Co-drivers get coaching in new collegiate

 
Media Release
 
Wednesday 13 May 2009
  
Co-drivers get coaching in new collegiate

Nine rally specialists from around the country attended the first coaching collegiate for rally co-drivers in Wellington last weekend.

The initiative of the MotorSport NZ Scholarship Trust, which already runs the highly successful Elite MotorSport Academy and the President’s Scholarship programme, the programme is another step in providing coaching and development opportunities for competitors. The programme utilises some of the excellent services from the NZ Academy of Sport South Island.

“Co-drivers play a vital role in a successful rally crew but are rarely in the limelight,” Trust chairman and President of MotorSport NZ Steven Kennedy said. “We recognised a need to provide a coaching programme that would help improve their knowledge and techniques in some key areas of their role in the car.”

Among items on the programme were understanding the regulations and judicial processes of MotorSport New Zealand, sport drug policy, nutrition and hydration, pace note writing, how rally headquarters function during an event, safety equipment and safety procedures on rallies.

“Overall the nine participants, four women and five men, rated the programme very highly,” Steven said, “and they have identified areas where they would like to see it developed, including sessions on fitness, and more on the judicial process.

“This was a first for the Trust, and we hope that the co-drivers who took part will act as mentors to others in their local clubs, as part of ongoing coaching and upskilling in the sport.”

 
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