Kawasaki's Jonathan Rea has prevailed in a spectacular season-opening 22-lap Superbike World Championship race at Phillip Island in which Australian wildcard Josh Brookes was forced to retire after just six laps.
Reigning world champion Rea's third win in a row at Phillip Island -- and his fourth victory in the past five races at the island -- came after a ding-dong scrap with arch-rival Chaz Davies in a "really tactical race".
In typical Phillip Island style, it all came down to the last lap, with Ducati's Davies managing to get his nose in front briefly before Rea, 30, returned the compliment.