Checa doubles World Superbike opener

From worldsbk.com

Spain's Carlos Checa (Ducati Althea Racing) scored a splendid double win in the opening round of the World Superbike Championship at Phillip Island on Sunday, a repeat of his double win at Imola last September.

Checa's winning margin over Max Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia) in Race One was clear evidence of the Althea Racing Ducati man's domination in the opening round of the Superbike World Championship. Checa took the lead from Eugene Laverty on lap three and steadily pulled out to an unchallenged four-second lead at the flag. Biaggi soon realized it was not possible to keep the pace of Checa and settled for second.

The podium was completed by Leon Haslam (BMW Motorrad), who held off both Yamaha World Superbike Team riders Laverty and Marco Melandri, who exchanged places right at the flag in a sprint finish.

Sixth was Michel Fabrizio (Suzuki Alstare), who made a great recovery that saw him finish ahead of Jakub Smrz (Ducati Effenbert - Liberty Racing) and Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing).

Jonathan Rea (Castrol Honda) was running in the top six but slipped down to 12th after an off-track excursion, while front row man Sylvain Guintoli (Ducati Effenbert - Liberty Racing) crashed out and did not take part in Race Two after picking up a series of injuries to his right hand, knee and shoulder-blade.

Just like in the first race, no one was able to run with Checa in the second and the Spanish rider finished a couple of seconds ahead of Biaggi.

The reigning World Champion battled it out for the runner-up slot in the final stages with an impressive Melandri, just getting the edge at the line.

Rea emerged from a battering and bruising weekend with a fourth place that partially repaid him for his testing misfortune when he crashed heavily.

Rea finished ahead of the two Leons, Haslam and Camier (Aprilia Alitalia).

On its return to World Supersport Yamaha scored a fantastic slipstreaming win as Luca Scassa took the flag on the ParkinGO machine by just 0.009 seconds from Broc Parkes (Kawasaki Motocard.com).

Third at the flag as the top three flashed across the line was Sam Lowes (Parkalgar Honda), who scored a great podium in the first race of his first full championship season. Fourth was poleman David Salom on the second Motocard.com Kawasaki.

Superbike Race Results (courtesy Yamaha)
Race One
1. Carlos Checa (ESP) Althea Ducati 1098R 34:16.503
2. Max Biaggi (ITA) Aprilia Alitalia Racing RSV-4 +4.365
3. Leon Haslam (GBR) BMW Motorrad S1000RR +10.719
4. Eugene Laverty (IRL) Yamaha WSBK YZF R1 +11.266
5. Marco Melandri (ITA) Yamaha WSBK YZF R1 +11.293
6. Michel Fabrizio (ITA) Suzuki Alstare GSX-R1000 +12.039
7. Jakub Smrz (CZE) Effenbert Liberty Ducati 1098R +20.294
8. Tom Sykes (GBR) Kawasaki RTS ZX-10R +20.742
9. Noriyuki Haga (JPN) PATA Aprilia RSV-4 +22.421
10. Troy Corser (AUS) BMW Motorrad S1000RR +25.822
11. Roberto Rolfo (ITA) Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R +29.270
12. Jonathan Rea (GBR) Castrol Honda CBR1000RR +31.059
13. Leon Camier (GBR) Aprilia Alitalia Racing RSV-4 +31.721
14. Ayrton Badovini (ITA) BMW Italia S1000RR +36.389
15. Bryan Staring (AUS) Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R +36.470
16. Ruben Xaus (ESP) Castrol Honda CBR1000RR +41.928
17. James Toseland (GBR) BMW Italia S1000RR +55.239
18. Josh Waters (AUS) Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 +1:00.312
19. Mark Aitchison (AUS) Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R +1:00.316
20. Maxime Berger (FRA) Supersonic Ducati 1098R +1:30.125

Race Two
1. Carlos Checa (ESP) Althea Ducati 1098R 34:15.041
2. Max Biaggi (ITA) Aprilia Alitalia Racing RSV-4 +1.188
3. Marco Melandri (ITA) Yamaha WSBK YZF R1 +1.406
4. Jonathan Rea (GBR) Castrol Honda CBR1000RR +10.563
5. Leon Haslam (GBR) BMW Motorrad S1000RR +10.885
6. Leon Camier (GBR) Aprilia Alitalia Racing RSV-4 +16.914
7. Noriyuki Haga (JPN) PATA Aprilia RSV-4 +17.558
8. Michel Fabrizio (ITA) Suzuki Alstare GSX-R1000 +17.679
9. Tom Sykes (GBR) Kawasaki RTS ZX-10R +18.070
10. Ruben Xaus (ESP) Castrol Honda CBR1000RR +19.053
11. Jakub Smrz (CZE) Effenbert Liberty Ducati 1098R +19.060
12. Roberto Rolfo (ITA) Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R +23.771
13. Josh Waters (AUS) Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 +23.956
14. James Toseland (GBR) BMW Italia S1000RR +28.713
15. Eugene Laverty (IRL) Yamaha WSBK YZF R1 +32.673
16. Mark Aitchison (AUS) Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R +33.226
17. Bryan Staring (AUS) Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R +42.598
18. Maxime Berger (FRA) Supersonic Ducati 1098R +51.819
19. Troy Corser (AUS) BMW Motorrad S1000RR +55.738

Superbike Point Standings
1. CARLOS CHECA (DUCATI) 50
2. MAX BIAGGI (APRILIA) 40
3. MARCO MELANDRI (YAMAHA) 27
4. LEON HASLAM (BMW) 27
5. MICHEL FABRIZIO (SUZUKI) 18
6. JONATHAN REA (HONDA) 17
7. NORIYUKI HAGA (APRILIA) 16
8. TOM SYKES (KAWASAKI) 15
9. EUGENE LAVERTY (YAMAHA) 14
10. JAKUB SMRZ (DUCATI) 14
11. LEON CAMIER (APRILIA) 13
12. ROBERTO ROLFO (KAWASAKI) 9
13. RUBEN XAUS (HONDA) 6
14. TROY CORSER (BMW) 6
15. JOSHUA WATERS (SUZUKI) 3
16. JAMES TOSELAND (BMW) 2
17. AYRTON BADOVINI (BMW) 2
18. BRYAN STARING (KAWASAKI) 1