Our female enduro motorbike stars Danielle McDonald and Jade Chellas are dominating their field in off road racing proving they are the ones to beat on the track after an incredible Hattah Desert Race. Both riders claimed their first senior Hattah Desert Champion titles with Danielle winning the ladies category outright and the ladies eight-lap race with Jade claiming the ladies four-lap race. Jade had one of her most successful years competing at Hattah - Australia's largest annual desert race - after claiming second in the junior categories for four years. She has finally reached the top step and to do it in her first year as a senior proves she has put in the work. "It felt so good, all my hard work has paid off which is good," Jade said. "It's my first senior's win and my first Hattah win ever, I've always placed second." There was no chance Jade was placing second this year with the young rider crossing the finish line close to 15 minutes ahead of second in the women's four-lap race, blitzing her entire field. "That felt pretty good, I didn’t realise how far in front I was until I finished so knowing that was cool." Danielle flew back from America to race Hattah, looking for her first senior Hattah win after a crash last year which cost her the title. But getting the win is exactly what she did saying her day on the bike was perfect. "After a bad prologue position I had to work my way up from the back, I wasted no time and took the lead first lap," Danielle said. "It was all smooth sailing from there, my day was perfect. I led every lap and felt great on the bike, and I’m absolutely stoked to get my first senior Hattah race win and 75th outright." Other Parkes riders who made the trip down to the Victorian desert to compete in Hattah this year were: Luke Chellas: 26th outright (seniors) and 16th in class (251-450 4 stroke) Dylan McDonald: 71st outright (seniors) and 12th in class (under 19s) Clyde Carey (Tullamore): 18th outright (junior big wheel) and 17th in class (200cc-250cc 4 stroke 13-U16) Kye Kinsela: 34th outright (junior big wheel) and 6th in class (100cc-150cc 2 stroke 13-U16) Priya Kinsela: 4th in class (girls 7-U12) Lochie Jennings and Alfie Rosser also competed in the 85cc 2 stroke and 150cc 4 stroke (junior small and big wheel) 12-U16 class. There were more than 900 riders who competed over the two days of Hattah with more than 10,000 people in attendance to watch the races over the action-packed weekend. Jade will continue her first year in seniors on the bike in the Aussie Off Roads and the NSW Off Roads. "I am winning the NSW Championship so far and I'm just coming fifth in Aussies, I'm only a few points off fourth which is good for my senior year," Jade added. Danielle now looks ahead to the International Six Day Enduro (ISDE) where she will compete in Italy from 24 to 29 August before heading back to America to finish her season competing in the Grand National Cross Country where she currently sits fifth in her class.
