Shane Watts

In almost 30 years, four Australians have won the World Enduro Championship for motorcycles. In 1997 Shane Watts was the first – and he did it on a 125cc KTM, riding out of his skin.

Some call Watts ‘The Maffra Nugget’, a reference to his Victorian hometown. Others liken him to American Travis Pastrana, more than a great rider, a showman as well. He’s always been outspoken.

Shane’s dad Norm won the inaugural Australian four day Enduro Championship in 1978. That’s when five year old Shane said he wanted to go racing too. He’s never stopped.

He claimed his Dad’s title for the first time in 1993 and won it for seven years in succession. It’s an unbeaten record.

He went overseas, lived rough, sleeping in a swag at race meetings, turned pro in 1996, won the world enduro title in 1997 and became International Six Days Enduro champion the year after.

If only injuries hadn’t plagued him. He broke his collar bone several times when he was seventeen, progressed to blowing our ACLs, then in 2009 broke his back, requiring six vertebrae to be fused.

These days Shane lives in the USA and runs his Dirt Wise Academy. Its’ focus is to make every student a safer rider.