Queenslander Alan ‘Hammer’ Bloore, has just completed this year’s Targa Tasmania car rally. Bloore who was paralysed from the chest down after a boating accident, used a special hand-controlled throttle from Total Ability that enabled him to keep both hands on the steering wheel of his Maserati during the race. Bloore told F2L at ATSA Brisbane Targa Tasmania is the longest, most gruelling and dangerous tarmac rally event in the world and he is the first person with disability to finish the 2000+ km race.
“One stage of the race has 99 corners so having a device that gave me total control of the throttle and brakes was essential to safety,” he said. Of the 233 cars that started only 107 finished. His 14-year old son was navigator and the youngest to participate in a Targa event which takes seven days to complete. “One thing I lost following my accident was being able to drive and now I am now able to do again.” Bloore said he hopes to compete in the next rally “to improve my race times. It’s challenging but without driving aids like these I could not compete.”
Caption. Alan Bloore, right, with Warren Kruger at ATSA Brisbane