An unfortunate incident cut short the iconic 2021 Tatts Finke Desert Race last weekend.
Usually, the blast through the red centre of Australia from Alice Springs to Apultula is held across two legs during the June long weekend.
However, organisers declared the bikes event after just one leg following the tragic loss of a spectator’s life during the final stage towards Alice Springs on Monday.
Two others were injured including the driver of the vehicle involved.
The popular off-road event attracts big crowds from all over the country with bikes, cars, buggies and quad bikes all racing through the outback.
Mount Gambier’s Kent Collins managed to complete the first stage and achieve his goal of an overall finish.
The Yahl rider was composed on his bike for just over two hours under the glaring sun and snuck into the top 20.
Collins’ time of 2:02:07.5 was good enough to record a solid 15th place finish, but no one could get near David Walsh on two wheels.
Walsh blitzed the 299km opening stage to secure back-to-back Tatts Finke Desert Race titles.
His time of 1:45:34.9 was four minutes faster than anyone with podium finishers Jack Simpson and Beau Ralston the only other riders to break the one hour and 50 minute barrier.
In the buggy category, Australian motorsport legend Toby Price created more history in his already decorated career.
The first Australian to win the world-famous Dakar Rally became the only person to win both the bike and now buggy categories of Australia’s toughest off-road race.
Price was the first to cross the finish line early on Monday morning and he adds the buggy victory to his six previ- ous bike Finke titles.
He also set the record-breaking buggy time of one hour and 39 minutes on the opening leg of the race, smashing his own time set in 2019 by more than five minutes.
Greg Gartner (pictured) also overcame a flat tyre which led to losing brakes for a 45km stretch en route to Finke in his #410 Ford 150 Trophy Truck, eventually returning to Alice Springs in 10th place.
