The Australian Desert Racing scene witnessed the remarkable comeback of Team Waters Racing at the 2023 Don River Dash.
AMX Superstores sponsored riders Brodie Waters and Nick Waters of Team Waters Racing who took part in this multi-terrain event held at the top of the spectacular Whitsundays in Bowen, Queensland.
The Don River Dash covers a total of 300 kilometres split across two days with riders covering 3 laps along the Don River bed each day. Now in its 5th year, the event marked a significant moment for Nick Waters, who has been on a lengthy recovery journey following a crash at Finke Desert Race last year. The weekend was a testament to the resilience and determination of the Waters brothers, and their unwavering passion for the sport.
The endurance and off-road race kicked off with much anticipation and excitement as Nick Waters returned to the desert racing scene with the support of proud sponsors AMX Superstores. Despite his lengthy recovery time and very minimal seat time on the KTM EXC-F 500 since his crash at Finke, his pre-running time proved that he was a strong front runner for the event.
Meanwhile after nearly four-days of successful practice runs through the approximately 50-kilometre lap of the infamous riverbed, Nick’s brother Brodie Waters proved himself as a strong race contender in this year’s Don River Dash 300.
The conclusion of Day 1 brought mixed fortunes for Team Waters Racing. Brodie Waters, who started the race with high expectations and was well on his way to podium contention, suffered a mechanical issue which saw his race end prematurely. After an unfortunate gearbox failure on the first lap shattered his dreams of victory Brodie shared his disappointment saying, "I don't have too many words other than how disappointed I am about the outcome today. Despite my best efforts to finish the race, mechanical issues led me to retire from the race. It was a tough pill to swallow and one of the hardest things to do after the countless hours of preparation and hard work put in for this event as we knew we had the pace to win.”
While Brodie’s race came to an abrupt end after only 70 kilometres, Nick Waters delivered a stunning performance, surging from his starting position to secure an impressive 4th place on Day 1 of the event.
With Brodie out of the race on Day 2, Nick was setting himself up for a possible podium finish starting the second leg from 4th position. Unfortunately it was not to be, a few kilometres in to day two Nick was involved in a hefty crash that saw him unable to remount and resume the race thus ending the Team Waters Racing attempt at the Don River Dash 2023.
While the weekend had its share of challenges, both Brodie and Nick Waters showed remarkable pace and potential. Brodie recounted the unfortunate turn of events, reflecting on his race: "We put in a lot of hours and a lot of work in the lead up to this year's Don River Dash as we really were confident that we had the win in us this weekend, so it makes it an even tougher pill to swallow that our weekend ended through a mechanical and no fault of my own."
In good spirits despite their setbacks, the Waters brothers and Team Waters Racing remain grateful for the unwavering support of their sponsors and fans. AMX Superstores, as a key sponsor, stood proudly by Team Waters Racing throughout the weekend. The Don River Dash may have posed unexpected challenges, but it also reaffirmed the steadfast commitment and passion of Brodie and Nick Waters to racing.
Team Waters Racing will now shift their focus to the final desert race of the season as they take on the Kalgoorlie Desert Race on the 20th to 23rd of October.
3 окт 2024
