Todd Waters claims victory at 2013 Manjimup 15,000

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Motorex KTM Racing riders Todd Waters and Kirk Gibbs ensured their respective Manjimup debuts would be memorable ones, going 1-2 at the 2013 Manjimup 15,000 over the weekend, three hours south of Perth.

Waters earned himself a coveted place on the clubhouse honour roll with a second place and three wins on the famous track – the site of the 1992 Motocross of Nations in Australia. “Manjimup was a really good experience,” said Waters. The biggest thing is the clubhouse; the memorabilia there is something special! It’s this Heritage Listed clubhouse that’s been there for years and years and you walk in and there are a heap of photos of all the life members and the Des Nations. Leisky’s on the wall there and guys like Ando and Andrew McFarlane. It was a real inspiration to win it. I wanted to be one of those guys on that list.”

“The track was great; really fast straights into hard pack hills then into rough, soft sand on the flats,” continued Waters. “It combined two different terrains and riding styles which was tricky. It started off pretty one-lined, and I tend to go better when you’ve got to use your imagination a little, which was why I came into my own more at the end. It was good to win here and a win over international riders always looks good on paper as well. Kirk stepping it up was good and very exciting for KTM. I love competition and having a teammate like Kirk who I get along with but am also able to race closely with is great.”

Waters’ teammate, Gibbs won the first moto off the back of a blindingly fast start, then took three second places to finish just six points behind Waters. “The track was really awesome to race on,” said Gibbs. “I got some good starts today and I’m happy with my result. With the shorter races and my starts being really good today I kept Toddy on his toes. My start in that first one was unbelievable – I couldn’t see anyone there! By the end of the lap I had a two second lead and I could see that Todd was catching me slightly here and there, then he put in a really hard last lap but I managed to hold him off. It’s good to get a win too, it gives me more confidence for nationals.”

UK rider, Jamie Law, made it a trifecta for KTM, filling out the third spot on the podium. All three riders mastered the demands of the iconic circuit, which blends deep, energy-sapping sand whoops with famous WA pea-gravel over hard pack, in the process fighting off high-quality local riders, three-time winner of the event Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jay Marmont, who finished in fourth Overall, and AMA motocross top-ten rider Weston Peick, who crashed out of the event.

Full results from all classes, click here.