An unassuming demeanour, quite short, very soft-spoken and an 80-year-old grandmother – this is hardly how anyone would describe a typical rally navigator. Which is why Sannie van der Merwe piqued our interest when we first heard about her.
Sannie lives in a home for active elderly citizens and firmly believes that someone’s age should not limit what they can or cannot do in life. So when her son Neels van Wyk asked her to be his navigator for the two day All Tar rally in Cape Town, she agreed without hesitation.
Their car of choice was a 1977 Corolla – the same one that Sannie used to drive around before it got turned into the pukka race machine that it is now. Mother and son worked together to get it race-ready in time, and were also able to get some sponsorship to help them along. Aside from the roll cage, the car is stock standard and all they really hoped to achieve out of the experience was to cross the finish line.
Before the race started, Sannie said that while she was a bit nervous, she was very calm. During the course of the race she, like many mothers, tried to slow her son down on the corners. There were a few times when they spun out but they easily found their way back again. According to Neels the stage times were consistent with only about five seconds between them.
The only hiccup that occurred was on the second day when the Corolla’s condenser failed. Luckily, race officials allowed the mother and son team to push the car to service and replaced the faulty part.
When asked about how the rally made her feel, Sannie said that it made her feel good, important and younger. “I feel 50 instead of 80”.
Neels commented, “This is what our seniors need and deserve as they often feel rejected and lonely” and that “the occasion was far more exciting than a ordinary 80th birthday party”.
It was a fun occasion for both of them, but it was also a dedication to someone special. Sannie talks about how she lost her eldest son over forty years ago in an accident. He was on his way home from Killarney. She believes that he was with his brother Neels throughout the whole process and that Neels was getting inspiration from him along the way.
To Neels and Sannie it was a truly inspiring event. And they believe that it just goes to show that whether you are young and old, age is no excuse to enjoy life. You can always be young at heart.
Neels and Sannie would like to thank all their sponsors.