News 14 May 2013

Off-Road Observations: 19

MotoOnline's weekly enduro and desert feature, presented by Yamaha's WR450F.

One race that consistently gathers interest throughout the country every year is the Kamfari Mud Race in Darwin – an all-out battle of attrition through the swamps of the Top End.

The race gets gnarlier as it goes on, and the man who is most dominant at Kamfari is non other than Motorex KTM Off Road Racing Team manager Brad Williscroft.

Wonka, as he’s widely known, is the man in the mud, taking a seventh straight win in the 2013 running of the event earlier this month. That’s right, seven wins on the trot!

So it was great to see this week the team at (the recently rebranded) FourOh FourFilms pieced together this action-packed video from the race. Check it out, enjoy the thrills and spills and gain an even greater respect for Wonka’s mud-running capabilities. I know we did!

The Enduro legend takes great pride in his performance at Kamfari each year and the fact that he’s so consistently good is a real credit to his skill on the bike in the toughest of conditions.

At Kamfari not only do you have to be quick, but you have to be smart in your line selection and be able to adapt to the conditions lap after lap. Nobody does it better than Brad!

Another rider making headlines of late is Matt Phillips, the Husqvarna Factory Team by CH Racing who just took over the Enduro Junior series lead in the Maxxis FIM Enduro World Championship.

A double win in Spain on the weekend sees Phillips jump to a five-point lead in the series now, which is a very impressive feat considering his rookie status.

Matt Phillips flies the flag for Australia in the EJ world championship.

Matt Phillips flies the flag for Australia in the EJ world championship.

Phillips’ decision to serve an apprenticeship in the EJ category this season is a wise one, allowing him to learn the ropes of EWC, enjoy the success of the Junior category and build confidence.

With factory support and the type of success he’s having, the current national E2 champion will be in a good position to move into the senior classes within the next year or two if he opts to do so.

“I knew what to expect from the race and the other guys in my class, but the conditions were tough – I’d say it was one of the hardest events I’ve ever raced,” he mentioned after the race on the weekend.

With his name firmly in the headlines and experience growing by the day, the future of Phillips is bright on the world stage.

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