Features 25 Sep 2014

Where Are They Now: Brodie Waters

Former road racing talent talks Speedway switch.

Success in any sport requires equal parts of talent and passion. This analogy rings more true in motorsports than most. The road to the top is challenging, and often involves factors outside of a racer’s control, no matter how hard they are prepared to work

Brodie Waters, the middle of the three talented Waters brothers from Mildura, has rediscovered his passion and enjoyment for two wheels in a completely different discipline – Speedway.

Waters’ path towards the top of local road racing was rapid. He raced from a young age and from 13 was battling it out in various state and national championships on both dirt and the tarmac.

After filling his trophy cabinet in the dirt track ranks – he claimed five national dirt and long track wins from 2002 to 2007 – Waters followed the footsteps of elder brother Josh to road racing where he emerged an instant success.

He claimed the Australian 250GP Mono Championshup in 2008 before moving directly to a 600cc machine where he would finish 12th in his first Australian Supersport Championship season. He finished third in class in 2010, and also claimed a surprise victory in the Suzuka 4 Hours on debut at the Japanese venue.

Image: Andrew Gosling.

Image: Andrew Gosling.

2011 saw him finish runner-up in the Supersport ranks as well as taking out class honours in the Phillip Island 8 Hour, setting him up for a measured and realistic shot at the overall category win for 2012.

His title chances, however, would go up in smoke quite literally at the final round of the season, when a mechanical failure saw him slip back to third after the trophy was well in sight. He also campaigned select Superbike events that season.

Waters contested a handful of events in both British Supersport and World Supersport soon after but admits his title defeat, and the subsequent decision for Suzuki to discontinue its Supersport program the following season, left him “heartbroken”.

“Things really didn’t go to plan there,” he told CycleOnline.com.au. “I was a little bit upset. Actually heartbroken, to be honest. At that point I thought of just giving up on it.”

Waters’ passion for two wheels hadn’t disappeared. He kept himself busy on his dirt bike and a fortunate series of events saw him linking up with Speedway star Leigh Adams whose son was also competing.

“I’d been helping Leigh’s son out and I told him I wouldn’t mind a crack at Speedway. It all started from there. He sponsored me a bike, and that helped a lot. It’s one of the best bikes out there and has been awesome fun.”

Source: Supplied.

Source: Supplied.

Speedway is enjoying a surge in popularity at present, amplified by the success of both established and up-and-coming Aussies in overseas leagues.

A local winter championship has been on Waters’ agenda, and he admits he is surprised by the size of series and the number of riders taking part.

“There’s plenty of good riders out there, lots of top names. In some cases the top guys can’t get a Visa or something sorted for overseas, so they stay back here and compete. It’s high level. It’s also good because you can find a track to practice at nearly every weekend. It’s more accessible in that sense than road racing.”

Despite his wealth of experience on two wheels, Waters admits that Speedway is an entirely different beast to anything he had been used to previously.

“All the skills that I’ve learn in dirt track and road racing mean nothing,” he said. “It literally is like starting from scratch. The bikes are so different, and that’s one of the things I’ve been struggling with, how difficult a bike is to set up.

“People just look at it and think they can’t be that hard, they’re just a pushbike with an engine! But, to find that edge and to keep going with the faster guys is so hard.”

Image: Andrew Gosling.

Image: Andrew Gosling.

When asked to compare his passion for road racing and Speedway, Waters found it difficult,

“It’s totally different,” he continues. “I love the road racing, but in the end, when the money started tightening up and there was not many rides available it was definitely hard. Then I started to lose the interest in it and when the things happened with me and Suzuki, it sort of finished me off.

“I’ve been enjoying Speedway because I’ve got Leigh helping me, and I’m helping his son too. It’s more of a fun thing for me, and I’m really enjoying it and relaxing, and with that I think I’m starting to move forward.”

With talent and passion merging once again, is there a future for a career in Speedway for Waters?

“I always said I’d never go to England because so many Aussies try and struggle and can’t make a dollar to put tea on the table. Until Leigh says go and have a crack, you are smooth and fast enough, I wouldn’t worry about it. But I’ll play it as it comes. I’ll keep working at it and see where it can take me.”

When asked if he was keen to give brother Josh a run in the sibling rivalry stakes, Brodie laughs.

“I’d like to go and give Speedway a go to show that it’s not just him in the family that can ride a motorbike!”

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