WRC lecture well received by Auckland University

5 May 2010
WRC lecture well received by Auckland University alumni

Rally New Zealandinitiated an interesting addition to the regular lecture series for Universityof Aucklandalumni during the build-up to the local round of the 2010 FIAWorld Rally Championship, which starts on 6 May.

Themed “inside the WRC”, hundreds of members of the public got a unique view of the world’s elite rally series at a one-off lecture in the Owen G Glenn Building at Auckland University.

The evening was emceed by D’Arcy Waldegrave from The Sporting Breakfast on Radio Sport, and guests were treated to a wide variety of entertaining and informative details about the motorsport series which travels to around 12 or 13 countries each year.

The president of the World Rally Championship Commission Morrie Chandleropened the lecture, with the New Zealander providing some background on Rally New Zealandas a well-respected event on the world calendar. Chandlerchaired the Rally New Zealand board for a large portion of its existence and played a key role in helping create the event fans still love today. Chandleralso highlighted aspects of his role as the head of the WRC Commission and where he sees the series heading.

Citroen Total World Rally Team’s communications manager Marie-Pierre Rossi covered aspects of working with six-time world rally champion Sébastien Loeb and the highly successful Citroen WRC team.

Other speakers included Michael Croft-White, team strategist for the BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team who covered such topics as what influences running position and Simon Larkin representing North One Sport, the commercial and broadcast rights holders and promoters of the World Rally Championship. Ken Rees from the privately-owned Petter Solberg World Rally Team was followed by two-time New Zealandrally champion Hayden Paddonwho was selected as a Pirelli Star Driver in 2009 and is now competing in selected WRC events this year. Numerous insights from Fred Gallagher, one of the highly-experienced Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) motorsport safety and technical observers working at elite events around the world, were followed by the evening’s final speaker, Becs Williams whose on-event reporting for World Rally Radio is listened to by literally millions of people around the world during each WRC event.

Rally New Zealandgeneral manager Paul Mallardsays he’s delighted with the response from lecture attendees. “The feedback was very positive from attendees and participants and we’re thrilled this inaugural lecture was so well received.”

More information on www.rallynz.org.nz

ENDS

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