Duo set for Kiwi challenge
After several seasons interrupted by international driving commitments, Dunedin’s Emma Gilmour will contest the full six-round 2024 New Zealand Rally Championship (NZRC).
Having made the decision to step away from the Extreme E series last year in which she drove for NEOM McLaren, she is looking forward to enjoying her first complete domestic rally season since 2018.
“I’m thrilled to be getting back out on our amazing rally roads again,” says Gilmour. “After three years travelling the world driving in Extreme E events and Covid interrupting the 2020 season, it’s been a long time since I’ve been able to look forward to a start-to-finish New Zealand championship.”
Piloting her Vantage Windows & Doors WRC2 C3, her campaign will comprise tried and proven components with a new addition.
Sitting next to Gilmour this season will be her new co-driver, Palmerston North’s Katrina Renshaw, pictured above right.
“I’m looking forward to working with Katrina over the NZRC rounds. She’s an up-and-coming co-driver, who has done well over the past few seasons so it will be exciting to see what we can achieve together.
“We had our first competitive outing in the Eastern Southland Car Club’s Popotunoa Rallysprint where we finished in a close second place. It was so good to be back in the car and it was a pleasure working with Katrina.”
Renshaw first met Gilmour in 2019 at the Motorsport NZ Elite Academy in Dunedin. She says: “I was incredibly fortunate to have a few mentoring sessions with her back then and the valuable advice Emma shared with me has been top of mind in every rally since.”
Renshaw has been co-driving since 2018 and stepped up to navigating for R5/Rally2 (NZRC Category 1) drivers from 2020.
She adds: “I’m excited to work with Emma and the Paddon Rallysport team. The C3 is a stunning car. She has always been an excellent ambassador for our sport and I’m proud to be rallying with such a dedicated team.”
Gilmour will again entrust the vehicle’s preparation to Paddon Rallysport. “It was a great step for me to engage Hayden Paddon’s team to run my C3 out of its Cromwell base last year. Hayden’s experience is a huge help.”
The 2024 NZ Rally Championship begins with Gilmour’s hometown event and the traditional season-opening Otago Rally from April 13-14.
