Ian Appleyard

Ernest Ian Appleyard (10 October 1923 – 2 June 1998) was a British rally driver, alpine skier and ornithologist. Driving a Jaguar XK120, he won the RAC Rally in 1951 and 1953, the Tulip Rally in 1951 and a Coupe d'Or at the Alpine Rally in 1952. In alpine skiing, he competed for Great Britain in the 1948 Winter Olympic Games. After retiring from sports, he became a leading author on the ring ouzel.

Biography Appleyard was born in Linton, West Yorkshire, in 1923. As a child, he shared an interest in birds and alpine skiing with his brother Geoffrey, who died on an SAS mission during World War II. Ian received his degree in mechanical engineering in 1943 and went on to become a Major at the Royal Military College of Science. Despite stopping to help an injured rival, he met all the target times and was awarded his first Coupe des Alpes (Alpine Cup). Appleyard finished the Alpine Rally unpenalized three times in a row from 1950 to 1952, becoming the first driver to win the coveted Coupe d'Or (Gold Cup). Only two drivers would match this feat; Stirling Moss in 1954 and Jean Vinatier in 1971. after having finished second two years earlier.

After retiring from rallying, Appleyard chaired the Appleyard Group until 1988. He also rekindled his interest in birds and started studying the ring ouzel in 1978, eventually becoming a leading author on the subject. In 1994, he released a book titled Ring Ouzels of the Yorkshire Dales. Appleyard died in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, in 1998. An obituary in The Independent wrote that "in his gleaming white Jaguar XK120, he became a sporting icon for his generation."