Phillip Island Superpole qualifying times

CARLOS Checa takes the first pole position of the season after a thrilling Superpole session at Phillip Island.

Eugene Laverty's last lap surge saw him take seconde spot on the grid on his Aprilia RSV4 and Fabrizio, also on an RSV4 took third spot on the grid.

With grids changing from four riders on each row to three, Tom Sykes in fourth place takes the first slot on row two. Sykes' lap-time was exactly matched by fifth place Marco Melandri while Sylvain Guintoli and Leon Camier will aim to be part of the battle for the rostrum position moving off from the 6th and 7th grid slot, as well as following Pata Honda World Superbike duo of Leon Haslam and Jonathan Rea.

World Superbike Round 1 Phillip Island Qualifying Times

1. Carlos Checa ESP Alstare Ducati 1199 R 1m 30.234s
2. Eugene Laverty IRL Aprilia Racing RSV4 1m 30.429s
3. Michel Fabrizio ITA Red Devils Roma Aprilia RSV4 1m 30.581s
4. Tom Sykes GBR Kawasaki Racing ZX-10R 1m 30.615s
5. Marco Melandri ITA BMW GoldBet S1000RR HP4 1m 30.615s
6. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Aprilia Racing RSV4 1m 30.683s
7. Leon Camier GBR Fixi Crescent Suzuki GSX-R1000 1m 30.991s
8. Leon Haslam GBR Pata Honda CBR1000RR 1m 30.998s
9. Jonathan Rea GBR Pata Honda CBR1000RR 1m 31.242s
10. Davide Giugliano ITA Althea Aprilia RSV4 1m 31.283s
11. Loris Baz FRA Kawasaki Racing ZX-10R 1m 31.576s
12. Chaz Davies GBR BMW GoldBet S1000RR HP4 1m 31.870s
13. Max Neukirchner GER MR Ducati 1199 R 1m 32.010s
14. Jamie Stauffer AUS Honda Racing CBR1000RR 1m 32.353s
15. Ivan Clementi ITA HTM Racing BMW S1000RR 1m 32.773s
16. Glenn Allerton AUS Next Gen BMW S1000RR 1m 32.352s
17. Jules Cluzel FRA Fixi Crescent Suzuki GSX-R1000 1m 32.402s
18. Alexander Lundh SWE Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 1m 33.487s
19. Ayrton Badovini ITA Alstare Ducati 1199 R 1m 32.540s
20. Federico Sandi ITA Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 1m 32.898s
21. Vittorio Iannuzzo ITA Grillini Dentalmatic BMW S1000RR 1m 33.082s

Phillip Island official WSB lap records
Best lap: Carlos Checa ESP Alstare Ducati 1199 R 1m 30.234s (2013)
Race lap record: Max Biaggi ITA Aprilia Racing RSV4 1m 31.785s (2012)