Renowned rally organiser Kim Bannister joins Rally Round Driving Adventures
Rally Round Ltd is delighted to announce the appointment of Kim Bannister, experienced MSA Steward, route designer and Clerk of the Course on countless international events including four Peking to Paris Motor Challenges, seven Flying Scotsman Rallies, three Classic Safaris, three World Cups, two Trans America Challenges, the Lombard Rally and many more.
As they prepare an ever-expanding programme of vintage and classic rallies in Europe and beyond, Director Liz Wenman and Rally Co-ordinator Heidi Winterbourne have greatly strengthened the Rally Round team in recent months, attracting a host of highly respected personnel. Nevertheless Kim Bannister is the most significant appointment to date. His knowledge, diplomacy and attention to detail are hugely valuable assets and his experience is exceptional; from Asia to Africa, Europe and the Americas, the list of countries he has rallied through is too long to list.
Kim developed his passion for cars and rallying at a tender age, joining the Craven Motor Club and competing from the age of 15. The following year he began an apprenticeship as a mechanic and rapidly rose through the ranks into car sales, dealer management and consultancy whilst simultaneously indulging his love of motorsport at all levels. In 2005, after more than 12 successful years in the motor trade, a call from Heidi Winterbourne presented an opportunity to move into full-time rally organisation and he immediately gave up his automotive consultancy directorship to work on the 2007 Peking to Paris Motor Challenge. The resounding success of that event led him to design the route and act as Clerk of the Course on three more Peking to Paris rallies and many other events, establishing himself as one of the world's most experienced route designers and an indispensable member of the ERA team.
Following Heidi's resignation in 2012 and the unfortunate death of Philip Young in 2014, Kim recognised the need for a fresh approach to classic rallying and is particularly pleased to have been approached by Rally Round, which offers exactly that - sporting events for enthusiasts who want to explore and enjoy distant lands without the rigours of relentless, car-breaking competition.
"It's an honour to join such a talented and enthusiastic team," said Kim. "They've worked really hard to establish Rally Round as a standard-setting organisation, meeting the need for exciting, safe and sociable rallies and focusing on customer service. I'm sure that's the way forward for classic rallying and I'm looking forward to exploring new horizons and contributing to the success of future events, including some I've always dreamed of organising, like the Odyssey Italia in September 2017, visiting Corsica, Elba and Sardinia on the way to Tuscany - I can hardly wait!"
We're thrilled to welcome Kim to the company," said Liz Wenman. "With Heidi's unparalleled experience and an amazing group of experts in everything from route planning to results, Rally Round is going from strength to strength and Kim represents the last piece of the jigsaw. We're already planning lots of events for the next five years, from short rallies starting in Paris to trips of a lifetime on the far side of the world, and we couldn't wish for a better team. It's going to be a fantastic adventure!"
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