Anthony West sets Phillip Island alight with maiden ASBK pole position
Anthony West was the star of the show in qualifying for round six of the 2025 mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship presented by Motul (ASBK) at Phillip Island on September 6.
The Queenslander was a cut above in the premier SW-Motech Superbike class, powering to his maiden pole position in the ASBK Championship on the Addicted to Track Yamaha.
The 44-year-old has been knocking on the door of pole position for quite some time, but in brilliant Phillip Island weather he finally reached the summit with searing lap of 1:30.462 – the second best ever in the Superbike class.
West will be joined on the front row for Sunday’s two 11-lap races by Josh Waters (McMartin Racing Ducati) and Mike Jones (Yamaha Racing Team), who both sit above him in the championship race after five of eight rounds.
Qualifying was also held across all the other ASBK classes on Saturday – Kawasaki Supersport, Race and Road Supersport 300 and the BLU CRU Oceania Junior Cup – as well as the Yamaha R3 BLU CRU Asia-Pacific Championship making its first visit to Phillip Island.
The Oceania Junior Cup riders also enjoyed their first race to bookend Saturday’s on-track activities, ahead of a massive 11-race schedule on Sunday.
For the full results from Phillip Island, click here.
Round six of the Australian Superbike Championship is supported by the Victorian Government via its Significant Sporting Events Program.
SW-Motech Superbike
West’s trajectory has been on the up for some time, and today the former Moto2 winner’s stocks rose yet again.
“I’m just so happy, and hats off to the Addicted to Track team,” said West. “We’ve been working hard towards getting the best out of the bike: we have a plan and we know what to do.
“All that experience is coming together really well.”
Westy’s maiden pole position in SW-Motech Superbike!
West was the only rider to circulate in the 1:30 bracket in qualifying, with Waters, Jones, Broc Pearson (DesmoSport Ducati), Cru Halliday (Stop and Seal Ducati) and Max Stauffer (Yamaha) all in the 1:31s.
The top 10 was completed by Jack Favelle (Addicted to Track Yamaha), the returning Troy Herfoss (Yamaha Racing Team), Jonathan Nahlous (Omega Racing Team Yamaha) and Ty Lynch (Yamaha).
Meanwhile, Cameron Dunker (MotoGo Yamaha) didn’t take part in qualifying after mechanical woes in practice, with his team now racing against the clock to get him on the grid for tomorrow.
It was also a hapless day for Glenn Allerton (Superbike Advocates Racing Ducati), who didn’t go out because of a physical ailment.
The top three in SW-Motech Superbike qualifying: (L to R) Waters, West and Jones
Kawasaki Supersport
There’s breaking records and then there’s breaking records.
Albury’s Archie McDonald was simply sensational in Kawasaki Supersport qualifying, setting a new best lap of 1:33.808 on his Stop and Seal Yamaha YZF-R6, nearly one second under the current lap record (1:34.682) and well over a second ahead of the previous qualifying marker.
McDonald has now been in pole position in all four ASBK rounds he has competed in this season. He’s currently second in the championship behind teammate Jack Mahaffy.
Jake Farnsworth (Yamaha) and Hayden Nelson (BCperformance Kawasaki) were second and third among the 17 Supersport riders, ahead of Tom Bramich (Yamaha), Mahaffy and Oli Simpson (BCperformance Kawasaki).
Mahaffy laboured in practice and qualifying with a bent frame, which will be replaced overnight.
Tom Toparis (Stop and Seal Ducati) was the fastest of the Supersport Next Gen riders despite a bingle at turn six in the second qualifying session.
Archie McDonald was untouchable in Kawasaki Supersport qualifying
Race and Road Supersport 300
Pressure Ghage! A stunning pole position for Ghage Plowman (Yamaha) in his Race and Road Supersport 300 ASBK debut, with Oliver Short (Kawasaki) and Jordy Simpson (Yamaha) second and third.
Championship leader Scott Nicholson qualified in sixth, three spots ahead of his closest pursuer – fellow Kawasaki rider Tara Morrison.
The times were typically tight, though, which augers well for three crackerjack races on Sunday.
Ghage Plowman put the hammer down in Race and Road Supersport 300 qualifying
BLU CRU Oceania Junior Cup
An edge-of-the-seat race for the ages, with the top 20 OJC riders flashing across the finish line separated by just 1.648 seconds! Junior talent in all its glory.
Xavier Curmi came out of the rolling scrum first ahead of Chaz Williams and Rossi McAdam.
After everyone takes a deep breath, there will be two more races on Sunday.
What a BLU CRU Oceania Junior Cup opener!
Images: RbMotoLens
