2011 Hannspree World SuperBike Championship Round 1, Phillip Island, Australia, Feb 27th Race Report

  CHECA DOES THE DOUBLE DOWN UNDER 

In front of the 60,000 strong Australian crowd Carlos Checa powered his way to victory in both races ahead of world champion Alitalia Aprilia's Max Biaggi and BMW Motorrad rider Leon Haslam with former MotoGP star Marco Melandri taking his first ever wsbk podium for the Yamaha WSBK Team in the race two.

Race One. Althea Ducati rider Carlos Checa powered his way to victory from pole position for the start of the 2011 FIM World Superbike Championship at Phillip Island in Australia. The Spanish star crossed the finish line some seven seconds clear of Alitalia Aprilia World Champion Max Biaggi, with a great ride from British rider Leon Haslam in third on his debut for the BMW Motorrad Team. Rookie Eugene Laverty who just missed out on a podium beat his Yamaha WSBK team-mate Marco Melandri to fourth with Alstare Suzuki's Michel Fabrizio sixth. Jakub Smrz who had been one of the quickest riders throughout the weekend's qualifying finished a strong seventh for the Effenbert-Liberty Racing Ducati squad ahead of Kawasaki Racing's Tom Sykes and PATA Racing Aprilia's Nori Haga with the second BMW Motorrad ridden by veteran Troy Corser in tenth.

Race Two. Just as in the opening race Carlos Checa took his second win of the day with ease ahead of Max Biaggi with former MotoGP star Marco Melandri taking his first ever WSBK podium in third. Castrol Honda rider Johnathan Rea had to fight through the pain barrier to take fourth after three high speed crashed throughout the weekend. Just as in race one Leon Haslam fought his way from the pack but could had to settle for fifth ahead of flu stricken Leon Camier who had done well even to make it onto the gird for the Alitalia Aprilia team. Nori Haga had a better race this time out by taking seventh on the PATA Aprilia ahead of Alstare Suzuki's Michel Fabrizio and Kawasaki Racing Tom Sykes with Castrol Honda's Ruben Xaus rounding out the top ten.

SUPERSPORT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP.

Fomer World Superbike rider Luca Scassa got his Supersport campaign off to a great start by taking victory at the opening round at Phillip Island in Australia. The ParkinGO Yamaha rider just held on for the win after an epic race long battle with Kawasaki Motocard.com Broc Parkes with Britain's Sam Lowes scoring his first ever podium on the world stage for the Parkalgar Honda Team took third. Parkes team-mate David Salom was able to hold of Harms Benjan Racing's Robbin Harms for fourth while British racer James Ellison produced a stunning ride to secure sixth. Hannspree Ten Kate Honda rider Florian Marino was seventh, eighth Lorenzini by Leoni Kawasaki's Vitto Iannuzzo, ninth Cresto Guide Honda's Alexander Lundh with Suriano Triumph Racing Danello Dell'omo in tenth.