Organiser abandons stunt show and steals prize money

Details have emerged of a ‘world championship’ stunt competition whose organiser abandoned it halfway through, taking with him all EUR16,500 prize money.

Maczro Istvan, from Hungary, also left riders’ hotel and fuel bills unpaid when he fled Stunt Ride 2009 in Romania last month.

Some of the world’s best stunt riders from Europe and North America were left high and dry by the event.

Ian Arnott manages Scottish rider Andrew Nisbet, who was due to compete at Stunt Ride before his van broke down: “We had a lucky escape, but the other riders are enraged.

It looks like the whole thing was a scam. Either that or the sponsor pulled out and Istvan bailed with what cash he had.”

The two-day event degenerated from a competition to a show even before the first day’s heats were over say observers, when the judges disappeared.

Arnott says stunt riding will be plagued by this kind of farce until it has an official FIM-sanctioned championship: “Nobody knows what’s going on in stunting so there are no big sponsors, and riders are so strapped for cash they have to turn up for events like this in the hope of earning something.

“It’s a depressing scene.”

Over 30 entrants were left with hotel bills and EUR150 fuel allowances unpaid. Istvan’s whereabouts is still unknown.

See the amazing show that cost its riders dear: