Racing: Waters the 2009 Aussie superbike champion

Team Joe Rocket Suzuki rider Josh Waters dominated both races at the final round of the Woodstock Bourbon Australian Superbike Championship at Victoria's Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit yesterday afternoon to claim his first national title in the premier category.

Twenty-two-year-old Waters, in his rookie superbike season, held off the challenges of Team Oleon Oils Motologic Honda duo Glenn Allerton and Wayne Maxwell to claim the No. 1 plate in a thrilling winner-take-all finale to the seven-round series.

Waters had entered the round 2pts adrift of defending champion Allerton and seven clear of Maxwell, but withstood the pressure placed on him by the Honda riders to give the factory-backed Suzuki team its first Superbike title in six years.

"I've never felt as nervous as I did today," said Waters. "The team has been fantastic and worked so hard to give me a bike that would do the job.

"I knew when I had my teammate sitting behind me as wingman in the last race that the title was mine."

It was Suzuki's sixth Aussie superbike title, and snapped the domination of Honda and Yamaha since 2004. Suzuki won the inaugural superbike title in 1987, and then won four straight from 2000--2003.

Waters completed the seven-round title on 301pts, from Allerton (291), Maxwell (245) and Joe Rocket Suzuki pair Shawn Giles (234) and Robbie Bugden (218).

Maxwell, who had qualified fastest, saw his championship chance disappear on the opening lap of race one when he was flung viciously off his bike after hitting a patch of water on the opening lap as he exited Turn 11 (see below).

"It was my fault - I made a silly mistake," said Maxwell, who fractured his right foot and left leg in the incident. "That's the way it goes."

Officials immediately red-flagged the race as Maxwell's bike was removed from the edge of the track and he was treated at the scene by medical personnel.

"The dream definitely turned into a nightmare today," said Maxwell. "I knew that Josh and his team made massive improvements over the weekend and they also used a different tyre to what I had picked so that would have come down to it in the end too.

"But you know, it wasn't meant to be this year for me and we'll have to settle for third. It was a stupid mistake that caught me out, definitely the biggest crash of my life, but that's life and we'll regroup - hopefully come back bigger and stronger next year."

Giles finished second overall for the round, the three-time champion finishing equal on points with Allerton but awarded second on a countback.

"Congratulations to Josh - that was an awesome ride he put in," said Allerton. "I gave it a good shake, but it just didn't happen for us this weekend."

Honda's consolation was winning the superbike manufacturer's title from Suzuki, Yamaha and Kawasaki.

In the Australian supersport title, Bryan Staring emerged victorious over defending champion and Yamaha Racing Team teammate Jamie Stauffer by 13pts (313 to 300), with Kawasaki Racing Team's Ben Attard a distant third on 216pts.

"I have to say a massive thank you to my team who have not put a foot wrong at any time this year," said Staring. "They worked so hard all season long and all their hard work has paid off.

"This year has been a big one for me, and winning this title is a major achievement. I was able to finish on the podium at every race which says a lot about the R6 as a racebike.

"It was a nervous time for me, as soon as the conditions went sour I felt like it could have been anyone's race and knew I would need to be near the front to keep the lead intact.

"I felt like every move I went to make was a risk and there was a huge weight off my shoulders when I rode onto the front straight for the last time.

"I'd like to also thank Jamie (Stauffer) for a great year; we raced side-by-side in a number of races and had some really good battles."

The Phillip Island supersport races were won by Troy Herfoss (Joe Rocket Suzuki) and Stauffer.

Click on the following link full results and standings from Phillip Island.

The calendar is yet to be released for the 2010 Australian Superbike Championship, but one thing s certain: the grid will be very different to the one that lined up at Phillip island yester5sday.

For a start, Kawasaki and Yamaha have both withdraw distributor-backed support, and the Motologic team managed by Paul Free will no longer campaign Hondas, with Ducati tipped to be its new partner.

And KTM and Aprilia may also be on the grid via outsourcing operations with private teams.