Over the weekend Motorsport New Zealand celebrated the successes of the past year with the premier Awards Dinner at Te Papa. Not only were the competitors recognised for their sporting ability, but also the hard working officials and volunteers who put in so much effort behind the scenes.
This year the team from the Trusthouse Racetech Rally Wairarapa are delighted congratulate Bruce Sollitt on being presented with a Distinguished Service Award - for his many years of service to the sport of rallying, as both organiser and competitor.
Bruce is one of the visionary group who revived the Wairarapa rally after a number of years in hiatus, and he has continued to be one of the key people who make the rally happen every year.
“Certainly this is very well deserved, and shows the appreciation we all have for Bruce’s hard work”, says rally chairman, John Clunie.
The award also recognises Bruce’s contribution to the wider sport, with his extensive involvement as a competitor, member of the Motorsport New Zealand Rally Commission, and long standing committee member of Kapiti Car Club.
For Bruce it was a complete surprise to receive this award, and one he found very humbling. In fact it was one of the few times that Bruce has almost been lost for words. Obviously a very well deserved award.
Following on from this, Rally Wairarapa is also delighted to congratulate the rally competitors who were recognised on the night. Tarryn Cox is following in her younger brother’s footsteps to attend the Élite Academy in Dunedin, where young competitors are put through their paces to improve performance by focusing on the non-competition aspects that athletes need in order to succeed. Joining Tarryn will be Sarah Coatsworth, who is making a name for herself as a rally competitor at national championship level. Both will be competing at Rally Wairarapa as co-drivers.
It was also a big night for Hayden Paddon, winning the Rally Founders Trophy for the rally driver who performs with distinction during the rally season, as well as being awarded the Motorsport Media Personality of the Year, which is voted for by the MSNZ Accreditated Media. Unfortunately for the Trusthouse Racetech Rally Wairarapa Hayden will be in Argentina competing in the next round of the Production Car World Rally Championship on the same weekend. We wish him all the best as he shows the silver fern internationally.
After such an excellent evening, the Rally Wairarapa team is congratulates all of the winners and all those who were so deserving of their awards.
