King Country
King Country News | 1
THURSDAY OCTOBER 31, 2024
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kingcountrynews.co.nzz
OCTOBER 31, 2024
Volunteers rally around school
The Targa Rally can be a winwin for motor sport fans and the local communities who host it, says Maihiihi Primary School deputy principal Katie Robinson. The Labour Weekend timing didn’t work in Waitomo district where road closure applications were declined – but it did work in the Ōtorohanga district. While organising a team of 18 volunteer marshals from the school, Robinson said the school appreciated the opportunity to both serve a community event and generate some much-needed income. “Our marshals looked after a 30 km stretch of road, from Otewa Rd to Mangatutu Rd, with our people taping off gates, driveways and openings along that section of the rally. “I was touched at how our people were prepared to give their time over the long weekend to help the school in this way. It’s the kind of good-natured support you often find
in country areas - and we certainly have that here,” she said. The volunteers themselves told The News that they were more than happy to help. “It was this or look after kids for the day – I knew which one I was going to choose,” one man said. “I have a lot of time for the Targa,” one woman added. “As share milkers we have lived in seven locations and each one of them has been in an area where the rally went past our gate. We’ve found it to be well run and absolutely no inconvenience. If anything, it just adds a bit of spice to life.” The four-day 570km rally, completed on Monday, took in roads in and around Ōtorohanga, Kāwhia Harbour and finished in Rotorua. Top honours in the rally went to Marcus van Klink and his co-driver Matt Richards – who also won the 2023 rally.
Some of the 18 volunteers from the Maihiihi community who acted as marshals for their section of the Targa Rally on Saturday, . Back row from left, Katie Robinson, Deb Druce, Aaron Robertson, Mathew Szytkiel, Steph Berge, Lyall Carr, Duncan Roobottom and Zach Walsh. Front, Kohen Henry, Joeli Henry, Shekinah Henry and Amanda Roobottom. Photo: Paul Charman
Classic Porsche well ‘doctored’ By Paul Charman
A Wellington surgeon and his sister said the King Country-Waipā leg of the Targa Rally felt like a homecoming at the weekend. The News caught up with Dynes McConnell and his sister and co-driver Melody McConnell, as their classic car was being examined by scrutineers at the Ōtorohanga Rugby Club grounds. Melody, who lives in Hawke’s Bay, has driven alongside her brother since the two were teenagers growing up on a dairy farm at Tuhikaramea, near Pirongia. “I know Dynes is completely level-
headed and careful when driving; he has been like that ever since we were young,” Melody said. “That’s why I can just concentrate on my job as a co-driver and not worry too much about the prospect of crashing.” The two race a Porsche 930, a turbocharged variant of the 911 sports car manufactured from 1975 and 1989. “At the time of its introduction, this was the fastest production car available in Germany, with a turbo so vicious that when it cut in, it was notorious for spinning cars out on the racing tracks of the day,” Dynes said. “The 930 was designed to clean up at Monte Carlo and it did just that.
But it was involved in so many crashes that it got the nickname ‘widow maker’.” He added that the vehicle they were racing had been owned by another doctor, John Elliot, the son of eye surgeon Sir Randall Elliot. Such had been the sportscar’s involvement with medical people over the years that it has been give the number plate MD 930 (short for medical doctor). “It’s incredible fun racing this thing. If classic racing’s in your blood a day out contesting the Targa Rally, driving a car like this on these beautiful country roads is about as good as it gets,” Dynes said.
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Dynes McConnell and his sister and co-driver Melody McConnell beside their classic Porsche 930.
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