Mustsee offroad action
I’M sure the vast majority of you would have heard of, or more likely viewed, Ken Block’s Gymkhana series. Now we have our very own Kiwi version, created by New Zealand rally hero Hayden Paddon.
Given the appropriately catchy title of Paddon’s Playground, the recently released film is not so much focused on stunts and driving but on the purity of rallying, or in Paddon’s words ‘‘taking a rally car into breathtaking scenery and tackling each corner only one or two times, as we would in a rally.’’
Paddon assures us it is the first of many to come and it is shot somewhere close to home for me, on stunning Minaret Station, which has been owned by Wanaka’s Wallis family for the past 20 years.
I have mountainbiked along the farm tracks as part of a multisport race and it sure looks like Paddon is having a whole lot more fun getting sideways in his New Zealandbased Hyundai i20 AP4+ than we were sweating over our handlebars.
As for that scenery, it sometimes necessitates seeing something familiar on the computer screen for me to do a double take and recognise just how truly incredible our backyard may appear to those viewing it from overseas. Earlier this week, as I wrote this editorial, Paddon’s Playground had already had more than 33,000 views (search for it on YouTube).
I’m sure this number will escalate, especially after it received a ‘‘must see’’ headline on the WRC.com website with a link to the video.
Paddon had some local help and credits Christchurch director JohnJo Ritson, who until recently lived in Wanaka, and his small team from Flashworks Media. Along with the Wallis family for allowing access to the farm tracks, Paddon also thanks Wanaka pilot Mark Williams, who makes a guest appearance in his plane. Also featured are a barge, a helicopter and, because it is New Zealand, a large flock of sheep.
Paddon urges everyone to share the film and promises part two will be released in November.
While he competes in the Sardinian round of the WRC this week, the national rally championship then takes a break until August.
Last weekend’s atrociously wet Rally Canterbury sounded like it was a treacherous 10stage test and full credit to Dunedin Mazda
driver Rhys Gardner for finishing fifth and boosting himself up into second in the points.
Crossing to circuit racing, this weekend Cromwell’s Brendon Leitch will be driving in the second round of the Formula 4 United States Championship at the famed Indianapolis circuit. Here’s hoping he fares better there than fellow Kiwi Scott Dixon, who deserves the bestcomeback award after overcoming injuries sustained in his biggest career crash at the Indy 500, to achieve an impressive drive from sixth on the grid to second at the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix at Belle Isle. Dixon’s runnerup finish means he now sits atop the points standings.
Catherine Pattison
Reporter Drivesouth