Former BMX champion Sarah Walker takes up rally driving. Photo: supplied
The Otago Rally returns this weekend with a full complement of international drivers for the first time since 2019.
It also marks the first leg of the New Zealand Rally Championship.
A few names will be well known by motorsport fans, but one will be turning heads among Olympic enthusiasts.
Sarah Walker reached the pinnacle of the sporting world on two wheels, and now she is going to tackle four.
She was already getting the celebrity treatment.
"I have driven three times, maybe totalling a couple of hours, so I'm definitely still learning on the job. But it's so weird to have done a sport for 20-plus years and know that I'm really good at that to coming here and being a complete rookie - novice, learning on the job - but having a lot of people watching," Walker said.
"But I don't have to be a hero. I just have to ease into it, build my confidence but trust my ability as well.
"I'm definitely feeling the nerves and the excitement - everything I'd feel before a BMX race."
The Olympic BMX silver medallist said her reasoning for getting behind the wheel was simple - "Why not?"
"I reckon this is a bucket list experience for a lot of people. Most people I've talked to are extremely jealous. But for me it's been a dream, my first BMX winnings I spent on getting a PlayStation with Colin McRae Rally, so this is just taking that to the next level."
At the other end of the spectrum was rally legend Mikko Hirvonen.
The Finn has placed runner up four times during his World Rally Championship career, has two manufacturers' titles and 260 stage wins.
He was pleased to be back in Aotearoa, he said.
"I'm really happy to be back here. It's been a long time - I think nearly 10 years since I was here last time.
"I've been supposed to come and I've tried to come many years in a row, but there's always been something. I've been busy or then there was a pandemic. But finally everything worked out and we are here."
Despite his experience and credentials, he remained modest about his chances and talked up the locals.
"I've done some rallies in Belgium and Ireland and the locals are always going like hell. We will see. I'm going to have a good time.
"Hopefully I can put up a bit of a fight against them and I'm not a complete tourist. But we will see how it goes."
Otago Rally organiser Roger Oakley said he was pleased to welcome back the international contingent.
"What's really special about this event is that after three years of Covid isolation we've got our international competitors and our international journalists back, which is a real buzz."
It had effectively been a national event during the pandemic, but 19 international teams were among the more than 100 taking part.
New Zealand rally star and nine-time winner Hayden Paddon was lined up as the favourite.
The rally begins in the Octagon in central Dunedin on Friday with racing taking place over 250 kilometres throughout the weekend.