This year's Simpson Desert Cycle Challenge saw the ADF represented by a Navy team of four riders and four support from HMAS Albatross, plus six riders and seven support staff from RAAF Base Edinburgh, and an Army team of seven riders and 10 support from 1st Combat Engineering Regiment Darwin.

Due to the desert conditions being so bad this year, part of the track was unrideable, with day four of the race cancelled to allow participants to be transported via a detour to recommence the final stage on a torturous piece of track that took riders along the QAA line and down the 'Inside Track'.

This event has proven to be a great training and personal development experience for both participant and support crew. The physical challenges of the race demand commitment, persistence, courage and physical fitness. The daily regimen in 40+ degrees, contending with wind, sand and flies, requires discipline, co-ordination, co-operation, a great deal of enthusiasm, sometimes initiative and sometimes resourcefulness, definitely a great deal of planning and team-work.

This year's race featured the inauguration of a perpetual services trophy and a new award titled the 'Bean Award'. The services trophy was awarded to the winning service team (Airforce, Army, Navy, Police, Fire Brigade, Ambulance and Emergency Services).

This year, although the Navy and Army participated, they did not have official teams registered so we agreed to award it to the Navy for the winning individual entrant, AB Michael Rueger, who placed a very creditable 3rd overall.

The 'Bean Award' was awarded to those unique individuals who display characteristics that epitomise the true aims and spirit of the race - to foster camaraderie, fellowship and goodwill - and this year went to FLTLT Paul Murphy, who helped his RAAF team raise $2,300 in direct donations to the Paraplegic Benefit Fund, receiving media coverage all over Australia.