Alice Springs local David Walsh made for first-time winners in both sections of the 2019 Tatts Finke Desert Race as he converted an overnight lead to victory in Bikes.
Walsh was fastest in the Prologue on his KTM and used that advantage to establish a five-minute margin on the opening leg of the there-and-back rally raid.
He all but level pegged with Husqvarna rider Jacob Smith on the return to the Alice, with the eventual runner-up only able to chip 1.3s out of Walsh’s lead.
Having finished runner-up three times, including last year to Toby Price, Walsh can now, after 12 attempts, count himself as a Finke winner.
“I’m blown away,” he said with obvious emotion.
“Words cannot describe how I feel right now. I’m just happy to have my family and friends here to help throughout the whole year; they’re just amazing.
“The work that goes into this and the backing I get from my wife and family is insane so I think it is all worth it.”
Beau Ralston, also in Class 2 (451cc and Above Four Stroke), put a second Husqvarna on the podium ahead of the first of the Class 5 (251cc to 450cc Four Stroke) competitors of Jack Simpson (Honda) and Callum Norton (KTM).
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Bikes: Leg 2, 2019 Tatts Finke Desert Race (Top 10)
| Pos | Class | Num | Competitor | Bike | Day 1 | Day 2 | Overall | Diff |
| 1 | 2 | 2 | DAVID WALSH | KTM 500 EXC | 1:55:25.7 | 2:00:35.2 | 3:56:01.0 | |
| 2 | 2 | 299 | JACOB SMITH | HUSQVARNA FE 501 | 2:00:26.4 | 2:00:33.9 | 4:01:00.4 | +0:04:59.4 |
| 3 | 2 | 295 | BEAU RALSTON | HUSQVARNA FE 501 | 2:02:33.9 | 2:01:23.7 | 4:03:57.7 | +0:07:56.7 |
| 4 | 5 | 3 | JACK SIMPSON | HONDA CRF450R | 2:05:46.1 | 2:03:52.5 | 4:09:38.7 | +0:13:37.7 |
| 5 | 5 | X98 | CALLUM NORTON | KTM 450 EXC-F | 2:04:03.2 | 2:10:16.2 | 4:14:19.5 | +0:18:18.5 |
| 6 | 2 | 292 | SAM DAVIE | HUSQVARNA FE 501 | 2:06:10.5 | 2:09:14.8 | 4:15:25.4 | +0:19:24.4 |
| 7 | 2 | 291 | LACHLAN TERRY | KTM 500 EXC-F | 2:11:53.4 | 2:08:58.9 | 4:20:52.3 | +0:24:51.3 |
| 8 | 5 | 5 | MARK GROVE | HONDA CRF450R | 2:13:08.3 | 2:10:15.1 | 4:23:23.4 | +0:27:22.4 |
| 9 | 6 | 681 | THOMAS JONES | KTM 500 EXC | 2:13:01.2 | 2:15:41.9 | 4:28:43.2 | +0:32:42.2 |
| 10 | 2 | 282 | NICHOLAS WATERS | KTM 500 EXC-F | 2:13:06.7 | 2:15:38.7 | 4:28:45.5 | +0:32:44.5 |
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