty, four times World Superbike champion and the leading British
motorcycle racer of his (and my) generation, yesterday announced his
retirement through injury. Interestingly he explained his decision by
comparing his damaged shoulder to a coral:
"The arm cannot take the constant pounding. It's like a piece of coral
that has broken off - it takes years and years to grow back again".
While I have long admired Carl's ability to operate a motorcycle at 180+
mph I would never have expected an interest in corals. I hope it shows
that an appreciation of marine conservation is reaching unlikely audiences!
Cheers,
Ed.
Full report below for anyone who is interested:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>.
Broken arm forces 'King Carl' to quit
By Roddy Brooks
22 September 2000
It had been rumoured, but yesterday it was confirmed: Carl Fogarty, who
won the World Superbike title four times and a special place in the
hearts of thousands of motorcycling fans, is to retire after finally
succumbing to the arm injury he suffered at the start of the season.
"King Carl", famous for his piercing stare and his withering criticism of
rivals, broke his left arm in three places in the second round of this
=season's world championship at Phillip Island, Australia, in April. He
had an operation to pin the arm but has struggled to regain strength and
movement in the limb.
At a special testing session set up by his team, Ducati, at Mugello,
Italy, this week, the 35-year-old Blackburn rider realised he was
fighting a losing battle.
"I could not find the words to describe how bad it was when I came in
after a few laps at Mugello," Fogarty said. "I had been playing a bit of
tennis and a bit of jet-skiing and felt I wasn't a million miles away. But
on the bike it was horrendous. I was one per cent of the guy I was seven
months ago. I was stuck on this thing in absolute agony.
"It confirmed everything that my specialist had said. The arm cannot
take the constant pounding. It's like a piece of coral that has broken
off - it takes years and years to grow back again.
"All good things come to an end," Fogarty said. "It's a bad way but it
could have been a hell of a lot worse. I have had a fantastic career but
it has not been the fantastic ending that I always thought I would
have.=20
"I wanted to go out with everyone knowing that it was the last time I
would race. I've risked my life for 20 years and the most important thing
is to have my health. The decision has been made for me."
Fogarty took his first world title in 1994 and followed that up the
following year. Then, after an ill-fated year with Honda and a return to
Ducati in 1997, he again secured back-to-back titles in 1998 and 1999.
Among the other highlights in Fogarty's career are the Formula One
titles he won in 1988 and 1989, the FIM World Cup in 1990 and the World
Endurance title in 1992. He also won three Isle of Man TT titles, one in
1989 and two in 1990.
As he mulled over his decision, Fogarty, who will continue to work for
Ducati in a promotional capacity, admitted being influenced by the death
in July of Joey Dunlop, the winner of 26 TT races. "It brings it home to
you, although what Joey did was so much different to what I do," he
said.
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