Kawasaki Racing Team rider Tom Sykes will start from pole position for the third time in his career at the opening round of the year by heading the field after combined qualifying. Tissot-Superpole today was cancelled after a fatal accident suffered by young Australian Superstock 600 rider Oscar McIntyre in a support race before the session was due to start.

Second on the grid for Sunday’s two 22-lap Superbike races will be Max Biaggi (Aprilia Racing) who was 0.54 seconds behind Sykes. World Champion Carlos Checa secured third spot while another Ducati rider, Jakub Smrz on the Liberty Racing machine, completed the front row.

Frenchman Sylvain Guintoli was fifth on his Effenbert Liberty Racing vee-twin, and Leon Camier was sixth on his Crescent Fixi Suzuki. Niccolò Canepa (Red Devils Roma Ducati) was an impressive top seven qualifier, with the last place on row two being taken by Honda World Superbike official rider Jonathan Rea.

Infront Motor Sports and the entire SBK paddock offer their condolences to the McIntyre family and all those affected by his loss.

World Superbikes – Phillip Island – Combined Qualifying

Pos – Rider – Bike – Q1 – Q2
1 – Sykes Tom – Kawasaki ZX-10R- 1’32.402- 1’31.323
2 – Biaggi Max – Aprilia RSV4 Factory- 1’32.318- 1’31.477
3 – Checa Carlos – Ducati 1098R- 1’32.228- 1’31.621
4 – Smrz Jakub – Ducati 1098R- 1’32.116- 1’31.783
5 – Guintoli Sylvain – Ducati 1098R- 1’32.644- 1’31.832
6 – Camier Leon – Suzuki GSX-R1000- 1’32.817- 1’31.904
7 – Canepa Niccolò – Ducati 1098R- 1’32.343- 1’31.953
8 – Rea Jonathan – Honda CBR1000RR- 1’31.959- 1’32.006
9 – Berger Maxime – Ducati 1098R- 1’33.075- 1’31.966
10 – Fabrizio Michel – BMW S1000 RR- 1’32.609- 1’32.068
11 – Laverty Eugene – Aprilia RSV4 Factory- 1’34.189- 1’32.069
12 – Haslam Leon – BMW S1000 RR- 1’33.532- 1’32.082
13 – Melandri Marco – BMW S1000 RR- 1’32.553- 1’32.123
14 – Giugliano Davide – Ducati 1098R- 1’32.198- 1’33.102
15 – Davies Chaz – Aprilia RSV4 Factory- 1’32.874- 1’32.338
16 – Lascorz Joan – Kawasaki ZX-10R- 1’32.443- 1’32.411
17 – Aoyama Hiroshi – Honda CBR1000RR- 1’33.040- 1’32.576
18 – Staring Bryan – Kawasaki ZX-10R- 1’32.884- 1’32.613
19 – Salom David – Kawasaki ZX-10R- 1’33.128- 1’32.640
20 – Badovini Ayrton – BMW S1000 RR- 1’33.136- 1’32.703
21 – Zanetti Lorenzo – Ducati 1098R- 1’33.148- 1’32.782
22 – Brookes Joshua – Suzuki GSX-R1000- 1’33.477- 1’33.384
23 – Aitchison Mark – BMW S1000 RR- 1’34.239- 1’33.396
24 – De Rosa Raffaele – Honda CBR1000RR- 1’34.979- 1’33.401
25 – Johnson David – BMW S1000 RR- 1’34.855- 1’33.816

.