Phillip Island WSB: Biaggi takes race one win

Factory Aprilia rider Max Biaggi has won the first WSB race of the season at Phillip Island after Carlos Checa crashed out of the lead early in the race.

World champion Checa was out in front when he high-sided his Althea Ducati on the final corner early on in the race.

2010 WSB champion Biaggi beat rival Marco Melandri, who finished second in his first race for the factory BMW team.

Completing the podium for the first race of 2012 was Effenbert Ducati rider Sylvain Guintoli.

Pole sitter Tom Sykes finished fourth afte holding the lead early in the race.

Factory Honda rider Jonathan Rea was highest placed of the rest of the Brits in seventh, with Haslam and Camier in 12th and 17th respectively.

1. Max Biaggi ITA Aprilia Racing RSV-4 22 laps
2. Marco Melandri ITA BMW Motorrad S1000RR +7.104s
3. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Effenbert Liberty Ducati 1098R +7.378s
4. Tom Sykes GBR Kawasaki Racing ZX-10R +12.189s
5. Jakub Smrz CZE Liberty Effenbert Ducati 1098R +16.424s
6. Michel Fabrizio ITA BMW Italia Goldbet S1000RR +20.200s
7. Jonathan Rea GBR Honda WSBK CBR1000RR +20.223s
8. Hiroshi Aoyama JPN Honda WSBK CBR1000RR +24.108s
9. Davide Giugliano ITA Althea Ducati 1098R +28.072s
10. Bryan Staring AUS Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R +34.232s
11. Lorenzo Zanetti ITA PATA Ducati 1098R +34.450s
12. Leon Haslam GBR BMW Motorrad S1000RR +35.648s
13. Maxime Berger FRA Effenbert Liberty Ducati 1098R +36.392s
14. David Salom ESP Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R +41.500s
15. Joan Lascorz ESP Kawasaki Racing ZX-10R +42.086s

16. Josh Brookes AUS Crescent Fixi Suzuki GSX-R1000 +42.605s
17. Leon Camier GBR Crescent Fixi Suzuki GSX-R1000 +43.366s
18. Mark Aitchison AUS Grillini Progea BMW S1000RR +45.225s
19. David Johnson AUS Rossair AEP BMW S1000RR +1min 08.782s
20. Niccolo Canepa ITA Red Devils Ducati 1098R +1min10.440s

Not Classified

21. Eugene Laverty IRL Aprilia Racing RSV-4 19 laps completed
22. Ayrton Badovini ITA BMW Italia Goldbet S1000RR 14 laps completed
23. Carlos Checa ESP Althea Ducati 1098R 5 laps completed
24. Raffaele De Rosa ITA Pro Ride Honda CBR1000RR 0 laps completed