2 days ago
Travis Robinson, Corey Hammond and Madi Healey claim victory at 2025 Finke Desert Race in Alice Springs
One of the world's most extreme off-road races, the Finke Desert Race, has wrapped up in Alice Springs with a tight contest that included some unexpected wins.
Drivers and riders in cars, motorbikes and buggies took on the treacherous 446-kilometre round-trip to the remote community of Apatula and back over the weekend-long event in Central Australia.
About 10,000 spectators flocked to the central desert, camping along the picturesque racetrack, to cheer on the competitors in their bid for victory.
In the car section of the race, Western Australian driver Travis Robinson flew across the finish line just outside of Alice Springs to snatch the crown from his former reigning champion brother Beau Robinson.
The younger sibling clocked a total race time of 3 hours, 24 minutes and 35 seconds, with his brother hot on his heels arriving about five minutes later.
"It's just a massive accomplishment, it's something that I've wanted to accomplish my whole life and haven't been able to do," Travis Robinson said minutes after claiming the glory.
His brother, a former champion, said people "try their whole life to win" Finke and never get there, hailing his brother's victory.
In the motorbike section, 23-year-old Corey Hammond was first to set off on Monday's 223-kilometre home stretch and the first to cross the finish line, as the Finke's newest King of the Desert.
He stormed in first for bikes with a time of 3 hours, 46 minutes.
"I knew we always had a chance, obviously a bit of bad luck for a few of the top boys who crashed out," he said.
"Just always believed in myself."
Another major victory was that of Madi Healey, who won the Queen of the Desert title for the second year in a row.
"I think the rain made it a lot rougher this year," Ms Healey said.
"I was really surprised by the square edges and all of that, but my bike and fitness and all that went really well, so I'm happy with it."
The NT Health Department said 43 people were treated at the Alice Springs Hospital in relation to Finke.
St John Ambulance director Andrew Thomas said those injured included one man who was airlifted to Alice Springs Hospital and onto Adelaide following a severe head injury acquired during the race.
"One of the retrieval doctors from the Alice Springs Hospital stationed there, along with our staff, treated him," Mr Thomas said.
He said the man was knocked unconscious and may have received a traumatic brain injury.
