STARTING THEM YOUNG

Thirteen-year-old Natasha Lomas has become the youngest ever navigator to finish an official HERO-ERA regularity rally. Navigating her father, John, in a 1936 Riley Sprite – the oldest car on the event – Natasha’s record-setting achievement also marked her endurance rallying debut.

'I was very nervous at the start, but I think everyone was,' says Natasha, who took part in HERO-ERA’s three-day Novice Trial. Designed as an introduction to classic and historic car rallying, the event gave her the opportunity to learn and refine navigation skills with a combination of classroom and on the road training sessions before tackling her first competitive trial. Natasha adds: 'Being the youngest navigator made it a bit more challenging, but everyone was so nice, it made the experience a lot more fun and enjoyable than I had expected it to be.'

Competing against 40 other crews, Natasha and John tackled four regularities and four tests. To successfully complete these two disciplines, trust and teamwork were crucial. 'It was a great bonding experience, even though dad didn't listen to me a few times,' says Natasha. 'It was only our first event, so there’s no need to be upset about that. If anyone else is thinking of doing this I would 100% recommend it. It’s for absolutely everyone, at any age.'

HERO-ERA’s Communications Director Tony Jardine hopes this milestone will inspire others to participate in historic rallying, saying: 'We have been developing a funnel of newbies in the sport and helping them advance, especially the young. It is not unusual to see family combinations such as John and Natasha on an event as the enthusiasm of the parent can sometimes rub off. What is unusual is to find a female so young who is enthused by rallying when there are so many other hobbies or sports that may be attractive.'

Check out our feature on p95 of this issue to read about more HERO newbies.