Craig Breen wins 'Waterford Person of the Year 2011'

Craig Breen wins 'Waterford Person of the Year 2011'

Posted: February 20, 2012 11:47 AM

No stranger to the podium World Rally star Craig Breen who has just last week positioned himself with an 18 point lead in the Super 2000 World Rally Championship after just two rounds has been announced the overall champion in his native county for the Waterford Person of the Year 2011.

Craig was presented with the award by Mayor of Waterford Pat Hayes today (Sunday, February 19, 2012) at a ceremony at The Tower Hotel in Waterford.
Presenting the award Mayor Hayes said,
“I am delighted to present this award to Craig, he is a huge name in the world of Motor sport and he is a fantastic role model and very deserving winner. I would like to wish him every success for the 2012 season and I’m sure the people of Waterford who I am told voted in their thousands for you would also join me in that sentiment.”

Craig, who just turned twenty-two, first hit the Motorsport scene at only thirteen as an Irish Karting Cadet and it was clear from that early age that the kid had a talent. Numerous successes were achieved through his years in Karting, setting down an excellent platform for his Rallying career.

It has been a meteoric rise for the Co. Waterford driver. In the three years that CRAIG has been competing in rallying, he has compiled a huge amount of success but the biggest to date came last November when he was crowned World Rally Academy Champion, claiming the championship victory on the final round of the season on World Rally Great Britain.

After moving to full time rallying in 2009 the Waterford driver competed in Irish, British and International Fiesta Sporting Trophies, winning all three championships. He also went on to win the Fiesta Sport Trophy International Shootout and was awarded a twelve month contract with M-Sport the company that run the Ford Works Team within the World Rally championship. His 2009 achievements included; Irish Fiesta Sport Trophy Champion, UK Fiesta Sport Trophy Champion, Fiesta Sport Trophy International Champion, National Junior Rally Champion, Young Irish Rally Driver of the Year, Billy Coleman Award Winner, Fiesta Sport Trophy International Shootout Winner

The success continued in 2010 as Breen debuted the Ford Fiesta S2000 in both the Irish Tarmac Championship and British Rally Championship. On route to taking second Overall in the Citroen Irish Tarmac Championship Breen was winner of International Rally Northern Ireland Winner. His 2010 biggest victory came in Salou, Spain when he was named the Pirelli Star Driver Global Shootout Winner, claiming a first prize of a free scholarship in the 2011 FIA World Rally Academy.

Breen priority for 2011 was the FIA World Rally Academy. Breen notched up his maiden win in the series at World Rallye Academy Deutschland and was crowned FIA World Rally Academy Champion after a nail biting finish as the season went to the wire on Wales Rally Great Britain, there was no stopping the Waterford driver as he took 14 special stage wins out of 17 to cap an incredible drive. A week after his WRC Academy success Craig was back in action, this time taking part in the FIA Institute Shootout and again the Irish ace showed his skill, going up against the 30 best young racing and rally drivers in the world and Winning a place in the 2012 FIA Institute Young Driver Excellence. The icing on the cake for Craig came at the on his return home when he attended the Motorsport Ireland Gala Dinner in Dublin and was named the Motorsport Ireland International Driver of the Year.

The next page in Craig’s career has already begun. For the 2012 he has entered the SWRC (S2000 World Rally Championship). The 8 round series got underway with the famous Rallye Monte Carlo (17-22 Jan) and the midas touch looks to have followed the Ford driver as he secured his maiden SWRC win at the first time of asking. Craig then backed is opening round win by taking second place on SWRC Rally Sweden just a week ago and now leads the Super 2000 World Rally Championship by 18 points.

Craig was nominated through the public voting system for his outstanding achievements in his Rallying Career. In accepting the award Craig commented, “I’m delighted to receive this award; it is fantastic to know that the people of Waterford are behind me. I love every minute of my job and as Motor Sport and particularly rallying is a minority sport being presented with this type of award is especially great. I’d like to thank everyone who voted for me.”

The voting for the 2011 Waterford Person of the year was hotly contested according to organisers The FBD Hotel Group and The Munster Express. Alicia Maguire, General Manager of the Tower Hotel commented, “The four finalists of the 2011 Waterford Person of the Year Awards were all nominated by the public and went head to head in the public vote off at the end of the year, each of the four finalists have contributed hugely to our city and county and the overall vote was very close. We would like to congratulate Craig in this accolade and we along with all of Waterford are very proud of him and his achievements at international level.”

The final vote was a close call between finalists Ken McGrath one of Waterford's favourite former County hurlers; Des Whelan Chairman of the hugely successful Waterford Tall Ships Race 2011 and Eamonn McEneaney Curator of the Waterford Museum of Treasures and Bishops Palace, the key driver of the Viking Triangle.