Waters begins ASBK Superbike defence in dominating fashion

Josh Waters and the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit share a special bond, and it was on display again today with the veteran dominating round one of the 2025 mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship presented by Motul (ASBK).

The reigning SW-MOTECH Superbike champion was a class above, leading from start to finish on his McMartin Racing Ducati to bank his 16th win at Phillip Island and his 34th overall in the ASBK ranks, drawing one clear of long-time rival Troy Herfoss.

“That was a tough race in the heat, but I am delighted to get the 2025 season started in such a positive fashion,” said Waters.

“I was able to build a lead and then maintain my rhythm, but I know it will be tougher tomorrow in cooler conditions when the other riders will have lots more grip.

“My Ducati is also performing brilliantly as well, so I’m looking forward to getting amongst it again.”

While Waters enjoyed an iron grip on top spot, a tight battle for second eventually ensued between a resurgent Anthony West (Addicted to Track Yamaha) and a fast-finishing Mike Jones (Yamaha Racing Team). West eventually got the better of that one.

In the remaining ASBK Championship classes, it was a clean sweep for Archie McDonald (Stop and Seal Yamaha) in Kawasaki Supersport – his teammate Jack Mahaffy completing the quinella on both occasions – while Jordy Simpson (Yamaha) prevailed in a typically tight and uncompromising Race and Road Supersport 300 skirmish.

PHILLIP ISLAND ASBK RESULTS

ASBK action will continue on Sunday – two Superbike races and one apiece for Supersport and Supersport 300 – alongside the FIM Motul Superbike World Championship, with tickets available here or at the gate.

SW-MOTECH Superbike
Waters’ superiority in the 11-lap race one started from the get-go when he barrelled into turn one with the lead, followed by Cam Dunker (MotoGo Yamaha) and Jones.

That’s as close as the field got to him, although West – who started on the front row alongside Waters – was an early threat after he moved into second on lap two.

West reduced the gap to about half a second with a scorching 1:31.669 on lap three, but Waters’ immediate response was a 1:31.599 which was all the impetus he needed to start the year with maximum points.

The final winning margin was well over four seconds from West, who briefly lost the runner-up position to Jones at turn 10 on the final lap before the Moto2 GP winner performed a swift cutback to regain the ascendancy.

Ducati pair Glenn Allerton (Superbike Advocates Racing) and Broc Pearson (DesmoSport Ducati) were next home, with the top eight completed by Max Stauffer (Yamaha Racing Team), John Lytras (Yamaha) and Cru Halliday (Stop and Seal Yamaha).

Tom Edwards (Motoschool Racing Yamaha) and Jonathan Nahlous (Yamaha) made impressive rookie debuts to see out the top 10, while Dunker was one of three DNFs after crashing on lap nine while running fourth.

Races two and three, also 11-lappers, will be held at 9:45am and 1:40pm on Sunday.

Kawasaki Supersport
Archie McDonald now has seven wins and 11 podiums from 24 starts in the Kawasaki Superbike class, as the 18-year-old’s stocks continue to rise at an ever-growing rate.

His 1-1 scorecard saw him get the better of Stop and Seal Yamaha teammate Jack Mahaffy on both occasions, while Tom Bramich (Yamaha) and Olly Simpson (BCperformance Kawasaki) shared the third places.

Race one was the more intense of the two, with Mahaffy managing to pierce McDonald’s defences a couple of times – but his leadership was fleeting as McDonald immediately regained the top spot.

Bramich and Simpson, making his ASBK Kawasaki debut, were third and fourth in race one, followed by rookie Cameron Swain (Yamaha) and Hayden Nelson (BCperformance Kawasaki).

The pace was a lot slower in slippery race two conditions, but the same riders battled at the front of the field – minus Swain who went down early on.

McDonald won by nearly a second from Mahaffy, with Simpson, Bramich, Jake Farnsworth (Yamaha) and Marcus Hamod (Honda) filling the top six positions.

Race three is at 11:25am on Sunday, with McDonald chasing a three-peat – the same blemish-free results that 2024 champion Jonathan Nahlous produced in last year’s equivalent round.

Race and Road Supersport 300
Following Tara Morrison’s maiden Race and Road Supersport 300 victory on Friday, today it was the turn of Jordy Simpson (Yamaha) to steal the limelight.

Simpson’s win was also a reward for perseverance, with the South Aussie finishing on the Supersport 300 podium six times in 2024 without standing on the top step.

He’s now put that bogey to bed, winning race two after coming from the clouds on the final lap with the fastest lap of the race. His bullocking work was rewarded with a tight win over Hudson Thompson (Yamaha) and Scott Nicholson (Kawasaki).

Valentino Knezovic (Yamaha), who finished runner-up in the 2024 championship, recovered from a hapless race one to finish fourth, ahead of Kawasaki pair Oliver Short and Morrison.

Simpson currently leads the round one honours with his 2-1 haul, but there’s still one race to go at 9:10am on Sunday.

Images: RbMotoLens