IN
THE
WIND
P32
Team Australia Wins Island Classic
A
ustralia successfully defended
the International Challenge
January 25-26, winning the
three-nation battle between the
U.S. and UK for historic bikes at
Phillip Island's Grand Prix circuit in
Australia. Team Australia scored
a 704-point haul securing victory
over rivals America (691 points)
and the UK third with 423 points.
Australia's former WorldSBK
rider Alex Phillis was the star
performer, claiming two wins, a
second and a third across the
four six-lap races. He led the Aus-
tralian effort and was awarded the
best individual performer on the
grid aboard his Suzuki GSX1260.
He was presented the Ken Woot-
ton Trophy for top individual point
scorer trophy with his 157-point
haul via 2-1-1-3 placings.
Just behind was pole-sitter Jed
Metcher who produced four podi-
um places (3-2-2-2) on his Yamaha
FJ1200 to amass 155 points.
But it was far from an easy
Australia Day victory, with the
Americans taking it to the Aussies
in every race. The Aussie's major
nemesis was Yamaha's Josh
Hayes, who suffered engine prob-
lems in qualifying, relegating him
to grid position seven for each
race and a testing third row start.
It was only his second visit to
Phillip Island, but he took the win
in the first race and capped off the
weekend with victory in the fourth.
In races two and three, he cam-
paigned at the front and returned
a fifth and third to be the top-per-
forming American and finish with
an individual tally of 154 points.
Backing Hayes aboard the Mojo
Yamahas were the impressive ef-
forts of Michael Gilbert (7-6-7-4),
Larry Pegram (4-3-6-14), Canadian
Champion Jordan Szoke (11-8-10-
5) and Taylor Knapp (8-9-9-8).
They consistently raced in the
top 10 and filled positions fifth to
eighth in the Ken Wootton tally.
2019 Ken Wootton Trophy win-
ner Steve Martin took his Katana
to fourth overall (5-4-4-7). Round-
ing out the top 10 was Australia's
Vincent Irving rider Beau Beaton
and veteran Shawn Giles on a
Suzuki Katana.
The best performer for the Tony
Hart-captained UK squad was
Brendan Wilson (Suzuki Harris) who
finished the weekend in 12th overall,
with Damien Kavney 15th and Roger
Gunn in 16th, both on Suzukis. CN
Australia's Jed Metcher
leads Alex Phillis, Dave
Johnson, Michael Gilbert
and Josh Hayes at the
Island Classic. Home team
Australia would once again
come out the winners.
PHOTO: RUSSELL COLVIN
