The 50th FINKE Desert Race delivered exactly what Australia’s greatest outback race has delivered for generations. It delivered excitement, heartbreak, exhaustion, triumph and a reminder that no amount of preparation guarantees anything once the flag drops and riders disappear into the desert.
For twelve months, riders prepare for FINKE. They train physically, push themselves mentally, and spend endless hours preparing their bodies for two days that can ultimately define an entire year. Teams are no different. They review mistakes, build motorcycles, test relentlessly and search for anything that may provide an advantage when racing begins. Between them, the Peter Kittle Honda Team logged more than 150 hours of testing and preparation alone, all chasing one objective, putting Honda back on top at Australia’s greatest outback race.
Yet FINKE has always had a way of humbling people.
Day one belonged to David Walsh. After qualifying second in prologue, the five-time champion looked comfortable from the moment riders left Alice Springs. Whilst others attacked the desert, Walsh looked calculated, riding with the patience and experience that only comes from years of racing one of the hardest desert races in the world. Every fuel stop, every whooped-out section and every high-speed piece of terrain was managed with the understanding that outright victories are rarely won early, but they can certainly be lost. When Walsh arrived in Finke, he held the outright lead and looked every bit like the champion everyone remembers.
Whilst Walsh executed almost the perfect opening day, teammate Correy Hammond experienced the complete opposite.
The reigning FINKE Champion looked strong early and remained firmly in contention before problems started appearing. Approaching Fuel Stop Two, Hammond suffered a flat tyre, immediately placing pressure on both rider and team. The crew completed a wheel change and sent Hammond back into the desert, but valuable time had already disappeared. Even then, the worst was still ahead.
With only a few kilometres remaining before reaching Finke, Hammond’s chain broke.
After almost two hours racing at speed through some of the harshest terrain imaginable, after surviving hundreds of kilometres of whoops, square edges, deep sand and endless punishment, the defending champion was left standing in the desert beside a broken motorcycle.
There were only two options.
Quit.
Or push.
Hammond pushed.
He pushed more than 120 kilograms of motorcycle through sand. He pushed it up, over rises, and through sections where simply walking becomes difficult. He pushed because after investing months preparing, after sacrificing time away from family and after putting his body through endless punishment, stopping simply wasn’t an option.
Eventually, Hammond crossed the finish line in 33rd position on corrected time.
Exhausted and emotional after dragging his motorcycle across the line, Hammond eventually looked up and simply admitted:
“Mum didn’t raise no quitter.”
In many ways, that single sentence captured everything people love about FINKE and the human spirit.
Whilst Hammond fought simply to finish, Brodie Waters quietly delivered exactly what the team required. Waters, who had spent months helping build the program, testing motorcycles and helping prepare the team, completed a strong opening day in sixth position outright. Whilst others experienced the highs and lows the desert can bring, Waters gave himself an opportunity heading into the final day, whilst continuing to help lead one of the largest race operations in the event.
Whilst riders recovered overnight in Finke, the crew returned to work.
More than forty people immediately shifted focus to preparation. Motorcycles were stripped, parts checked, suspension inspected, tyres replaced, and plans discussed. Riders focused on recovery whilst crews focused on ensuring every motorcycle leaving Finke the following morning was capable of surviving the journey home.
As riders left Finke on the final day, every rider carried different expectations.
Walsh focused entirely on victory.
Waters focused on delivering the result he knew was possible.
Hammond focused on something much simpler.
Leave absolutely nothing behind.
As riders finally returned towards Alice Springs and the finish line came into view, history slowly began to write itself.
David Walsh claimed his sixth FINKE Desert Race victory, further cementing himself as one of the greatest desert racers Australia has ever produced. Honda claimed its 21st outright victory aboard the CRF450RX, a motorcycle many questioned could defeat larger-capacity rivals.
“None of them get any easier, none of them. Every time you come here, you respect this race a little bit more. The bike was amazing, honestly, the team was so well prepared. Brodie was on top of everything. James did an incredible job with the suspension; it just hovered over everything. This CRF450RX is an absolute weapon, and doing this with Honda, on a 450 makes it even more special. To my wife and kids, thank you. I know you probably thought I was done, and, honestly, I thought I was, but this team, this vision, it was too good not to be a part of it. The question now is… what’s next? I might even race later this year. For now, I am going to enjoy this with friends, family and the team.”
Waters delivered another strong result, taking 6th whilst continuing to help lead a forty-person operation.
“Honestly, that was probably the toughest one for me, trying to balance racing whilst also being part of the management team. It was a lot, and towards the end, I just wanted to bring it home and make sure the whole team finished strong. I am happy with sixth, I am happy we won, and I am really happy all three bikes made it to the finish. Tonight we celebrate the wins, tomorrow we debrief, and hopefully next year we come back and take on the hardest race in our country all over again,” said Waters.
And Hammond?
Hammond won something else entirely.
He won respect.
He won admiration.
He won the hearts of fans standing at fuel stops, watching online and waiting at the finish line.
“Congratulations to the team and to David, I know how hard this race is and I know how much work goes into moments like this. It’s not the finish I wanted, but it’s a story I am proud will be told for a long time. Quitting was never an option, not with how hard everyone works and not with how hard I have worked to be here. Thank you to the crew, Honda, Peter Kittle and everyone involved. It’s a loss, but it’s also an incredible story for myself and my family, and I am proud of everyone,” said Hammond.
More than 600 riders lined up to race the 50th running of Australia’s greatest outback race. One rider took the overall victory. Another reminded everyone why they race in the first place.
Sometimes winning means standing on top of the podium.
Sometimes winning means refusing to stop when everything tells you to.
That is FINKE.
That is Honda.
That is the Australian spirit.
Honda Racing Australia’s Yarrive Konsky congratulated the team, all of the riders who raced, the volunteers, marshals, officials, families, friends and fans who made the 50th running of FINKE such an incredible success.
“To everyone involved with the Peter Kittle Honda Team, especially Colan Ross, Brodie Waters and the Kittle family, what an amazing achievement and what an unbelievable story. This is a story that will be told forever, one that now becomes part of the history books. To Honda and the CRF450RX, you won FINKE. That achievement and this motorcycle will forever be part of FINKE history,” said Konsky.
Be the first to comment