Six Star Magazine Six Star Magazine 2014 | Page 12

INSIDE THE MIND OF THE CO-DRIVER:

Photo: Andrew Harvey Photography

ALAN OCKWELL

Rally racing is not for the faint of
heart: high speeds are involved as are
obstacles, including rocks, farm animals
and mountains. It’s one thing to want
to drive as fast as possible along a rally
special stage—it’s something else to be
the person responsible for calling out
instructions to the driver as those rocks
appear on the horizon.
In the Canadian Rally Championship,
Alan Ockwell has earned a reputation
as one of the best co-drivers in the
business. He’s recorded no fewer than
195 stage wins, three regional and 10
national rally wins, one Ontario and two
overall Canadian championships. The
final two, in 2008 and 2009, were the
Subaru Rally Team Canada’s as they
campaigned a heavily modified and
powerful 2008 Subaru WRX STI to
victory. We caught Alan in a rare quiet
moment and asked him what it takes
to be a top rally co-driver.
Q: What possesses someone to
want to become a rally co-driver
or navigator?
A: Simply put—clinical insanity.
(Laughs.) Being a co-driver really suits
my skill set. I’m well-read, logical, and
mathematical—I’m like an accountant
of the woods. It’s also the best way for
someone who loves the world of rally
sport, but isn’t necessarily the best
rally driver, to participate. I don’t think
I have the balance to be a competitive
rally driver.
Q: What is the one characteristic
a top co-driver must have in order
to be successful?
A: First and foremost, a top co-driver
needs to be able to process a lot of

data in a short period of time, while
driving at high speeds. The best codrivers absorb this information while
being totally calm and in control.
Q: What other special skills are
required or recommended?
A: The ability to deal with adversity.
There is no perfect rally, but as a
navigator, you can’t lose composure.

If you lose your place in your pace
notes, you take a breath, find your
spot, and carry on. There will be lots
of time to dwell on difficulties after the
rally. During the competition, your job
is to focus on being present and calm.
Do you change a tire now or later?
Should you risk losing time now or do
you wait? You need to make decisions,
stand by them and not dwell on them.
Another important trait, but one that
is not necessarily my strong suit, is
patience. I’m working on that one.
Q: Outside of the car, is there any
special mental or physical training
you engage in to help prepare
for rally competition?
A: I spend a lot of time studying videos

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of previous rallies. I observe the codrivers, absorbing things they do well
and noting errors. It helps with my
own planning. I also read a lot on the
subway. It’s a great way to become
accustomed to reading in that type
of moving environment. It’s also a bit
of physical training as well to ensure
avoiding motion sickness. Co-drivers do
not necessarily need to train physically
beyond basic fitness, although it can be
an advantage to keep your weight down.
Q: What has been your most
challenging experience as a co-driver?
A: It would have to be riding with a
really competitive team, but just not
winning. All the pieces were there, but
it just wasn’t coming together. It was
a mentally exhausting place to be in
and it weighed on me. During the long
gaps between rides, I would find myself
thinking constantly about what went
wrong in the last ride.
Q: Wha