Motorsport Ireland the National Governing Body for four-wheeled motorsports in Ireland today announced that Patricia Denning and Gretchen Swinburne will represent Ireland at Rally Jameel in Saudia Arabia.
Rally Jameel is a navigation off-road rally for women organised by the Saudi Automobile & Motorcycle Federation (SAMF).
The event starts on March fourth 2024 and continues over four days through the desert dunes and mountainous terrain. Covering 1600km, finishing on International Women’s day on March eighth in Jeddah on the Red Sea.
Taking to the driver's seat, Denning is one of the top female motorsport drivers in Ireland with a wealth of driving experience having competed in over 150 events in her career to date.
With a very impressive motorsport CV, Denning is a double Ladies Forestry Rally Champion. Indeed, Denning holds a unique accolade, being the only female in the world to have won a FIA Rallycross super-final.
Denning has also won numerous class championships in rallycross, autocross, retrospective rallies and endurance trials. Denning is the current ladies autocross grass surface champion.
Having competed in numerous retrospective rallies which are run over two-three days, including selectives on various surfaces; average speed challenges and night navigation sections.
However, Denning is experienced, working closely with her co-driver negotiating all sorts of obstacles on ever changing road conditions.
The tenacious attitude coupled with impressive car control on all surfaces ensures Denning has all the skills required for this unique and hugely challenging Navigation Rally.
Alongside Denning, Swinburne takes on the role of navigator. An equally demanding role given this is a Navigation Rally and not a speed event.
Glittering Swinburne motorsport career
Swinburne started out her motorsport career in 2015 as a navigator in stages rallying. An impressive start, where she won the junior border championship in her first-year.
Some highlights of navigator career in stages includes a win the Laois Heartlands Twin cam challenge and a class win in Donegal International Junior Rally.
Adding to her collection, she also won the Combilift Perpetual Cup two years-in-a-row.
In the 2022/2023 season Swinburne switched focus to navigation trials. In her first-year successfully won her class in the Motorsport Ireland Navigation Trial Championship.
“We are thrilled to have Patricia and Gretchen represent Ireland at Rally Jameel and offer our sincere gratitude to the Saudi Automobile & Motorcycle Federation (SAMF) for this incredible invitation” said Motorsport Ireland President Aiden Harper.
“2024 has been an incredibly exciting year for Irish Motorsport so far with the WRC bid and this event invitation only solidifies how well regarded Irish motorsport is on the world stage”.
Denning and Swinburne are proud members of the Garda Siochana Motorsport Club (GSMC) and Monaghan Motor Club respectively.
Denning is also a member of the Motorsport Ireland Women in Motorsport Commission. Both Denning and Swinburne are keen advocates for women’s participation in Motorsport.
