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IN THE WIND P34 PHILLIP ISLAND CELEBRATES SILVER O ther than Troy Bayliss mak- ing a racing comeback, the big happenings at Phillip Island revolved around the fact that the circuit was celebrating 25 years of WSB racing. In its 25th year, the circuit pulled out all the stops to have a weekend long party. Many of the previous Phillip Island race winners and Aussie World Champions were in place over the weekend for the cel- ebration including Troy Corser, Troy Bayliss, Robbie Phillis, Pe- ter Goddard, Andrew Pitt, Karl Muggeridge, Chris Vermeulen and others. Robbie Phillis won the second race in the first Phil- lip Island season of 1990, and recalled the big weekend. "I guess the biggest memory was winning the second race but I crashed out at Honda corner in the first race after dicing with Peter [Goddard]," Phillis said. "I broke a handlebar and that put me out of the race. I won the sec- ond race after a dice with my old mates Malcolm Campbell and Peter Goddard. It was great." Watching video of yesteryear's action at the astounding circuit, with all natural flowing corner de- signs, it was time to pick a favor- ite corner. The greatest—among many candidates, was turn one. Flat out into it, it has secrets and sat- isfactions that only the very best riders can know. Like Phillip Island race winner Kevin Magee. "Turn one is the best corner I have ever ridden," said Magee, as he stood trackside describ- ing it from up close. "You can at- tack it so hard and you are kind of coming across it where it is still going downhill on the entry. That is where you have to be most careful, in the first third of it. Then when you kind of land 'in it', you are in a positive camber and can drive really early." He also explained why Phillip Island delivered such amazing races over the years. "It is one of those old race- tracks where it is not a computer- generated circuit," Magee said. "It is that tricky because almost the entire track does not have a flat piece in it, except for maybe Honda corner. There is always a gradient, up and down, side- ways, everyway." A more contemporary genera- tion of riders also paid homage to Phillip Island in general and turn one in particular. Like current World Champion Sylvain Guintoli. "It is a very interesting corner because you have to commit a lot and be both sharp and re- laxed," Guintoli said. "It just feels really nice when you are in there. And it is fast as well!" Gordon Ritchie At last weekend's season opener, Phillip Island celebrated 25 years of World Superbike racing. PHOTOGRAPHY BY GOLD & GOOSE