2009 Hannspree World SuperBike Championship Round 6, Kyalami, South Africa, May 17th Race Report

  DUCATI XEROX'S NORI HAGA DOES THE DOUBLE AT KYALAMI 

Nori Haga and team-mate Michel Fabrizio made it a triumphant day for the Ducati Xerox team in the sixth round of the Hannspree FIM World Superbike Championship at Kyalami. The championship has returned to the South African circuit after seven years as the event drew 53,000 spectators who had the privilage to witness two 1-2 wins for the Japanese rider and Italian team-mate. It was a day of misfortune once again for Sterilgarda Yamaha World Superbikes Ben Spies who had to retire in race two after finishing third in race one. In race two Northern Ireland's Hannspree Ten Kate Honda's Johnny Rea took his first podium finish in his rookie year despite a late challenge from Aprilia's Max Biaggi.

Race One. In the first World Superbike race of the day Ducati Xerox rider Nori Haga took his fifth win of the year as the Japanese star spent most of the race following his team-mate Michel Fabrizio until Nori saw his chance to make a pass on Fabrizio and once ahead he eased his way to the chequred flag leaving his team-mate inbroiled in a battle with Sterilgarda Yamaha's Ben Spies for second when Spies made a mistake allowing the Italian to pass to take second behind his team-mate making it a one-two for Ducati. The fight fourth was between Hannspree Ten Kate Honda's Johnny Rea and Aprilia's Max Biaggi, but it was the young Irishman who eventually got the nod leaving Biaggi in fifth ahead of Rea's team-mate Carlos Checa taking sixth with Biaggi's team-mate Shinya Nakano in seventh on the vastly improving Aprilia machine. Yukio Kagayama was the first Brux Alstare Suzuki home in eighth with Britain's Sterilgarda Ducati's Shane Byrne having his best finish of the year so far in ninth with fellow countryman Sterilgarda Yamaha's Tom Sykes in tenth.

Race Two. After dominating race one Ducati Xerox rider Nori Haga rode a perfect race to take his second win of the day ahead of team-mate Michel Fabrizio who fought Nori Haga for the win right down to the chequred flag. Sterilgarda Yamaha's Ben Spies had to retire from the race on the third lap due to a gear changer problem but it was a different story for Hannspree Ten Kate Honda's Johnny Rea who took his first ever podium in WSBK after coming under pressure from fellow Brit Stiggy Racing Honda's Leon Haslam who had to settle for fourth ahead of Aprilia's Max Biaggi. Hannspree Ten Kate Honda's Carlos Checa and Aprilia's Shinya Nakano repeated their race one results in sixth and seventh as did Brux Alstare Suzuki's Yukio Kagayama in eighth. Britain's Sterilgarda Yamaha's Tom Sykes went one place better to take ninth with Guandalini Racing Ducati's Jakub Smrz in tenth.

WORLD SUPERSPORT CHAMPIONSHIP.

Irelands Eugene Laverty stormed to his third win of the year for the Parkalgar Honda Racing Team at Kyalami in South Africa with Britain's Yamaha World Supersport rider and current points leader Cal Crutchlow taking second with Australia's Honda Althea's Mark Aitchison in third. Despite Laverty's win Crutchlow still leads the championship with 119 points to Eugene Laverty 106 points and Kenan Sofuoglu in third with 83 points.