It’s going to be as very super weekend at Australia’s Phillip Island.

It’s a double-header event with the World Superbike Championships kicking off and sharing the programme with the Aussie stars who are also starting their national series too, the Superbike/Prostock, Supersport and Superstock classes adding to the jam-packed race programme for the weekend.

While the Aussie superbike class is stacked full of seasoned campaigners, all eyes will be on the #17 Team Suzuki GSX-R of Troy Herfoss who enters his rookie season in the 1000cc class.

With just two full seasons of road racing behind him, the 24-year-old from Goulburn in NSW is already showing the attributes of a future world champion.

Despite his success – Hefross was crowned Australian Supersport Champion in 2010 – Herfoss is determined to remain grounded in his approach to this new challenge.

“Moving from the Superport to the Superbike was a big unknown for me,” explained Herfoss. “Until I started testing the new bike I’d never actually ridden a 1000.

“I’m feeling comfortable on the bike and it probably fits me better than the 600 did which is a good sign.”

Up against him will be Brisbane’s Robbie Bugden (pictured above), the Mack Truck Suzuki-riding three-time former New Zealand Superbike championship who is currently running second overall in the Kiwi series after three of five rounds.

Meanwhile, Spain’s Carlos Checa (Ducati Althea Racing) was quickest overall at the end of the four World Superbike Championship official test sessions held at the Phillip Island circuit this week.

On his Ducati 1098R the Spaniard, who won one of the races here in Australia last year, put a gap of over half-a-second between himself and second-placed man Sylvain Guintoli (Ducati Effenbert – Liberty Racing). Checa was under the previous track best in the third session of the two days, posting a new record of 1 minute 30.578s.

“It was a very positive test and a fantastic lap time,” said Checa.

“I was a bit worried before because I had not done so much testing and I arrived here and was not sure if we had enough time on the bike. During the winter I did a race, then I went to the desert, then some motocross, and it was all a bit confusing. Portugal testing was not so positive because of the weather, so I arrived here without the required full confidence. But we’ve been able to grow up very quick from the first day, the pace of the bike at this track is good, I feel very close with the team and that’s why I’m in this position.”

Jonathan Rea (Castrol Honda), who crashed in the early stages of the last session, finished the tests third fastest but he was taken by helicopter to hospital for an X-ray on his left wrist and the ring finger of his left hand. His crash left a residue of cement dust on the racing line and this contributed to the fact that only few riders were able to improve their best times in the final session, though most tried hard to do so.

Fourth quickest overall was Jakub Smrz (Ducati Effenbert – Liberty Racing), followed by WSB rookie Joan Lascorz (Kawasaki) who made an impressive debut on a Superbike machine in Australia.

Reigning champion Max Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia) was one of the few whose best time of the two days came in the final session, placing him sixth quickest overall. Michel Fabrizio (Suzuki Alstare) was seventh best in the rankings, Marco Melandri (Yamaha World Superbike Team) eighth and his team-mate Eugene Laverty ninth. Laverty completed a whopping 142 laps of the 4.445km circuit over these two days.

A strong showing for the new Kawasaki Superbike machine saw Tom Sykes join his fellow KRT rider Lascorz in the top ten.

Qualifying for round one of the world championships begins on Friday.

World Superbike – Phillip Island Test – Combined Times (Mon-Tues):

1 – Checa Carlos – Althea Racing Ducati – 1’30.578

2 – Guintoli Sylvain – Team Effenbert-Liberty Racing Ducati – 1’31.196

3 – Rea Jonathan – Castrol Honda – 1’31.206

4 – Smrz Jakub – Team Effenbert-Liberty Racing Ducati – 1’31.654

5 – Lascorz Joan – Kawasaki Racing Team – 1’31.866

6 – Biaggi Max – Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team – 1’31.870

7 – Fabrizio Michel – Team Suzuki Alstare – 1’32.113

8 – Melandri Marco – Yamaha World Superbike Team – 1’32.122

9 – Laverty Eugene – Yamaha World Superbike Team – 1’32.137

10 – Sykes Tom – Kawasaki Racing Team Superbike – 1’32.272

11 – Haga Noriyuki – PATA Racing Team Aprilia – 1’32.299

12 – Waters Joshua – Yoshimura Suzuki Racing Team – 1’32.394

13 – Xaus Ruben – Castrol Honda – 1’32.405

14 – Haslam Leon – BMW Motorrad Motorsport – 1’32.413

15 – Toseland James – BMW Motorrad Italia SBK – 1’32.880

16 – Corser Troy – BMW Motorrad Motorsport – 1’32.994

17 – Badovini Ayrton – BMW Motorrad Italia SBK – 1’33.233

18 – Staring Bryan – Team Pedercini – 1’33.398

19 – Yanagawa Akira – Kawasaki Racing Team – 1’33.432

20 – Berger Maxime – Supersonic Racing Team – 1’33.485

21 – Rolfo Roberto – Team Pedercini – 1’33.514

22 – Camier Leon – Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team – 1’33.560

23 – Aitchison Mark – Team Pedercini – 1’33.721

© Photo by Andy McGechan, www.BikesportNZ.com