Finke Desert Race: Privateer Corey Hammond Flies to Maiden Victory
Corey Hammond capitalises for 2025 Finke Desert Race Australian classic off-road race victory as official KTM team riders forced to withdraw – Madi Healey wins Queen of the Desert title.
You’ve got to be in it to win it they say and Corey Hammond certainly proved the point at the 2025 Finke Desert Race, Australia’s classic there and back blast.
Hammond posted second fastest time in the Saturday prologue race behind pre-race favourite Callum Norton before clocking 1:53 on Day 1, five minutes faster than Brodie Waters in the Honda and Campbell Hall.
Bad luck struck the official KTM team with Liam Walsh already ruled out ahead of the race due to injury. The 24-year-old pre-race favourite Callum Norton took the Saturday afternoon prologue win by 10 seconds but went down with a “severe virus” and, together with the team, elected to withdraw from the return leg of the event.
That opened up the doors for Sutto’s Powersports KTM-supported privateer Corey Hammond to take the victory at Finke onboard the favoured KTM 500 EXC-F. Hammond was also fastest on Day 2, again by more than five minutes, this time ahead of Campbell Hall who took second overall on combined times. Dropping to P6. On Sunday, Brodie Waters had done enough on Day 1 to sneak third overall ahead of Mitchell Outram and Kodi Stephens completing the top five.
KTM’s Madi Healey also successfully defended her Queen of the Desert title.
2025 Finke Desert Race Top 3 Bike by class:
Complete results: https://my.raceresult.com/318012/results
Photo Credit: KTM Aus
