28 year-old Louise Cook is a rally driver from Maidstone. She needs to raise £8,000 urgently in order to enter the Rally Sweden event. So she's selling an FIA World Rally trophy on eBay - the only one ever awarded to a woman in a mixed-gender event.
It seems a shame that a sports professional has to sell her trophies in order to continue to compete. On the other hand, if she turns her previous trophy into hard cash which she can use to enter - and potentially win - another event, it would seem a more appropriate way of commemorating a win than by staying home and watching it gather dust.
I hope she's successful - both in the sale and in the event.
You can see the item for sale here:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Only-non-gender-FIA-World-Rally-Championship-Trophy-won-by-a-female-Louise-Cook-/112259710618?hash=item1a23333e9a:g:B4sAAOSwnHZYbpPS (Although it looks like the auction runs for a few days past the deadline for the event entries...)
A British female rally driver from Maidstone has turned to e-bay in a desperate bid to sell her hard-won trophy to fund her place in the FIA World Rally Championship - Rally Sweden with just hours left to submit entry fees.
Louise Cook, 28, who has a long list of rally trophies to her name, wants to become the first female to become World Rally Champion but she needs to raise £8,000 for the next stage of her championship career.
She made history in 2012 becoming the FIA Production car Cup for drivers of 2WD Champion and importantly becoming the first female to lift the FIA Rally Championship Title not specifically made for women.
Her next stop on the road to global domination was Sweden on February 9-12, but last week her sponsors for the competition dropped out, leaving her just days to scrape together the fees which are due tomorrow.
She said she has "no other option" but to sell her "beloved trophy". As it is the only one in the world - because it is the only non-gender FIA World Rally Championship Trophy won by a female - Miss Cook hopes it will cover her costs.
She said: "I am hoping to attract the attention of a collector to help fund WRC Rally Sweden. I sadly found out over the past two days that major sponsors have to delay their plans and I now have only four days before my World Rally Championship and WRC Rally Sweden entry fees are due. I have attached a link to my beloved trophy listed on ebay and I am hoping as it is the only one in the world, if I can attract the right collector, it may save the day."
Miss Cook's other achievements include securing 8th place in the Production World Rally Championships 2012 and British Rally Championships Ladies Champion 2011.
It is not the first time she has had to raid her extensive trophy cabinet to raise cash for competitions.
In 2012, she put some of her trophies up for sale on eBay to try to raise £17,000 to enter a competition in New Zealand.
She was facing £60,000 in fines and exclusion from the World Rally Championship if she did not make the competition in Auckland in June. She also faced being stripped of her rally licence. 
Comments
It happens with men as well... Motorsport is an expensive game. A lot of motorcyclists work through the winter (and summer), sell used parts and kit on eBay, teach at track days, host fundraising nights, etc etc. If it was cheap we'd all be doing it.
My 8 year old is just starting his journey. Massively proud and exciting moment for me, but the missus is already having kittens. His racesuit, boots, gloves, nomex underwear, helmet etc has cost £700 - and could have been a lot more.
Worst bit was the look on the face of my wife when I told her I was paying £15 to get his name and blood group on his race suit. "Why does he need his blood group on his overalls?"...... I scarpered.
Not quite buying a pair of football boots and you're ready to go. Thats why Lewis Hamilton should get far more credit than he does. He was from a council estate on Stevenage and was beating kids in far newer Karts in his early days. That was all his dad could afford - luckily he was fecking incredible and battered everyone so could to where he wanted to.
In motorsport sponsors drop out at short and no notice all the time for middling & smaller teams. They live hand to mouth and moving a car, crew and parts between Europe, Oz and Argentina must cost 6 figures. It is a far cry from the glitz, glamour and comfort of F1.
And yes I do.