TRAVERSE Issue 19 - August 2020 | Page 37

be a highlight in any desert racers career. Matt finished 7th in his first attempt, less than five hours behind his team leader and much more experienced racer. “The highlight of my career,” Matt grins again. “Crossing that finish line in Dakar placing 7th overall.” Finishing the Baja 1000 in 25 hours also rates high, “a very special moment.” The results are astounding, Matt’s first ever desert race was only a year earlier. He’d placed first in class and 6th overall in the Sonora Rally and says he was immediately hooked. “I guess I was a late bloomer,” he laughs. The challenge of racing, the adventure, the risks are something that Matt cherishes. It shows in his day to day life, it’s an adventure that sees him living life for the moment and enjoying where he can. It also flows through to his motorcycle riding, dating back to those TRAVERSE 37