Foot becomes first woman to complete Finke “double”

MORIAC’S Danielle Foot is back home on the Surf Coast after creating history in the Northern Territory over the Queen’s Birthday weekend.

Foot was named the Kay Wharton Fastest Female recipient for a record-setting third time in her career, her second in a row at the 2022 Finke Desert Race.

Foot was also named the winner in her class and became the first female in Finke’s 46-year history to complete the “Finke double” alongside her father Ashley, her driver in the Can-Am portion of the achievement.

“Earning fastest female again and winning the class was awesome, that’s what we went there to do,” Foot said.

“However, completing the double and crossing the finish line in both the Can-Am and on the bike was massive, it made those two other wins even more enjoyable.”

Five hours of racing and 1,000 kilometres on the Finke track would go into completing the double, according to Foot.

Danielle and her dad completed the first leg of the double in a Can-Am 900 CC Turbo before a helicopter took her to her Husqvarna 250TE bike, where she then went solo.

“Obviously, none of this would have been possible if we didn’t have a team of people helping,” Foot said.

“Simford Motorsports group, the team that I ride for, they made the week super easy, they were fuelling me at fuel spots and helping out with stuff like that.

“Greg Campbell at GRC Motorsport was doing all the mechanics on the Can-Am and I’ve got to give a shout out to ‘Griffo’ who was the helicopter pilot.

“Lastly, I’ve got to thank the guys Sean, Lorenzo, Scott, my best friend who also came up Yolanda, and of course my mum and dad Sharon and Ashley.”

Foot said her dad in particular was unreal through the entire event.

“All week leading up to the race I was on edge,” Foot said.

“I probably gave him a little bit more attitude than he deserved just given everything that was going on, but he kept a cool head and drove that Can-Am like an absolute champion.

“I’m glad he had faith in me.”

Foot’s official completion time on the bike was 02:29:06. She finished 87th outright across all bikers.