By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk
Pressure? what pressure.
That’s the attitude of The Netherlands’ representative Jaap Van Rijn ahead of this year’s World Driving Championships.
For the past two editions his compatriot Rick Ebbinge has taken out the title. He won at home (as well as Germany and Belgium) in 2023 and in Sweden in 2019.
They are the only times The Netherlands has won the competition since it started in 1970.
But for Van Rijn that was then, this is now.
“Of course it is an honour to represent my country in events like this. It means you do something good in your country to be sent out to a World Driving Championship.
”The fact that Rick Ebbinge won the last two editions was good for the advertisement of the sport in our country. For myself it makes no difference. I try to make the best of it and in this kind of competitions luck is also a small part you need. I feel no pressure.”
Travelling to big meetings is nothing new for the Dutchman who has had over 900 wins in his 12 years of driving.
“In the Netherlands I won all the classic races we have. But our stable travels a lot to different countries for the bigger prizemoney. This summer I won two races on one race card at Paris Vincennes. This is a big achievement.”
Van Rijn is looking forward to his first WDC.
And that’s not the only first.
“I think we will drive Pacers. At home we only race with trotters”.
Van Rijn says he knows very little about racing in New Zealand and the 9 drivers he’ll be up against but he’ll have some familiar faces around him with his girlfriend and two other friends supporting him.
“Of course I hope to have good results but the main thing is to enjoy the competition and get good memories.”
