A record 12 riders attended the Phillip Island pre season press conference today in preparation for the season kick-off tomorrow.
WSB organisers historically invite four or five riders on stage to talk about the weekend ahead and their title aspirations.
With so many fast riders in 2009, organisers were spoilt for choice on who to invite meaning the stage full.
Established WSB stars Noriyuki Haga, Max Biaggi, and Troy Corser were joined by WSB rookies Ben Spies, Shane Byrne and Jonathan Rea. Also in attendance were title contenders Max Neukirchner and Carlos Checa.
Such is the strength of the 2009 WSB rider line-up that there wasn’t enough room on stage for some of WSB’s fastest men.
Xerox Ducati rider Michel Fabrizio and three time WSB race winner Ryuichi Kiyonari weren’t invited to attend with factory Aprilia man Shinya Nakano and Britain’s Tom Sykes and Leon Haslam also absent.
First WSB practice starts at 10.30Xam local time (GMT +11) on Friday 27th March.