About Rhianon Smyth - Brendan Reeves

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About Rhianon Smyth

Name: Rhianon Smyth

Born: 15/11/1980

Nicknames: Toby

Lives: Ballarat

Hobbies/Interests: Motorsport, Tennis, Netball, Running, Facebook

Rhianon began her motorsport career at the end of 2004 when she started competing in the Victorian Autocross Championship in her Datsun 1600. She immediately had success in the Victorian Ladies Autocross Championship, coming away with the title in 2005 and 2006.

Rhianon then started co-driving at the end of 2005 when Brendan and her father, Mike, decided she would be the perfect size for a co-driver!

In 2006 she competed in eleven rallies at both State and National levels and came third outright co-driver in the Victorian Rally Championship.

In 2007 Rhianon competed with Brendan in the NEC Australian Rally Championship in a left-hand drive Les Walkden-sponsored Subaru Impreza STI. Rhianon finished fifth outright co-driver in the Championship. She also competed in two tarmac rallies and came second outright, only behind motorsport legend Jim Richards, in her first ever tarmac event.

In 2008, Rhianon scored her first factory drive with the Mazda Motorsport Team in Targa Tasmania, where she co-drove for Rick Bates. Rhianon and Brendan then went on to compete in the Tasmanian Tarmac Challenge with Mazda Motorsport, winning the showroom class.

In the same year, Rhianon focused on competing in as many international rallies as possible with her brother Brendan. She competed in two rallies in New Zealand and in August of that year, she competed in her first World Rally Championship event, Rally New Zealand, in a front wheel drive Ford Fiesta. Rhianon and Brendan won their class and finished 25th outright - a fantastic result given they were competing against the world's best drivers.

From this result, Brendan and Rhianon were selected to compete in the International Fiesta Shootout at M-Sport in the UK. After testing and interviews, they finished third in a field of extremely talented junior drivers and co-drivers from around the world.

In 2009, Rhianon was lucky enough to secure a job co-driving for MotorImage in the Asia Pacific Rally Championship with NZ driver, Emma Gilmour, the world's fastest female rally driver. Rhianon finished the season as fourth outright co-driver in the APRC. In the same year, Brendan and Rhianon finished 4th outright in Rally Tasmania, 1st outright Rally Lithgow, 1st outright Robertstown Rally and 3rd outright Showroom Class in Targa Tasmania (competing for Mazda Motorsport).

In 2010, Rhianon and Brendan had a great start to the season finishing 2nd outright, only to Steve Glenney, in Rally Tasmania. The brother and sister then competed for Mazda Motorsport in Targa Tasmania where they finished 2nd outright Showroom Class and 9th outright overall. They then headed to NZ to compete in the Asia Pacific Rally Championship and finished 2nd outright APRC and 3rd outright overall. Then it was off to Rally Queensland for the next round of the APRC. The pair were coming 3rd APRC until a mechanical failure let then down. Next for Rhianon and Brendan is the APRC round in New Caledonia in late August.

Rhianon has now competed in over 50 rallies in the last five years and is one of Australia’s best known co-drivers.

Rally Debut:

Victorian Club Rally Series Spring 200 in 2005

Australian Rally Championship Debut:

NGK Rally of Melbourne 2006

Favourite Rally:

2009 Rally of Whangarei APRC – I love the high speed roads and the conditions of the roads.

Most memorable rally moment:

Competing in Rally Hokkaido APRC 2009 – I loved Japan. A beautiful place and my first time rallying in Asia.

Something most people don't know about you:

I used to play State League Netball for four years.

Life Motto:

Make the most out of every opportunity, as you only live once.

What would you be doing if you weren't co-driving:

Teaching Physical Education and playing netball

First Job:

Cleaning the inside of Dad’s truck

Best Advice Ever Received:

If you work hard, you can achieve anything. Dream big!!

Motorsport Goal: Rhianon's career goal is to secure a factory World Rally Championship co-driving position.

Last Updated ( Aug 05, 2010 )

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