General News
20 June, 2024
Finke fails to defeat first-time racer
The long-weekend ride might not have finished exactly the way 21-year-old Xavier Oakley was hoping, but when competing in a race that is internationally renowned for its gruelling desert trails, things don’t always go to plan.
"I was hoping to try to get into the top 30 but I was happy to finish in the top 50 considering the circumstances and it being my first time," Oakley said.
The Finke Desert Race began in 1976 as a "there and back" challenge across multiple terrains for a group of local motorbike riders - 460 kilometres from Alice Springs to Aputula and back across what is believed to be the oldest river in the world: the Finke River.
It is one of the biggest sporting events in the Northern Territory and has the reputation of being one of the most difficult off-road courses in one of the most remote places in the world.
The two-day off-road race runs every June long weekend and attracts more than 600 competitors in a wide range of classes covering motorbikes and cars.
Oakley rode a Husqvarna FE 450, and competed in Class Five: 251cc-450cc Four Stroke.
He said preparation for the race was less than ideal, with limited bike time as his bike remained in the shop until a week before the event.
Despite this, he still had a decent prologue, finishing 12th in his class and 38th outright.
Oakley described the conditions on track for day one as "brutal" but said he was able to adapt and finish.
"Twenty-five kilometres in I lost sixth gear on my bike," he said.
"And 125km in I ended up breaking my front brake line and steering dampener. and bending my front end.
"Luckily, a few blokes along the side of the track where I stacked it helped me straighten the front end as quick as they could."
Oakley finished day one 19th in his class and 53rd overall, with a time of two hours and 30 minutes.
"I was pretty disappointed,” he said.
“Before I stacked it I had pushed myself into 31st position (overall) but I was happy to come out of it without an injury.”
Overnight, Oakley and his crew were able to service the bike and repair the front properly.
A different track greeted riders on day two - Oakley said the path to Alice Springs was a lot rougher and harder on the rider.
But his goal was simple: "To make it to the finish line in one piece, with a decent pace, was the main thing on my mind.”
Oakley completed day two in two hours, 22 minutes and 18 seconds.
He was placed 47th overall - out of the 302 competitors who made it to the end of the race - with a combined time of four hours, 52 minutes and 33 seconds.
Crossing the finishing line, Oakley said, was a relief.
"It was a very physical track for your body,” he said.
“I still was at a loss with no sixth gear on the way back.
"I'm happy to have crossed the finish line.”
Oakley finished 16th in his class, clocking an average speed of 89 kilometres an hour.
Oakley thanked his sponsors, his family, his friends and his partner, all of whom had supported him along the way.
He said he had learned a lot this year and, although he had ticked the Finke off his bucket list, he was already planning to return for next year’s race, intending to allow more time for crucial preparation in order to achieve the right result.
"I'm definitely looking forward to pushing for that top 30 next year,” he said.