Rohan Skea

The Skea Racing team was the first Australian managed, and owned motor racing team invited to test their rubber on the Le Mans track in 2000.

Rohan Skea, an Australian sports enthusiast and businessman, led the new team from his base in Perth and also in Charlotte, USA. He was helped in his pursuit by manager John Pollard. At that time the team’s driving talent comprised an international line-up that included experience and talent, and one which had high expectations going into the 2000 Le Man race.

The fastest qualifier was 31-year old Johnny Mowlem from Great Britain, entering his first Le Mans race

Porche GT Racing Sebring

having been a high achiever since his debut 1990. American David Murray was entering just his second Le Mans, with the 43-year old competing two years earlier in the 1998 race. Rounding out the team was 30-year old Sascha Maassen from Germany, a specialist with Porsche cars, who was also participating in his first Le Mans race.

The team drove a Porsche 911 GT3-R model, 3.6L Flat-6 engine powering them around the 13.65 kilometre track. The car wore a base of Pirelli tires, only 1 of 4 Porsche GT3-R teams to choose the Italian brand that year. The Skea drivers had already had extensive experience with the Italian manufacturer; driver Johnny Mowlem started his racing career at the Porsche Club Great Britain Porsche Cup, a Pirelli-sponsored event.

While some questioned their tyre manufacturer’s ability before the race, they ended up being a highly dependable racing partner for all 24 hours. The white car, decorated with yellow and blue, made an impressive first attempt at the mammoth race, clocking up a remarkable 304 laps, Skea Racing crossed in 17th place, in the end what was considered an inspiring effort for the debut Australian team.

Races never end, they live on in fond memories.

Dont you just love companies that are so green, they have a special “green” product. A household appliance manufacturer caught my eye recently who had just created a new green appliance, made from recycled plastic, the engine used 33% less power and I think it was even green, oh and cost more. Especially for you green people, probably living in the northern suburbs running ducted air conditioning the whole day, underfloor heating and driving the V8 Merc. But hey, my new little appliance is green so I feel better about myself.

I can understand the need to charge more for short runs in production, but if you are going to be truly green, why not make all your appliances this way. Show some commitment. Use the lower energy consumption engines in all the appliances you manufacture, use recycled plastic in all of them. Show some commitment, some guts to the cause. Or is it because the majority of people actually prefer the energy hungry, big yellow environment consuming appliances or just really don’t care. I doubt it. So my message to these organisations is:

Stop doing something small and ridiculous and making a noise about it. Decide if you are “green” or not and then act accordingly.

I Rohan Skea promise to be more green this year and consider the environment in my actions, seriously but I will not be sucked in by marketers trying to take advantage of a serious issue.

Marketing teams, sigh….

A competitor who claims winning is not important is really a sort of fraud. Just looking at all the Olympic athletes returning… Guess who got off the plane first, got to kiss Kevin Rudd etc. The most successful competitors. I was even wondering if they placed those with gold medals in first class, silver medals in business and then bronze and none in economy class etc. Makes you wonder right. I don’t think Stephanie Rice walked from the seats at the back of the plane opposite the loo to get out first.

Racing to victory

Winning is important, its what you train for, its what sponsors will pay for and what allows sport to thrive. The competition is after all there to find a winner. So don’t be fooled, if you are in the game you are there to win or at least give it your best shot. Thos who openly say winning is not everything are usually trying to soften the blow of a loss.

Business is about winning too, even our legal system, its about winners and losers. Getting the mind right to handle the loss is what makes great athletes bounce back and win the second time.

Congratulations to all our Olympic medalists and non medalists, you are still an elite group and have done Australia proud. Even those who came second and third.

The Olympics is certainly inspiring. As a sportsman, watching these elite athletes at the top of their game winning gold for Australia is absolutely amazing and inspiring. The dedication and investment of their time and their bodies into sport is second to none. Having done some long distance swimming myself I know the intense preparation required and personal sacrifice to perform and achieve results. Results definitely don’t come without preparation. As I watch more and more records get broken it just reaffirms my belief that athletes are improving continually, spending more time in preparation and not only getting fit but getting their mind right. Where will it end.

The Australian Olympics machine is also doing us proud.

What really got me thinking was just the excitement, the desire to win and the training for sports events. It got me thinking about swimming, especially my passion, open water swimming and what a great sport that is.

Now where is that Rottnest Swim site again…

Open water swimming is physically challenging as well as potentially dangerous, especially if there are hungry predators in the water looking for a human snack, or bad weather conditions involved. Rohan Skea has had a swimming team compete in various open water events and not only understands the discipline and fitness required to enter and complete such a challenge but also the dangers.

One such event was a 20km swim in 2003 when only 40% of entrants completed the race, huge seas and strong winds battered participants continually making progress difficult and exceptionally tiring. Even the folk on the support boats suffered with many being seasick and battered from being constantly thrown around. If you’ve never been sea sick before, it is a bit like feeling constantly nausea, light headed and giddy al at the same time and there is no respite, nowhere to hide until you get back to shore.

For one boat in particular, aptly named the Titanic this particular day, a 5m open topped boat with a small cabin, the large seas and strong winds got the better of it and after taking in water due to the rough conditions it sank. Fortunately all on board were rescued.

Extreme sports pose a danger not only to their participants but also to their support teams involved. Safety whilst critical in all areas for participants and support teams should never be overlooked. Both need to be prepared for the unexpected and ensure that safety is a key consideration to participation and success.

The American Le Mans was developed in the United States and constitutes a team race of varying length and type. The ravce enjoys a high standard of competition from around the world. Since the series was created in 1999, no Australian Motorsport team had ever taken part until Skea Racing, founded by Rohan Skea, a Perth business man at the time took up the challenge.

All dressed up and places to go.....

Rohan Skea has two types of cars for the competitions, both Porsches. The Porsche 3.6L flat 6 would be driven by Richard Dean of the United Kingdom and the Porsche 911 GT3-R would be driven by Johnny Mowlem, also from the United Kingdom.

The Skea Racing team would also be competing in the Race of a Thousand Years which is the final round of the American Le Mans Series season and is an endurance race. The race is well over 1,000km long. Rohan Skea’s racing team was the first Australian owned and managed motorsport team to be invited to compete at the Le Mans 24 Hour Race.

The organisation behind the American Le Mans Series is Professional Sports Car Racing. As well as Porsche, brands such as Audi, Dodge, BMW, Cadillac, they will also be competing in the endurance race.

Skea racing team Repairs

Rohan Skea is a professional race car driver and the Skea Racing team had race factories in Cambridge, United Kingdom and Charlotte, North Carolina, however, as with most of Rohan Skea’s business dealings the headquarters is in Perth, Australia.