Exmouth teenager Danielle Pool fended off competition from four other talented rally navigators to win the first ever Bob Rutherford Historic Rally Scholarship ‘Shoot Out’ for Young Navigators at Bicester Heritage.
Victory for Danielle means she now earns the Bob Rutherford Scholarship, with full training, free entry into four HERO-ERA 2024 rallies to navigate a top driver, plus selected Motorsport UK Academy courses.
Danielle was presented with the Bob Rutherford navigational magnifying ‘poti’ as a trophy after impressing the expert rally panel of Guy Woodcock, Will Rutherford, Andy Pullan, Seren Whyte and Tony Jardine.
The finalists were put through a full day of monitored training and tests designed to bring out the potential star navigator in each of them. Navigation of speed tests and average speed regularities were attempted whilst been driven in HERO-ERA Arrive & Drive rally cars.
The finalists all then competed in a map plotting exercise after they had been through general navigation and media training, which included a TV style interview.
Danielle, who also receives full rally navigational equipment, commented: “I don't think it's real, I don't believe it. I think all of them were great and could have won but it hasn’t really sunk in yet. They will all be amazing and I've made some friends who I will hopefully to see at future events.
“I want to aim for a full season in the future, but after the rallies next year maybe see where I can progress, but this is a tremendous opportunity and I am so grateful to HERO-ERA.”
HERO-ERA Competition Director Guy Woodcock explains why he found it tough to pick a winner; “Yes, it was so close at the end, effectively down to three then two, but I think we've got the right player.
“Danielle will go on in leaps and bounds as she gains experience and it is great seeing the young talent coming through, this has been a great success in the name of my close friend Bob Rutherford and we will keep pushing to bring the youngsters into this sport as he was always trying to do. We need the navigators with the young brains and Danielle is the first of many as the inaugural winner.”
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