It is with sadness Rally New Zealand acknowledges the death of motorsport icon Ken Block, aged 55 in a snowmobile accident.
Block’s relationship with Rallying in New Zealand was a special one, his first foray into rallying outside of North America saw he and Alex Gelsomino contest four rounds of the 2007 New Zealand Rally Championship.
He would continue to return, in total contesting Rally New Zealand and International Rally of Whangarei three times each, as well as two attempts at the Otago Rally up to his most recent visit in 2019. Unfortunately, scheduling conflicts prevented his return to Repco Rally New Zealand for 2022.
Block would consistently refer to New Zealand’s heavily cambered gravel roads as the best in the world to his millions of fans through social media across the globe.
Rally New Zealand chairman Paul Mallard recalls many fond memories of working with Block and his team, and his infectious enthusiasm for competing in New Zealand.
“To hear of Ken’s passing has come as a real shock. Ken was someone who has done so much for the sport we love globally, but also someone who has done plenty to enhance the reputation of rallying in New Zealand,” Mallard said.
“He was also someone who was a genuine pleasure to have compete in our events, a truly likeable personality with an infectious enthusiasm for life as well as rallying and someone the world is certainly poorer without.
“The whole team at Rally New Zealand offer their sincere condolences to the Block family and team at this horrible time, sentiments I’m sure are echoed right throughout the New Zealand Rallying Community.”
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