RallySport Magazine August 2016

Best rally memory:
I have too many to pick just one. I
think the predominant memory that I
have from being involved in the sport is
all of the people and friendships that I
have made through competing.
From the officials, to the mechanics,
to the support crews, to the other
competitors - I have made many
lifetime friendships through rallying.
Strangest incident on a rally:
I can think of many rally incidents
that are memorable, but probably
not strange for rallying. How about
strange animals whilst rallying overseas
- camels, lizards, drunken Finnish
spectators, snakes, and closer to home
sheep, cows and Pukekos!
Biggest accident:
In 2007 I had a high speed crash off
a ridge line in Rally Whangarei. My seat
broke in the accident so I came loose
in my belts and smashed my helmet on
the roll cage.
The concussion and subsequent head
injury took a long time to get over -
even though I rallied three weeks later!!
Achievements gained from rallying:
Winning the Cross Country selection
event in Qatar last year was an amazing
opportunity.
Learning from the world’s best, Jutta
Kleinschmidt, about how to navigate
dunes and read the desert was
something special.
Also owning and running my own
rally team, along with owning and
running my own Suzuki dealership.
Rallying has given me a lot of life skills
that I wouldn’t have gained elsewhere.
If you had $100,000 to spend on rallying,
what would you do?
I’d put it towards competing in an R5
car in an international series or one off
event.
What is next on the list for Emma Gilmour?
The 2017 NZ Rally Championship. I
still want to be NZ Rally Champion and
to win my home event.
In what car will that be in?
In our Suzuki Swift AP4.
Do you have plans to compete overseas
more, and if so, where and when?
I am always working on plans to
compete overseas again. Although I am
fully committed to my business and
rallying here in NZ, I still have a dream
of doing more international rallying.
What is the biggest challenge facing
rallying at present?
In New Zealand, I think it is trying to
keep an even playing field between the
new generation of cars that are being
built and the older existing fleet.
L-R: Sisters Monica and
Emma, with parents Carola
and Alistair.
2014 Global RallyCross series in a Hyundai.
AUGUST 2016 - RALLYSPORT MAGAZINE | 17